**Slug:** [2-3 word identifier]
**Pitch:** [One sentence: What's the news?]
**Why now:** [What makes this timely?]
**Sources:** [Who you'll talk to]
**Timeline:** [When you can file]
**Format:** [Length, multimedia]

Example:
**Slug:** Council-Budget-Vote
**Pitch:** City council votes tonight on controversial police budget increase.
**Why now:** Final vote after months of debate, protests expected.
**Sources:** Council president, protest organizers, police union rep.
**Timeline:** File by 10pm for morning.
**Format:** 600 words + photos from hearing.

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Subject: Op-ed submission: [Headline]

Dear [Editor name],

[One paragraph: What's your argument? Why now?]

[One paragraph: Why are you qualified to make this argument?]

[One paragraph: Why is this right for your publication's audience?]

The piece is [word count] words and is exclusive to [publication].

[Your name]
[Credentials/bio]
[Contact info]

---

Example:

Subject: Op-ed submission: School board's DEI cuts will hurt all students

Dear Opinion Editor,

When the Westfield school board votes Tuesday to eliminate diversity coordinators, they won't just hurt minority students—they'll deprive every student of the skills employers demand. I've spent 20 years in HR at Fortune 500 companies, and I can tell you: businesses want graduates who can work across difference. This decision makes our kids less competitive.

As the former Chief People Officer at [Company] and a Westfield parent, I've seen both sides of this issue. I'm not an activist; I'm a business leader who knows what the job market requires.

Your editorial page has covered school budget debates extensively. Your readers—many of them parents in our district—need to hear from someone who can translate business needs into educational priorities.

The piece is 750 words and is exclusive to [Publication].

Jane Smith
Former CPO, [Company]
Westfield School District parent
jane@email.com / 555-0123

Subject: Pitch: [Compelling headline]

Dear [Editor name],

[Opening hook—the most compelling detail or question from your story]

[What the story is, who it's about, what you'll show]

[Why now—the news hook or timely angle]

[What you have—sources confirmed, access secured, documents obtained]

[Why this publication—how it fits their coverage, audience]

[Why you—relevant clips, expertise, access]

I estimate [word count] words and can deliver in [timeframe].

Thank you for your consideration.

[Your name]
[Brief bio]
[Links to 2-3 relevant clips]
[Contact info]

---

Example:

Subject: Pitch: The nurse who tracks fake diplomas

Dear [Editor],

Maria Chen has caught 47 nurses with fake degrees in three years. None of them through background checks—through a spreadsheet she maintains in her free time.

Chen, a nursing supervisor at a rural Oklahoma hospital, started her database after discovering a colleague had purchased credentials from a diploma mill. State nursing boards, she found, rarely verify foreign credentials thoroughly. Her volunteer work has exposed a patient safety gap that regulators have ignored.

Her story comes as Oklahoma debates licensure reform this session—a bill she's testified for and the hospital lobby has opposed. The vote is in six weeks.

I've interviewed Chen twice, reviewed her database and documentation, and spoken with three of the fraudulent nurses she identified (two on background). The state nursing board has agreed to comment.

This fits [Publication]'s healthcare accountability coverage. Your recent piece on physician oversight touched on similar regulatory gaps.

I've covered healthcare regulation for [outlets] and have sources at several state nursing boards. My recent piece on travel nurse agencies for [outlet] is attached.

I estimate 2,500 words and can deliver in four weeks.

Thank you for your consideration.

[Name]
Freelance health reporter
[Clip links]
[Contact]