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Your success is not a story

Please read this before pitching me.

                                        
Taylor Lorenz Jun 8, 2020     7        
                          43           Share
                                       

The most common pitch I get goes something like this: Hi, I'm X, I
think you should write about [how I or my company achieved some great
success]. 

For instance, "How I went from 0 to X number of TikTok views," or
"How I build a million dollar business at 25," or "How I built a
great amazing company that is changing the world and making
everyone's life better in every way."

These are not stories, they're PR.

Unless your story ties into some larger cultural trend, or holds some
type of important wider significance, I am not interested in covering
it. And frankly, it's not newsworthy. 

It's my job to tell compelling stories that inform and reshape how
people view the world. Stories without a larger narrative don't
travel and they're a waste of both of our time. Look at how many
Forbes Contributors out there post stories of people's successes
(often in exchange for money). They never resonate.

These stories aren't interesting to readers primarily because they
have no tension aside from the subject (who is only framed
positively), overcoming some perceived obstacle. They pretty much
always gloss over what's really going on and they don't leave the
reader with any surprising revelations or tangible ideas to think
about.

Just to be clear, I don't want people to stop reaching out to me. I
love when people introduce themselves or share a little bit about who
they are and what they do. But, I'm much more likely to work with you
if you reach out offering to help me, rather than ask for free
promotion.

Flag an emerging new trend to me, send me a funny meme, give me a tip
on a big breaking news story or trend. I love all of these things!
You can always find me at taylor.lorenz@nytimes.com or on DM. Even if
I can't respond I try to read every message.

I'm also always here to help students or any young person with any
questions about journalism, media, the NYT, whatever! Just don't ask
me to write a puff piece on your great success.

[https]

               
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        Josh SilvermanJun 12, 2020

        Spot on. Crazy thing is that journalists have been saying
[https] this for decades, but most PR professionals are too lazy to
        listen and learn.

         2Reply

        ToddJun 10, 2020

        Is this for real? Taylor, please get over yourself and take a
        hard look at yourself if you think for a second that you are
[https] important enough to write a story about how people should and
        should not talk with you. Honestly this is ridiculous and
        speaks volumes of how you view yourself.

         Reply

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