The Life Cycle of a Story: From Pitch to Placement
- tmanon1
- Oct 16
- 4 min read
By: Isabel Papp
Stories don’t just magically appear.
They go through processes that are just as creative as they are rigorous. Though this can seem daunting, there’s a way to approach any new story you want to tell in a way that will honor your vision and reflect the real world's needs:
Research, research, research!
Understanding your topic is fundamental to any story, and, in this case, it is always better to be over-prepared. To have information you can pull out of a hat and fill space in the story will always be useful.
This will also allow you to find the ‘why’ of the story, which will make it possible for you to be able to connect your audience with the story. This can take a lot of different routes depending on the angles available and the kind of story you want to tell. Keep your audience in mind!
After making sure you understand your story, you can then move on to the pitch, which should consist of a headline and a few paragraphs explaining the story, why it matters, and how you want to approach it. Unique selling points (exclusivity, data insights, fresh perspectives, etc.) really help, and so does understanding how it fits into your company’s brand and goals. If you already have multimedia prepared for the story, it shows you have a visual direction as well.
Once you know the story that you want to tell, it’s time for outreach. Go back to the goals of your story and think about how you best can reach your audience. Better yet, think about who’s already talking to them. From there, you can focus on your search for contacts to start pitching to. Sending email after email can get discouraging, but the more you send, the more likely one is to respond.
This brings us to the next step: following-up. Once you’ve done your outreach, you have to keep tabs on it. Who has responded, who hasn’t? It’s always in your best interest to assume the best in these cases; people really do miss emails in their inbox. Editors receive dozens of pitches daily, or more, so following up with a professional and polite email a few days after initial contact will set you apart. These interactions maintain a positive relationship and can open doors in the future.
Not only does this show how much you care about your story, it shows that you want this person to help you tell it. On top of that, it shows that you're consistent, a green flag for working with anyone in the industry.
If you sent enough emails, you’re more likely to have heard back with interview availability. When talking about your availability to talk with someone, give options but be specific. Depending on how long you think the interview will last, you should have some wiggle room in your time slot. For example, if you want the interview to last 15 minutes, offer hour-long windows so the time can fit with who you’re working with. Make sure to keep track of your interviews and avoid overlap, but keep an eye on your inbox for any last minute cancellations.
Once the interviews are confirmed, collaboration becomes the heartbeat of the process. On the day of the interview, preparation is everything—equipment should be tested, recording permissions secured, and logistics finalized to ensure a smooth production. Still, it’s important to remain adaptable; the best moments often happen spontaneously, when conversations drift into unexpected but meaningful territory. Capturing these candid insights can elevate a story from good to unforgettable. Throughout the day, stay connected with your team, sharing updates and making sure that everyone—from the content crew to the editors—has what they need to keep the project moving seamlessly forward. For yourself, keep detailed notes to refer to for writing.
Fact-checking is a crucial step that ensures integrity—and you should do it for every quote, statistic, and detail you receive from your interviewee and your research. This includes spelling of names, titles, and locations. Visual elements are also reviewed to ensure they support the text.
Publication day is the payoff. There’s a unique satisfaction in seeing your work live, whether it’s a printed feature, a digital article, or a multimedia piece shared across platforms. Celebrate the achievement and acknowledge everyone who contributed along the way through social channels, newsletters, or press releases. Tracking performance metrics—like engagement rates, shares, or time spent reading—helps measure success and guide future projects.
Beyond the data, it’s important to pause and appreciate the accomplishment itself. Every story published represents another step forward in the journey of storytelling, and that’s always something to celebrate.
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