It's a fine line. You don't want to get a source's hopes up by promising her coverage Big Name Month Mag (or waste your time doing tons of legwork on an article that may never see print), but you also don't want to disappoint an editor by pitching her an interview with a source you can't deliver.
I got into hot water once because I got my editor excited about a story, then couldn't get the source to return my emails. This was a profile piece, so we had to scrap it completely, but at least I'd worked with the editor on several other stories, so she knew I wasn't a total flake. Still, I did lose some face with that one and learned a tough lesson.
I've come to the conclusion that if the article is one where you could slot in any number of sources, then you can pitch it by saying "potential sources include Jane Doe, author of...." The phrase "potential sources" is key because it shows the editor that you're given it some thought, but you're flexible enough to consider alternate sources.
Jane might have written a killer book on DIY fashion or interracial dating, but chances are, you can find another expert if you have to. Since the article does not hinge on her opinions about a highly specific topic, you can wait until you have an official assignment before you email her publicist (some will happily forward you background information and others will give you the cold shoulder at this stage).
If, on the other hand, you hope to pitch a profile, then you should make sure that your source is receptive before you get an editor involved. Recently I had a slew of potential sources refuse interviews for reasons I never would have anticipated (fortunately, I didn't pitch the article and it didn't have super-specific requirements, so I was in the clear). You might assume that Jane Doe would be thrilled to do an interview and promote her book, but she might have her own reasons for not wanting her profile to appear in a certain publication. Or maybe she's so busy doing interviews with The New Yorker and Rolling Stone that she doesn't want to spend her precious time on a mid-sized magazine. If it's an article with a variety of sources, you can just find another one, but if it's a profile, well, you're kind of screwed.
During the query stage, it's important to emphasize to your source that you are hoping to write an article about her, but it's not a sure bet. If you can get away with saying "I'd like to pitch this to women's magazines" or "I'm going to shop this idea around to some travel websites" instead of dropping specific names like Cosmo or Concierge.com, so much the better. You don't want them to get their heart set on a certain publication, but some people will press you for details. This is something I still struggle with!
Another strategy is to reuse sources you've used in the past. It's (generally) a safe bet that if someone was willing to talk to you in the past, they will probably be receptive to doing another interview in the future. I wrote a profile about a young businessowner who was so excited to see her story published online that I had a hunch she'd be happy to do it over again for a feature article in a different pub. I was right. Plus, you can often include unused bits from your original interview to beef up your new query.
What do you think? Do you usually conduct a pre-interview when you're writing a query? How do you explain this to sources? Any other thoughts on the topic?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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6 comments:
I've recently started writing for a magazine that runs a set of four themed profiles in each issue - each with a short interview and full-page photograph of the interviewee. I completed an assignment for them recently and the editor dropped one of my subjects at the eleventh hour - after we'd done a long interview and a follow up interview and he had posed for the mag's photographer. He'd been really generous with his time so it was awful having to tell him that his profile wouldn't be running. Fortunately he's pretty media-savvy and forgiving but it could have turned ugly. Susan, have you ever had a situation like that? How did you handle it?
I've wondered about this. Do writers just send an email to Ben Affleck and say, "Hey--I hear you and Jen just bought a place in Cambridge and I'd like to do a profile for the Tab?"
I'm guessing it takes more than that :)
I always try to include quotes from a source in a query letter. I tell the source exactly what I'm doing: that I have 2-3 quick questions to ask them, as I'm writing a pitch to send to women's/travel/parenting/etc. publications. I also ask them if they'd be available for a more in-depth article in the future, if/when the article gets picked up. I've never had anyone refuse me, and I think it's because I make it a point to be transparent.
@Chloe: that happened to me recently. This woman had a fascinating story to tell, but my editor didn't think it quite fit with the rest of the article. She was right. Fortuantely, I was able to include a short quote from the source in a different article and hope to do a longer profile about her in the future.
@Trish: I kind of wonder about that, too. I don't write celebrity profiles, and I think someone like Allison Winn Scotch would have a better handle on that whole process.
I've done celebrity interviews for a TV listings type magazine. In my experience, the PR people do all the setting up with the editor, then the writer gets a call with the assignment. I'm not sure how big glossy mags do it, though.
If I'm pitching a profile, I always check with the subject first just to make sure it's okay and that they would be willing to do the piece. In the not-so-distant past, I pitched an idea that my editor liked, but (like your experience) the subject never returned my calls. It was embarrassing because a photographer had also been give the assignment, and she was trying to set things up around her day job for something that I suddenly could not even guarantee would take place. Plus, if you've already checked with the source, you can state in the query that the person is willing to do the story, which is helpful if the subject is a high-profile type. If I'm doing a feature on a specific location or event, I don't worry about it as much because the story doesn't rely on a single source.
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