qa-aman/pr-pitch-writer

pr-pitch-writer

Writes pitch emails that journalists actually read. Different from press releases: pitches are personal, short, and earn the click. Built on AIDA adapted for media pitching and Ryan Holiday's journalist psychology.

Frameworks

AIDA adapted for media pitching

ATTENTION (subject line): Journalists get 500+ pitches per week. The subject line is a headline, not a description. It must earn the open in a crowded inbox.

INTEREST (first sentence): Why does this story matter to THIS journalist's readers? Not to you - to them. The first sentence is about the audience, not the sender.

DESIRE (the angle / news peg): What makes this story surprising, timely, or uniquely valuable? The "news peg" - what it attaches to in the current conversation.

ACTION (the ask): What you want them to do. Specific and easy. "Reply to this email if you'd like the data" beats "let me know if you're interested."

Ryan Holiday's journalist psychology - "Trust Me I'm Lying"

1. Traffic over truth: Journalists need stories that get clicks for their audience. Ask: what would make their readers share this?
2. Narrative over facts: Facts support the narrative - the narrative is what gets coverage. Lead with the story angle, support with proof.
3. Timeliness over importance: Attach your story to what's already being covered. A story that taps a current conversation gets placed faster than a better story that doesn't.
4. Effortlessness: The scarce resource is journalist attention, not pitches. Make it trivially easy to say yes.
5. Exclusivity: "I'm offering this story to you first" changes the dynamic. Scarcity creates urgency even for journalists.

Practical implications

The "lazy journalist" test: Could the journalist copy the pitch, add 2 hours of reporting, and have a publishable story? If yes, the pitch is doing its job. If they'd need to reconstruct the whole angle, make it easier.

News peg identification: What is happening RIGHT NOW that this story attaches to? A trend piece, a regulatory change, a competitor announcement, a viral conversation? A story without a peg is a press release dressed up as a pitch.

Exclusivity language: "First look," "embargo until [date]," "I'm only sending this to [N] reporters" are legitimate tools when true. Use them when you can. Never fake it.

When to use

• "Pitch this story to <journalist>"
• "Write an email to a reporter at <publication>"
• "Get me on <podcast>"
• "Pitch <analyst> for a briefing"
• "Outreach to newsletter writer X"

Outreach types this skill handles

| Type | Goal | Length | Hook style | |---|---|---|---| | News pitch (timely story) | Coverage in 1-2 weeks | 80-120 words | News value + exclusive offer | | Trend pitch (you're the expert) | Quoted source for trend piece | 100-150 words | Data + POV | | Podcast pitch | Booking | 100-180 words | Specific to host's recent episode | | Newsletter pitch | Mention or feature | 60-100 words | Match their format | | Analyst briefing request | Briefing slot | 100-150 words | New release + customer proof | | Customer story pitch | Profile of a customer | 150-200 words | Outcome + access to interview |

Inputs needed

• Recipient: name, publication, beat, recent piece they wrote (paste URL or summary)
• Pitch type (from table)
• Story or angle: what's newsworthy or interesting?
• Proof: data, customer, exclusive, expert availability
• Why this person (mandatory): why are they the right journalist/host for this?
• What you're asking for: 15-min interview, embargoed access, comment, podcast booking

Process

1. Load context. Read knowledge/brand/voice.md, knowledge/markets/positioning.md, and any case studies that support the pitch.

2. Research the recipient. If the user provided a recent piece they wrote, read it (WebFetch). Otherwise, ask for one. The single biggest reason pitches fail: no evidence the sender knows what the journalist covers.

3. Identify the news peg. Answer:

   • What is happening in the world RIGHT NOW that this story connects to?
   • What trend, event, or conversation is this story an instance of?
   • If there is no news peg, the pitch needs one. Find or create the angle.

4. Apply the "lazy journalist" test. Map out the story:

   • What is the narrative (not the facts)?
   • What proof supports it (data, customer, expert)?
   • How much work does the journalist need to do to publish?
   • If the answer is more than 2-3 hours of reporting, simplify the angle or provide more of the work upfront.

5. Identify angle from THEIR perspective. Reframe:

   • Why does THEIR audience care? (not "why is this exciting for us")
   • What's the tension, controversy, or surprise?
   • What data or access can we offer that they can't get elsewhere?

6. Write the pitch applying AIDA line by line:

   Subject: <ATTENTION - under 60 chars, specific, not "Quick question" or "Following up">
   <The subject is a headline. It earns the open. It contains a number, a tension, or a specific claim.>
   
   Hi <First name>,
   
   <INTEREST - Line 1: specific reference to their recent work. Not flattery, but engagement.
   "Your piece on [topic] argued [X] - this is the counter-data.">
   
   <DESIRE - Line 2: the hook. The single most interesting fact. Often a number, exclusive, or contrarian claim.
   This is the news peg. It attaches to what they already care about.>
   
   <DESIRE - Line 3-4: the offer. What you can give them: data, customer, expert, embargo.
   Make it concrete. Apply exclusivity where true: "I'm offering this to you first before going wider.">
   
   <ACTION - Line 5: the ask. Specific. "15-min call this week?" not "Let me know if interested.">
   
   <Sign-off>
   <Sender name + role + company>
   <P.S.: optional, 1 line. Often the strongest hook moved here.>
   

7. Subject line rules:

   • Specific noun, not generic verb
   • Numbers if available ("47% of marketers..." beats "New marketing data")
   • No "Quick question", "Following up", "Touching base"
   • No clickbait - the email must deliver what the subject promised
   • Ask: would this subject line work as a headline for their publication?

8. Length and pacing:

   • 80-180 words total. Journalists scan, not read.
   • 5-7 sentences max
   • One paragraph is OK if the pitch is tight enough

9. Voice rules:

   • Conversational, not corporate
   • Match the journalist's beat. Tech reporter: tighter, faster. Trade pub: more context.
   • No jargon unless they use it
   • No marketing language ("revolutionary", "best-in-class", "unlock")
   • No em dashes
   • First person, present tense

10. Self-check:

    AIDA checks:

    • ATTENTION: does the subject line work as a headline for their publication?
    • INTEREST: does the first sentence prove you know their work and their readers?
    • DESIRE: is the news peg clear? Is exclusivity offered if available?
    • ACTION: is there exactly one ask, and is it easy to say yes to?

    Holiday psychology checks:

    • Traffic test: would their readers click and share this story?
    • Narrative test: is the story angle leading, not the facts?
    • Timeliness test: what is the news peg, and is it current?
    • Lazy journalist test: could they publish this with 2 hours of work?
    • Effortlessness: have you removed every friction point from saying yes?

    Format checks:

    • First line proves you know their work
    • Hook in the first 30 words
    • Specific ask, not vague
    • One CTA
    • No attachments (mention them, offer to send)
    • Subject line under 60 chars

11. Save to output/pr-pitch/<DD-MM-YYYY>-<recipient-slug>.md with frontmatter:

    ---
    format: pr-pitch
    recipient: <name>
    publication: <publication>
    pitch-type: <type>
    news-peg: <one sentence>
    exclusivity: <yes|no>
    ask: <specific ask>
    lazy-journalist-test: <pass|needs work>
    created: DD-MM-YYYY
    sent: <pending|DD-MM-YYYY>
    ---
    

12. Offer companion assets:

    • Press release (if news pitch) via /press-release-writer
    • Background brief (1-pager) the journalist can use
    • 3 follow-up email templates (if no response after 4, 9, 14 days)
    • Talking points if a call is booked

Pitch tracker

Maintain output/pr-pitch/_tracker.md (create if not exists):

# PR pitch tracker

| Date sent | Recipient | Pub | Pitch | News peg | Status | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DD-MM-YYYY | <name> | <pub> | <slug> | <peg> | sent | day +4 |

Update this every time a pitch goes out.

Rules

• One pitch, one recipient. Never BCC. Never "Hi all."
• Specific reference to their work in line 1, or don't send.
• No news peg, no pitch. An undated story is a press release.
• Never overstate. If you say "exclusive," it must actually be exclusive.
• Never attach files in a cold pitch. Offer them.
• If the journalist doesn't reply, follow up at day 4 and day 9. After that, drop it.
• The lazy journalist test is non-negotiable. If the journalist has to construct the story from scratch, the pitch will be ignored.
• Keep the pitch tracker current. Tracking response rate is how this gets better over time.