Finding editor contact info.

This is possibly the question I get most frequently. Sometimes it comes from people who aren’t Google-savvy*, other times it comes from those who are desperate for contacts.

Here are a few ways to go about finding impossible-to-find editor emails:

1) Google (or search engine of your choice)

Often a simple search for “foreign news editor [publication]” or “food editor [publication]” is all it takes.

2) Check socials

Most editors I know are on Twitter. Search “[publication] editor” or just “[publication]” and check bios and pitch calls (including comments) for emails. If all else fails, find the publication’s Twitter handle and scroll through their follow list.

3) Google the outlet’s or parent company’s “email format”

For instance, Health magazine is owned by Meredith. If I know the name of the commissioning editor (via Twitter or Google or LinkedIn), all I have to do is search “Meredith email format” and get this listing which tells me their format is first.last@meredith.com.

4) Use an email database like RocketReach or Hunter.io (both have free options)

5) Connect on social media

Tweet them, DM them, drop them a LinkedIn message (but obviously respect boundaries; don’t go adding people on Facebook or anything). I once tweeted an editor (his DMs were closed) asking if he was game for pitches. He tweeted back saying no, but gave me his email and told me to circle back in a couple of months. I did. Bada-bing-bada-boom—a story was commissioned for a very easy-to-work-with editor at a rate that I was chuffed with at the time.

*this is what I tell myself. I refuse to believe people are that entitled or that lazy when I get a DM saying “Can I have the editor at <publication’s> email?”

Pitching: how to pitch, where to pitch, pitch calls, etc.

How to pitch

If you’ve no idea what a pitch is or how to pitch anyone, start with this guide on Nieman Lab by NYT’s Tim Herrera: “How to successfully pitch The New York Times (or, well, anyone else)” as well as this all-’round great resource, aptly titled “Pitch, Bitch!” (many thanks to Chloé Braithwaite-Cvetojević for sending this through)

“The Art of Pitching: How I Got Published in The Atlantic” (via Campfire Labs)

“5 Tips for a Successful Freelance Writing Pitch” (via Writer’s Digest)

“How to pitch story ideas: tips from journalists” (via International Journalists’ Network)

“50+ pitching guides for NYT, NatGeo, Wired, WaPo, Bustle and more” (via Freelancing with Tim)

“Here Are A Load Of Successful Journalism Pitches To Help You With Yours” (via Journo Resources)

“How to write the perfect pitch” (via Journalism.co.uk)

Sample pitches

Journo Resources has a collection of successful journalism pitches

Successful Pitches (a database of pitches that includes word counts and subject lines)

The Open Notebook’s Pitch Database (a collection of successful pitches for science writers).

Where to find pitch calls + publications to pitch

Catapult has a list of submission and freelancing opportunities under their Don’t Write Alone column.

Freedom With Writing sends out an email with pitch calls, submission opportunities, etc.

IWW Freelance Journalists Union compiled this spreadsheet with rates and contact details.

This Google Doc contains “media outlets that publish science stories, mainly U.S., Australia, Canada, English-language; some Latin America,” compiled by Robin Lloyd.

Where to Pitch - enter your vertical, the search engine finds you publications to pitch and gives you their pitching guidelines.

Sonia Weiser’s Opportunities of the Week Newsletter.

This Google Sheet from an anonymous (at time of writing) person who goes by The Commission Hunter on Twitter.

The Society of Freelance Journalists has a great international Slack community of 1,200+ journalists, editors, and content creators. They share opportunities and provide each other with support.

The Reporter’s Notebook has compiled a list of paying publications that focus on beer (although some of these publications cover a range of other topics).

Contently’s Freelance Rates Database has a list of publications to pitch alongside their rates.

Journo Resources put together this list of commissioned rates. They also send out a weekly newsletter gathering freelance opportunities and gigs scouted from around the internet.

PitchWhiz, HackPack, The Dots (the latter is mainly suited for UK-based freelancers) all send out weekly newsletters with pitch calls and opportunities.

TravMedia, Food4Media, Telum Media also send out pitch requests from editors (the first two are travel- and food-specific respectively).

Other similar sites you might want to check out include Media Bistro and Media Beans.

Follow editors of your favourite publications and Writers of Color on Twitter for pitch calls.

Kaitlyn Artford retweets pitch calls and opportunities on Twitter. As does Chryselle D’Silva Dias.