1. Prioritize visibility over immediate persuasion.

Your goal in writing an op-ed or letter to the editor isn’t to change every reader’s mind. Instead, you are trying to enhance the visibility of the issue and prove that a unique perspective like yours actually exists. You can’t change the minds of every person who reads your story, but you can let people know there’s an interesting story out there that breaks the mold.

2. Keep your pitch short and your brand professional.

Journalists are busy, so your pitch should be brief enough to fit on a phone screen without scrolling. Establish a personal rapport, paste your article directly into the email to avoid spam filters, and ensure your online presence is aligned. Whether a reporter looks you up on LinkedIn or X, they should find a consistent, professional brand that makes it easy for them to vet you.

3. Build your own platform if gatekeepers block you.

If traditional media isn’t working out the way you’d like, you don’t have to wait for their permission. You can go around the gatekeepers by building your own platform through Substack, YouTube, or podcasts. There are also many pro-life outlets and newsletters that might publish your work. The mission is to get the message out, and today we have the tools to reach our audience directly.

Getting booked: how to pitch your story

In this module, you will learn how to get your story into the media. As an ordinary person, the most common way to reach the public through the media is by writing an op-ed or letter to the editor. You might also have opportunities to be a guest on a radio or TV show.

Visibility first, persuasion maybe

It’s important to understand the purpose of opinion pieces. Your number one goal is not to persuade every member of your audience, but to enhance the visibility of the issue and to prove that there’s someone out there with your unique perspective who’s never been heard before. Persuasion is a secondary goal.

You cannot change the minds of every person who reads your story. Your goal is to let people know that there’s an interesting story out there that breaks the mold.

Opinion writing

Op-eds and letters to the editor are the foundation of getting yourself into the media. News coverage of an issue often starts with an opinion piece.

The opinion section of your local paper drives conversation in your area. Writing a letter to the editor is a good way to get heard, even when your perspective doesn’t fit the paper’s bias or editorial direction.

To find the contact email for letters to the editor, just scroll to the bottom of the organization’s website and find the “Contact” section.

Brainstorming

An opinion piece should make a clear argument for something. You need to have a perspective that is different from what other people might say.

Ask yourself a tough question: Does anybody care about this? Do I have a good reason for writing this article?

Also ask: Where do I imagine this running? Which publication would be a good fit for this article? It’s best to have an outlet in mind before you start writing.

Finally, consider: Is this the right time to pitch this article? Unless it’s an “evergreen” issue, you need a reason to write an op-ed at a particular time (eg, a bill is being debated in the legislature). Why is this relevant now?

Sometimes, you might need to wait for a similar story to be published and get a lot of coverage; then you can pitch your own article.

What’s your role in the editorial ecosystem?

Reflect: Are you an advocate, an expert, a paid opinion columnist, a lawmaker, or a journalist? This will help you answer the “why” for writing and placing an op-ed.

Ask yourself: Why me? Why is my piece going to get published, and not someone else’s? You need to have a background in the area you’re writing about. Your personal story is going to go a long way.

Where should you publish?

Think about where there might be demand for your perspective. Research and read different media outlets; they’ll give you a sense of where you should be published.

You might want to submit your story to a specifically pro-life outlet, or you might want something with a broader audience. A good middle-of-the-road publisher for personal stories is USA Today, whose opinion section publishes first-person essays.

AllSides.com is a good lead. It sorts websites into left, right, and center and will give you outlet ideas.

Structure of an op-ed

Op-eds are similar in structure to an academic essay. What you learned in middle school about the “hamburger format” holds true.

The lede gives the news hook or reason for this op-ed, then the “nut graft,” a preview of your viewpoint.

The middle of the piece contains evidence for your argument. This part comprises several paragraphs of supporting information and counterpoints.

The conclusion wraps it up and gives the reader something clever to ponder once they’re done reading.

Basic rules for op-eds

The word count for an op-ed is generally 650 to 800 words. If you go over, edit it down. Some of the most read outlets in America might want you to cut to 500 words or less. A letter to the editor should be 200 words or less.

Op-eds are made stronger by personal anecdote and experiences, but confine first-person “I” narration to specific parts of the piece. Don’t lead with it.

Finally, aim to write at a 7th grade reading level. Remember that your audience is the general public.

Pitching your story

To successfully publish in a newspaper or magazine, you must be a regular reader of that periodical, so that you know what kind of stories they publish and can mention recent articles to the reporter. The same goes for radio and TV.

Research leads on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and publication websites. Search for people who have published pieces similar to yours. Type a summary of your story (eg, “I survived an abortion”) into Google, click “Search,” and hit the News tab. That will immediately lead you to websites that publish the exact kind of thing that you would like to write. As soon as you know that there’s a market for your idea, you can meet the market where it’s at.

Slow down to avoid careless mistakes, like having two different publishers accept the same article. Don’t pitch more than two people in a business day. Be patient, especially if you know that your issue can wait.

What makes for a good pitch?

First, write a brief summary of your article. What’s it about? Explain your argument in one sentence.

Next, let the reporter know that you’re open to adjusting or editing your article.

Finally, let them know who you are. Establish personal rapport. Have you met before? Have you published with them before? For a local outlet, let them know that you live in the area.

At the bottom of your email, include your contact info and paste your article. Don’t attach it – that can get your email caught in the reporter’s spam box.

Pitches should be short. As a rule of thumb, your pitch should fit on an iPhone without scrolling. Hyperlink any additional information.

Your byline

Your byline gives the journalist a sense of who you are. Include any relevant institutional affiliations, but make sure to get permission from your employer first. Also include any relevant past publications, which establish your credibility. Finally, include your Twitter/X handle. Twitter/X is good for building your brand and allowing readers to get in contact.

After placement

The right retweet will put you on TV. The wrong one could too.

To drum up interest in your article, send a few DMs with the tweeted article to folks who care about this subject matter. Or you can email them; journalists want people to send them stories, so they nearly always have their emails in their bios.

With quick use of LinkedIn, you can find some press secretaries and social media managers for lawmakers. Send them the article, if it’s favorable.

TV or radio pitches

A TV or radio pitch is not much different from a print pitch. You can let the reporter know about an upcoming protest, rally, or other event. Let them know how to reach you and when you’re available. Include a hyperlinked sample of you on TV or YouTube looking awesome.

Understanding incentives is the key to getting on TV and radio. Anticipate their needs. Know what’s in the news cycle and whether it’s a slow week. Your pitch might be perfect, but if it comes at a busy news time, you won’t get on air.

Optimizing your online presence

Make it easy to learn about you. Build a decent website or fully loaded LinkedIn. Assume that when you reach out to a journalist, they want to know a little more about you. Make it easy for them to vet you. They want to make sure you’re not a crazy person.

Align your Twitter/X with your LinkedIn and your website. They should look the same: same profile picture, same name, same description in your bio.

In a friendly, professional way, touch base with the reporter on multiple platforms. Add them on LinkedIn and comment on one of their posts. Follow them on Twitter/X, retweet something they post, and like or comment on one of their tweets. You’re establishing forms of easy contact and making them recognize your name.

Going around the gatekeepers

If the media’s not working out the way you would like it to, do your own thing! Build your own platform. Podcasting, YouTube, Substack, and email newsletters are alternative ways to get your message out. You could also be a guest on someone else’s podcast or YouTube channel. There are a lot of pro-life Substacks who might publish you.