PowerPitch 2019

At this year's PowerPitch session, you'll have the chance sit across the table from the editor of your dreams and pitch story ideas, one on one. Each time slot lasts about seven minutes. We expect to have an exciting roster of approximately 15 editors participating in this year's event and will update the roster of editors as it continues to develop. The current list of editors is below. Click on each editor's name to read their bio and helpful pitching guidelines.

Signup for this session will occur in advance! (Sept. 9 – Sept. 16)

Don’t miss out!
Please read and follow these instructions carefully:

(1) To sign up, EMAIL PowerPitchNASW@gmail.com between Sept. 9, 2019, 8 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (UTC -7 hours) and Sept. 16, 2019, 8 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

(2) Your email should have the following SUBJECT LINE: PowerPitch 2019, your Full Name

(3) In the BODY of your email, please list as many as 15 editors in descending order of preference. For example:

1. Jane Doe
2. John Doe
3. Baby Doe

with #1 being the editor you would most like to meet with.

(4) Once you send your email, you should receive a CONFIRMATION EMAIL immediately. This email does not confirm that you’ve been matched with an editor – it just confirms that we’ve received your request. (Please check your spam folder if you do not receive it.)

(5) Signups are NOT first-come first-served. Everyone who submits an email during the signup period will have an equal chance of being matched with an editor. PLEASE NOTE THAT EMAILS RECEIVED OUTSIDE THE SIGNUP PERIOD (either before it begins or after it ends) WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

(6) You must be fully registered for the meeting by the time PowerPitch signup closes on Sept. 16. Anyone who is not registered for ScienceWriters2019 by October 10 WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM EDITOR MATCHUPS.

(7) Please note, this event is strictly intended for people to pitch stories as journalists – and not public relations. Press officers are welcome to register, but we ask that you please NOT pitch story ideas involving your own institution or employer.

(8) We expect a lot of signups, and some editors will fill up very quickly. This is why we suggest that you list up to 15 editors. But please ONLY include a particular editor in your list if you are sure you want to pitch them.

(9) We will do our best to ensure that everyone gets to meet at least one editor, and that it is one of their top several choices, but unfortunately we cannot make any guarantees. Anyone who does not get matched with an editor will be put on a waitlist and will be informed if any slots open up at a later date.

(10) We will notify you of your editor assignments by Oct. 11, giving you ample time to prepare your story ideas and pitches. Check your spam folder if you have not received an email from PowerPitchNASW@gmail.com. Follow Twitter for updates: #Powerpitch2019, visit our Web Page to see our evolving roster of editors, and email PowerPitchNASW@gmail.com with any questions.

(11) Once you are matched with an editor, PLEASE THOROUGHLY PREPARE YOUR PITCHES IN ADVANCE! Pitch slots are highly sought after, so we want both editors and writers to make the most of them. In addition, the short meeting time (only about 7 minutes) will require that you be prepared to discuss your ideas concisely.

• Read any pitch guidelines posted online by an editor. These will be listed on the editor’s speaker bio page.
• Examine the publication in print or online.
• Come up with some well-thought-out ideas.
• Remember that it's best if you come in with more than one idea, since even the best idea can unexpectedly be dead on arrival if, for example, the editor already has a similar story in the works.

Links to additional pitch advice or pitch examples are listed below. We especially call your attention to the first resource, which offers advice for the brief, one-on-one PowerPitch format.

http://www.theopennotebook.com/2013/10/30/how-to-prepare-for-the-sciencewriters2013-power-pitch/

http://www.theopennotebook.com/2012/01/04/how-not-to-pitch/

https://medium.com/@annfriedman/how-and-where-to-pitch-your-writing-1c316fa37bda

http://www.theopennotebook.com/pitch-database/

#PowerPitch2019