Connecting freelance journalists with editors and publications
The easy way for writers to find commissioning editors, and for editors to find the stories that sing
How Pitchwhiz Works
How it works
For freelancers
Pitchwhiz helps editorial freelancers (writers, copy editors, proofreaders, photographers and more) find work and manage their assignments. Find commissioning editors and publication titles, contact them, monitor and track your communications and assignments, keep notes and pitch ideas - all from one place.
For editors
Pitchwhiz helps editors looking for high quality stories or photography find freelancers who can deliver the goods. Sign up, request specific article or content ideas, search for professionals around the world with the skills and experience you need, or simply respond to freelancers whose pitches work for you.
Or, are you both?
Pitchwhiz allows users to sign up both as freelancers and as commissioning editors, because we know many people perform both these roles. Easily switch between your roles to ensure your different tasks are organised in their own areas.
About us
Pitchwhiz is a site for journalists and other editorial professionals looking to either sell or buy stories, photography, or other editorial products and skills. It was conceived and created by James Durston, a journalist of 20 years with experience as both a freelance writer and commissioning editor.
Having spent several years as a professional writer and editor at Euromoney, Crier Media and William-Reed, James left the UK to move to India, where he got his first taste of life as a freelancer. That led to his first freelance travel commissions, which helped him land a job as an editor at CNN Travel in Hong Kong, where he commissioned dozens of stories each month.
After setting up a blog to help other freelance travel writers pitch effectively, James noticed a gap for a product that connected freelance writers in need of work with editors, publications and organisations that needed content. A few years later Pitchwhiz was born.
Pitchwhiz now has nearly 10,000 freelancers and editors in its database, and is growing every day. Every week dozens of story requests are posted or made available through the site for freelancers to respond to. Every week dozens of story ideas are offered by freelancers for editors to browse and buy.
“I wanted to create a platform where there was a sense of community, and more importantly a sense of real value,” says James.
“Everything we do at Pitchwhiz is designed to be really, genuinely useful and valuable to our members, which means real jobs, with proper fees, and features that I know through my own experience are what freelancers and editors need to do their jobs well. If people don’t find us useful, then we’ve failed. But so far we’re succeeding.”
Pitchwhiz is free to use.
Team
James Durston
Founder
Jude Reid
Lead Developer
Nearly 10,000 members, helping us improve every day
What our members say
Hear what some of our great members have to say about the Pitchwhiz Platform.
The key aspect in why a new proposition is a dead cert for me, is when it's so ingenious you wonder why it wasn't invented sooner. That's Pitchwhiz for me. Insects as future food? I signed up a career business journalist from Reuters to take it on. South East Asian music festivals? I got a seasoned festival-goer and feature writer to come to the rescue. With Pitchwhiz, I've managed to find a pool of sound writers with no need for Panadol. It shreds the old system I'm accustomed to and blows open the market on finding the right, qualified people for stories by creating a fair playing field and a more open pitching and writing culture. It's been long overdue.
Govind Dhar
Editor, The Ceylon Chronicle and freelance writer
I've already scored one assignment through Pitchwhiz - a back-of-book travel essay for Mabuhay - and it never would have happened if the editor hadn't seen my story idea on Pitchwhiz.
Eva Sandoval
Food and travel writer
I just wanted to say "thank you" for having invented Pitchwhiz because it's thanks to this site that I found a very niche job as contributor for a magazine I would never have dreamt of pitching to. I've had three stories published so far, one currently being edited and they so like my work they've already upped the fee :-)
Christina Mackenzie
Military journalist based in France
I recently sold two stories to BBC Travel that I'm very excited about doing. Previously I had pitched a couple things and while they did not get commissioned, the editor at least responded promptly, which is always appreciated. Thank you very much for providing this valuable service that will surely continue to grow and become more useful and widespread.
Paul Osterlund
Freelance journalist, Istanbul
I’ve been using Pitchwhiz for a few months and so far I’ve landed jobs with six magazines. My success rate with pitches has been about 30-40%. The editors have been easy to work with and have paid decent rates in a timely manner. I’ve been able to forge ongoing relationships and get further assignments from most of these editors. When I pitch editors blindly on my own, my success rate is much lower. 15%? Maybe less. Even when I pitch editors I’ve worked with in the past, my success rate is lower than 30-40%. By using Pitchwhiz I don’t waste my time approaching magazines and newspapers that don’t need my skills; I’m only pitching editors who, I already know, are looking for freelancers. So, for me, Pitchwhiz has been extremely helpful. I especially like the weekly emails informing me of new freelance work. This reminds me to check the website and contact editors quickly, while they still need freelancers. I’ve never used any other service or platform that was so effective in helping me land assignments. Overall Pitchwhiz has been really great. Thank you for this service.
Andrew Madigan
DC-based freelance writer/editor/ghost writer/food critic
I've received prompt responses from three editors stating pitch away. I had a prior relationship with two of them. The third was curious about how I found her email, but when I mentioned X would be a great person to profile for her magazine, she became enthused. It indicated I had a solid grasp of what she needed in terms of story ideas. I have no doubt I will be using Pitchwhiz in the future
Enrique Gili
Science and tech writer
Actually, the definition of "success" for me is having come across an interactive site such as Pitchwhiz which provides both opportunity for journos to pitch existing ideas and then also respond to editors' call-outs on their editorial needs. I may be out of the loop, but I think you have something rather special going on in your model! And in fact, just now pitched the EsquireUK editor you had in this latest email.
Hal Peat
Freelance travel journalist
I find Pitchwhiz really useful in identifying editors who are actively seeking freelancing work.
Cinthya Anand
Freelance journalist in UK
Pitchwhiz seems like a more streamlined platform for freelancers who take their craft seriously and want to get in touch with editors directly, minus the fluff of regular freelancing websites.
Nicholas Rixon
Freelance writer
I love this, it reminds me of the Guardian media jobs section on a Monday back in the ‘90s! All those fabulous writing opportunities. Thanks.
Carolynne Dear
Freelance writer and editor in Hong Kong
I've been a writer for over 25 years. Pitchwhiz is one of the most useful sites I've come across. Thank you!
Don Kaplan
Freelance writer and educator
Thank you – sincerely – for sending in the first unsolicited “please check out this service" email I’ve received in a decade that made me go “whoah, actually, yeah, this could be interesting”.
Angela Quinton
Editor, Werewolves Versus