Generate feature ideas grounded in a publication's recent coverage, gaps and editorial calendar.
Public Relations & Media
Freelance Journalism and Pitching Features to Editors
Develop a sustainable freelance practice: research and pitch feature ideas editors want, negotiate fair rates and contracts, and manage multiple commissioning relationships across print and digital outlets.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Most feature pitches fail not because the idea is weak but because the pitch itself does not give an editor enough to say yes quickly. This course builds a sustainable freelance journalism practice around the full pitching cycle: generating feature ideas grounded in a publication's actual coverage gaps, researching enough before pitching to confirm a story stands up, and structuring a pitch that states length, format, timeline and access within a few tight paragraphs. Participants practise following up on silence, handling rejection constructively, and negotiating scope changes without absorbing unpaid additional work. Sessions on rates and contracts cover calculating fees that reflect research and reporting time rather than word count alone, negotiating kill fees and expenses, and reviewing rights and syndication clauses before signing. The course closes on the practical side of freelancing long-term: diversifying editor relationships, forecasting income across confirmed and pending commissions, and balancing long-lead features against faster-turnaround work. Participants leave with a pitch template, a rate-negotiation framework and a plan for sustaining commissions across multiple outlets.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Research and confirm access before pitching to avoid a commission that later falls through.
Structure a pitch that states length, format, timeline and secured access clearly.
Negotiate fair rates, kill fees and expenses before beginning commissioned work.
Review contract clauses on rights, exclusivity and syndication before signing.
Build and diversify editor relationships to avoid dependence on a single outlet.
Forecast income and manage workload across confirmed and pending commissions.
Who Should Attend
Freelance journalists building or expanding a feature-writing practice.
Early-career reporters transitioning from staff roles to freelance work.
Specialist writers pitching features across print and digital outlets.
Journalism graduates preparing to enter freelance feature writing.
Editors who commission freelancers and want to understand pitch quality standards.
Content professionals diversifying into journalistic feature writing.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Generating and Researching Feature Ideas
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Finding Feature Ideas Editors Will Commission
- Read a target publication's recent features to identify recurring themes, formats and gaps.
- Develop a feature idea from a personal beat, contact network or under-reported niche rather than trend-chasing.
- Test an idea's timeliness against forthcoming events, anniversaries or seasonal editorial calendars.
- Distinguish a feature-worthy idea from one better suited to a shorter news item.
Session 2Researching Before the Pitch
- Conduct preliminary interviews and source-gathering before pitching to confirm the story stands up.
- Identify potential access or availability problems that could derail a commissioned feature.
- Estimate realistic word count, reporting time and cost before setting a proposed fee.
- Build a shortlist of outlets ranked by fit, rate and likely turnaround for a given idea.
02Writing and Sending Effective Pitches
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Structuring a Pitch Editors Will Read to the End
- Open a pitch with the story's central tension or question rather than background context.
- State proposed length, format, timeline and access already secured within the pitch itself.
- Tailor each pitch's tone and structure to the specific editor's known preferences and section.
- Avoid sending an identical pitch simultaneously to directly competing outlets without disclosure.
Session 2Following Up and Handling Editor Responses
- Set a follow-up timeline appropriate to an outlet's typical response speed.
- Respond constructively to a rejection by requesting feedback or offering an alternative angle.
- Negotiate scope changes an editor requests without agreeing to unpaid additional work.
- Recognise when to withdraw a pitch and offer it elsewhere after a reasonable silence.
03Negotiating Rates, Contracts and Rights
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Setting and Negotiating Fair Rates
- Calculate a rate that reflects research time, interviews, travel and writing rather than word count alone.
- Benchmark rates across comparable outlets using freelance rate-sharing resources and professional networks.
- Negotiate kill fees and expenses clearly before beginning commissioned work.
- Recognise below-market offers and decide when to decline rather than undercut future negotiating position.
Session 2Understanding Contracts, Rights and Payment Terms
- Review contract clauses on rights licensed, exclusivity period and syndication before signing.
- Negotiate retaining rights for republishing or anthologising a feature after first publication.
- Track invoicing and payment terms across multiple outlets with different administrative cycles.
- Escalate late payment through the appropriate professional or legal channel when direct requests fail.
04Managing a Sustainable Freelance Practice
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Building and Diversifying Editor Relationships
- Maintain relationships with multiple editors across outlets to avoid dependence on a single commissioning source.
- Deliver reliably on deadline and word count to build a reputation that generates repeat commissions.
- Pitch a returning idea format, such as a recurring column or series, to secure more predictable income.
- Attend industry events and press trips selectively to expand a professional network without conflicts of interest.
Session 2Planning Workload, Income and Professional Development
- Forecast income across confirmed and pending commissions to manage cash flow between payments.
- Balance investigative or long-lead features against faster-turnaround commissions for steady income.
- Track editorial contacts, rates and past pitches in a system that supports long-term practice management.
- Set aside time for skills development in formats such as audio, data or multimedia storytelling.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
Complete your registration
We will contact you within one business day to confirm.
Ready to start?
Reserve your seat and start building the skill.