How to pitch an essay

Personal essays are the most personal kind of pitch, and the most misunderstood.

The idea must carry a voice, not just a story. Something happened to you; what matters is the perspective you bring to it and what it says about something larger.

Find the universal in the specific. A personal essay works when a reader who is not you can still recognise themselves in it.

Be honest. Do not invent events or feelings. If you are pitching a real experience, it must be real.

Match the word count. Essay markets are often strict about length. Check the guideline before you claim a length.

Some markets want the full essay. Where the guideline says to send the complete piece rather than a pitch, follow that. Sending a pitch to a market that expects the full essay wastes everyone's time.

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