You open your email or social media, and there it is. A journalist is reaching out to you for a story! It’s an exciting time for sure, but if you’ve never spoken to a journalist, it might also be a little scary.
Fear not! Here are some pointers that may help put you at ease.
Why do journalists get in touch?
There are three main reasons why a writer like myself will get in touch with you for a story.
1) You’ve contacted me to share your soon-to-be-published study or report, raise the profile for a new or upcoming project, or know of a situation that should be reported on. Either I need a little more info before pitching the story to a publication, or a publication has already given the thumbs up, and I want to interview you for the piece.
2) I’ve spotted your super-cool thing (or, equally, a super-uncool thing happening), and I want to chat to get more details before pitching a story to a publication.
3) I need your independent expertise! Sometimes I’ll want to add your voice to a story. Other times I may need a little help to verify/fact-check a few things with independent experts.
What happens on the call?
Every journalist approaches their conversations differently. Personally, I aim to have a casual chat. I always have some questions to hand, but I try to ensure our conversation naturally flows.
The length of the call depends on why I’m getting in touch, and the nature and length of the story. If I need expert help, calls can be as short as 15 minutes. Calls tend to be longer if you will or may have a more central role (e.g. when the story focuses on your work). Expect between 30 minutes to an hour.
Although I take a few notes during our chat, I almost always record my calls. These recordings let me go back and double-check any points I need to and ensure I quote you accurately. The recordings are never released for publication (unless we are doing a podcast or video).
What kinds of questions will I be asked?
Every story is unique, so the questions I ask are also unique. Saying that there are some questions that I tend to ask in one form or another:
Why does this matter, and who does it matter to?
What are the broader ramifications?
Is there anything we haven’t covered that we should chat about?
What else is going on outside this study/report/project?
If you don’t know the answer or are unsure, that’s ok! I’m not here to catch you out. Equally, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them.
What happens after the call?
You get to sit back and relax while I start working on the story!
When I’m happy with the piece (or happy enough - deadlines are often tight, so I can’t spend weeks revising), I send it to the publication editor for their consideration. There may be a bit of back and forth with the editor to improve the story or make adjustments for editorial purposes. As part of this process, I may come back to you to clarify something or ask a quick question. Generally, you won’t get to review the article before it is published.
Eventually, the story will be published. Sometimes this is very soon after we have our chat. Sometimes, it’s months later! Not all editors let me know when a story has come out, but if they do, I usually send you a quick email to let you know.
I have something that I’d like to appear in the media
Exciting! Look here to see what I and the publications I work with are looking for. Then, if you think you have something ‘newsworthy,’ you can message me on this website or through LinkedIn, Twitter, or Mastodon.