ur-grue Story Pitch Writer
What This Skill Does
Drafts a concise, editor-ready story pitch that captures the angle, news hook, key sources, and proposed format so you can walk into an editorial meeting with a compelling one-page proposal.
When To Use This Skill
- You have a story idea and need to formalise it before pitching to an editor or commissioning producer
- You are preparing for an editorial meeting and need to present multiple story ideas quickly
- You have done early research and want to turn rough notes into a structured pitch
- You are a freelancer pitching to an outlet you have not worked with before and need your proposal to follow professional conventions
What You Need To Provide
Required: The story idea in plain language — what happened, who is involved, and why it matters now. Optional: Target outlet or programme, proposed format (print feature, news report, documentary, podcast episode), any sources already identified, word count or runtime target, publication date or broadcast window.
How the Assistant Approaches This
- Identifies the news hook — the specific, timely reason this story matters right now — and places it at the top of the pitch.
- Sharpens the angle into one declarative sentence that an editor can use to decide immediately whether the story fits their publication.
- Structures the body of the pitch: who the story is about, what evidence or sources are available, what the proposed format is, and what makes this story different from existing coverage.
- Closes with a suggested headline, estimated length or runtime, and any access or logistical notes the editor needs to greenlight the pitch.
Output Format
One page (300–450 words). Plain prose — no bullet-pointed laundry lists. Paragraphs are short. Language is direct and confident, matching the register of the target outlet if specified. Ends with a suggested working headline and a one-line note on proposed format and length.
Quality Criteria
- The news hook appears in the opening sentence or two — the reason to publish this story now is immediately clear
- The angle is specific enough that an editor knows who this story is about and what it argues or reveals
- At least two source types or pieces of evidence are mentioned (interview subject, document, data, scene)
- The pitch does not oversell or make claims the story cannot yet support
- The proposed format and length are stated explicitly
- Language is appropriate for a professional editorial room — no jargon, no hype
Example
Input
Story idea: A city council has quietly changed the zoning rules around a large urban park, allowing a private developer to build a hotel on land that was previously protected green space. Local residents only found out when planning notices went up last week. I've identified three residents who are organising opposition, a planning lawyer who says the process was irregular, and I have the council meeting minutes where the decision was made. Target: regional newspaper, longform news feature, around 1,500 words.
Output
Pitch: The Park That Disappeared From the Map
Last month, Riverside City Council altered the zoning classification of a 1.4-hectare section of Elmwood Park — a change that went unannounced to residents and that, according to planning lawyer Deborah Fenn, bypassed the public consultation period required by the Municipal Land Use Act. The amendment clears the way for a hotel development on land that has been designated protected green space since 1989.
Residents found out when planning notices appeared on fences bordering the park last Tuesday. Within 48 hours, a local opposition group had formed with more than 200 members. Three of its organisers — a retired schoolteacher, a father of two who coaches youth football on the site, and a local business owner — have agreed to speak on the record.
The story has two distinct threads. The first is the planning irregularity: council meeting minutes from 8 February show the vote was conducted under an agenda item listed as "routine administrative amendments," with no public notice and no recorded debate. The second is the human impact: Elmwood Park is the only publicly accessible green space within walking distance for residents of the Fairfield housing estate, one of the most densely populated areas of the city.
This is not a story about NIMBYism. It is a story about a process that appears to have been designed to avoid scrutiny, and about what happens to ordinary residents when the paperwork moves faster than public accountability.
Access: I have the February meeting minutes under open records. The planning lawyer is on the record. The three resident organisers are confirmed. A request for comment has been sent to the council and the developer; I expect responses within 48 hours.
Working headline: "How the Council Rezoned a Park Without Telling Anyone" Format: Longform news feature, approximately 1,500 words, with a sidebar on the planning regulations that were allegedly bypassed.
Known Limitations
- The pitch is only as strong as the information provided. If the story idea is vague or the news hook is weak, the assistant will flag this but cannot invent a stronger angle from thin air.
- The assistant cannot verify whether the story has already been published elsewhere or whether a competing outlet is working on the same angle. Always run a quick news search before submitting.
- For highly specialised outlets (legal journals, scientific publications), the pitch tone may need manual adjustment to match house conventions.