Many students are intimidated by the prospect of attempting to place their work in national publications. “But won’t editors balk when they see I’m a student?” is a frequently repeated question. The answer is a resounding “NO”. If your idea is gripping, your pitch is well-crafted, your reporting plan is sound, and your clips are strong (Yale clips are fine!), editors could care less how many candles will be on your next birthday cake. Undergraduate Yale students have recently published pieces in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Nation, and many other prestigious outlets.
Learning to pitch is critical to succeeding as a journalist. Honing your pitching skills while still in a supportive college environment–when your livelihood doesn’t depend on it–is a massive advantage. And, of course, it will give your resume a nice boost to have clips from professional outlets as well as Yale publications when applying for journalism jobs.
Here is a link to our pitching guide. And, of course, you can always set up a meeting with Haley to further discuss your ideas and polish your pitches.
For inspiration on where to pitch, check out our publication database.