Editor’s Choice — Top 10:

How To Pitch Your Article to a Big Publication

Let’s have a look at our Top 10 stories today

The professional writers don’t write stories. They pitch their raw ideas to large publications. When their pitch is accepted, they start writing.

Medium can pay around $500 for one story if you pitch your idea right.

How would you like to see your story in a Medium partner publication? But they don’t make it easy, do they?

Medium Publications have their own flavor, style, and overall voice. Run by professional editors, they value only one thing: quality writing. But first, read the stories they like to publish.

Tim Denning kept pitching his stories to Medium publications for a full year before the editors accepted one of his stories. These articles occupy a more prominent place in the popular list, homepage, and featured section.

You have to pitch a lot. Wait for three to four weeks for a response. Most writers quit after two or three attempts. Write, pitch, and pray. Do not quit.

What do I mean by pitching your idea? You can send an email to the publication. This email contains your story idea — and the hyperlink to the draft or the published story. Yes, you can pitch your already published stories.

Medium publications are all about the reader. They try to treat them like a VIP with backstage access and the potential to change or improve their life thanks to their platform. ~ Tim Denning

But don’t pitch just any story. Submit only the best work. It should be so good that the editors can’t refuse it. Or at least, you hope they can’t reject it.

Don’t spam the Medium publications with copied ideas. They would probably ignore you later when you do pitch an original idea. These professional editors want the most inspiring and unique ideas.

“My suggestion: Go with your expertise. Pitch and write about what you know best. That will establish you as a strong writer, and help you get some clips and articles.” ~ Peggy Bennett, former editor of Entrepreneur

Another important tip is to know the taste of the editors of these publications. It is like trying to figure who is on the interviewing panel for a job. You can read their most treasured stories here.

Your idea — as presented in your headline — is vital. Try to use this format when you send your email: <a catchy title> — <your pitch> — <your name>. Also, put your profile link at the bottom of your email.

One possible outline is this:

Howdy Editors,

I am and I am a big fan of . I love to write about and . I’d love to pitch my story to your publication. I am open to suggestions or changes:

I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for the great content.

Don’t give up before you start pitching. I wish you good luck on your quest.

Here is a list of our top 10 stories today — by writers who should start pitching their stories vigorously:

10. How Eight of My Stories Were Chosen for Further Distribution in 48 Hours

I wrote this one. Frankly, I thought it was a fluke. But 13 out of the last 13 stories have been chosen for further distribution. This can’t be a fluke. I think when I was trying to teach you to write well, I learned it too. 😃

Before my m͛͛͛o͛͛͛r͛͛͛n͛͛͛i͛͛͛n͛͛͛g͛͛͛ ͛͛͛c͛͛͛o͛͛͛f͛͛͛f͛͛͛e͛͛͛e͛͛͛, I check my 🆂🆃🅰🆃🆂. For the last full month, I had not seen a single story title with the beautiful grey-colored text below it that says, “𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.” My curation rate is around 50% and I have written the most popular curation guide in simple words.

9. How to Find Out What Topic Your Article Got Curated In

Sabana Grande says, “ If You Are Seeing This Message I Have Come Back From The Future To Impart Wisdom On The Masses.”

He is an excellent writer. His writing style is informative, easy to read, and engaging. Do check his other work. He handles a channel about curation on our slack with this goal: “Specific curation advice. The goal is 80% Medium curation rates for everyone.”

There are two main ways to find out in which topics your article was curated by Medium.

You will know if your article was curated because it will say “Chosen for further distribution” underneath its title on your Stats page, like so:

8. Keep Your Readers Hooked

Akarsh Nalawade is talkative. Easy-goer. Globetrotter. Quixotic. Polemic. Mind-changer. Tea Drinker. Nerd. I write (mostly) about the books I read.

He is a good writer. His writing style is honest, easy to read, and thought-provoking. Don’t forget to check his other work.

First things first — social media is global-scale psychological manipulation. An induced addiction. For both, consumers and creators. The “connect-use-reuse-share-repeat” feedback loop preys on our psychological needs of attention, variety & variable reward. Our brain doesn’t simply gush out dollops of serotonin & dopamine. It does so because it likes it. The psych-tech whizzes making decisions at these companies know exactly what buttons to press. And they do. Repeatedly.

7. How Watching TV Can Make You a Brilliant Writer

Nia Simone McLeod is a fine writer. Her writing style is honest, easy to read, and very engaging. Do check her other work.

As a writer, television is my #1 inspiration — not books. Through TV shows, I’ve been introduced to more compelling and diverse stories than I’ve ever found on a bookshelf.

Through watching TV, I can study the greats and learn what makes their stories tick. It’s no different from a filmmaker studying Martin Scorsese or a playwright studying William Shakespeare.

6. When Writers Go Rogue

Rob Janicke is a married father of two. He started a record label and writes a bit.

He is a superb writer. His writing style is charging, direct, and very engaging. Don’t miss this one.

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde

It’s a simple enough statement to both read and understand. At the same time, it seems harder and harder to practice.

5. How Can I Write Completely From the Heart Without Hurting the People I Care About?

Natalie Frank, Ph.D. writes about behavioral health & other topics. She is Managing Editor (Serials, Novellas) for LVP Press.

She is an excellent writer. Her writing style is thorough, honest, and very engaging. You might like some of her other stories as well.

I received this question from a follower of mine recently. I immediately began to dash off an answer, then realized I needed to give it some more thought. It’s not the first time someone has asked me this question. It seems to be a common area of query especially for novice writers who just want to write about everything that has ever happened to them when they realize they can publish anything online.

4. 3 Inspiring Lessons Learned From A Bubble Tea Shop

Trista Ainsworth is an Abundant Minimalist. She writes on abundance, joy, and an expansive world.

She is an outstanding writer. Her writing style is simple, direct, and charming. Check this one out.

Ingenuity is the ability to solve difficult problems, often in an original and creative way. ― Pearl Zhu

Recently I have started to explore our town more. I have always loved to find new food and drink places to try out. Now, I have turned this into a way to write local news articles for News Break.

3. The Lessons I’ve Learned From Billionaires

Luke Beling is a husband and father, adventurer, and a writer who finds joy in everyday stories. He lives on the Big Island of Hawaii.

He is an excellent writer. His writing style is elegant, honest, and very engaging. Don’t miss this one.

For the past five years, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to watch and learn from men and women who have more money than cares or concerns. It’s debilitating and liberating all at once to watch these “super-humans” move about on the currents of life.

Their lack of thought for spending and ability to make more dough in a day than I can in a year is a straight-jacket on my ambition.

2. Your Bedtime Routine Will Determine The Success Of Your Morning Ritual

Jazz Parks wants you to check out her latest book, Self-Mastery: a Beginner’s Guide to Self-Development & Personal Productivity.

He is a wonderful writer. His writing style is honest, frank, and charming. Don’t forget to check his other work.

If you’ve been following me at all, then you should already know and understand the importance of sustaining a successful morning ritual, but are you aware of the benefits that come from having a consistent bedtime routine?

Morning routines are designed to prepare us for the day ahead, focus on our priorities, and — hopefully — spend some time working on self-improvement.

1. A Simple Way to Turn down Negativity and Turn up Positivity in Life

At number one, it is Bill Abbate. Again. He writes about leadership and he is an executive coach.

He is an accomplished writer. His writing style is informative, easy to read, detailed, well-supported, and very engaging. Follow him and don’t miss his stories.

Why does so much negativity exist in the world today? It seems like every time you turn on the news, negativity pours out and attacks your senses. Such negativity exacerbates the anxiety and depression issues in the country.

Could part of the problem of so much negativity be our fault because too many people enjoy or crave it? Does negative news create better ratings and more income for the media? Who is at fault?

This post is part of the Top 10 Series — you can meet 500+ top writers with these links:

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Final Thoughts

If your story was selected in the Top 10, please share another story with a brief introduction and a short convincing review — in the comments. (Please write the review in the third person and start it with your name.)

I must have missed something today. I cannot read every story on Illumination and Illumination-Curated. I try — and fail daily — to read all of the masterpieces.

I am inviting you to join our private Facebook group for Illumination writers. Also please follow my publication — positive minds.

Iꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴀɴʏ ᴍɪsᴛᴀᴋᴇ, ᴛʏᴘᴏ, ᴏʀ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴇʀʀᴏʀ, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴘʀɪᴠᴀᴛᴇ ɴᴏᴛᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. Tʜᴀɴᴋs.

To be included as a top 10 writer, read these curation guidelines carefully.

You can read my curated stories here.