Preparing for PitchFest and tips for making the most of Health Journalism 2022

AHCJ Health Journalism 2022 is about the corner, with quite a few chances aimed precisely at freelance journalists. Register by March 28 to just take benefit of the early fowl fee.

One particular of the most fascinating possibilities is PitchFest, which is scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, April 29. Sixteen editors from top rated publications are coming to the convention to hear your tale thoughts. They include editors from AARP, WebMD, Countrywide Geographic, Day to day Health and fitness, Kaiser Health Information and NPR. Much more facts about every editor can be discovered on the Friday celebration plan webpage on the AHCJ website.

You have to indicator up in progress for every 10-minute appointment with an editor. The online indication-up period of time opens on Monday, April 4, 10 a.m. CST, allowing for for a most of three appointments. I would advise blocking out that time on your calendar now and organizing to indication up that morning. Some editors are very well-liked and appointments with them go speedy. The hyperlink to indication up will appear on the PitchFest web site on the AHCJ website that early morning.

There is no assurance that you will get an assignment on the location at PitchFest, but it does materialize. You maximize your prospects of acquiring an assignment on the working day or as a result of abide by-up e-mail by coming to each appointment with a perfectly-investigated pitch.

The PitchFest site has additional particulars about preparing for the event, such as 5 very simple procedures for PitchFest etiquette:

1. Display up. If you fail to demonstrate up for any of your appointments, you will not be permitted to sign up in progress for up coming year’s PitchFest. Furthermore, be mindful that the booked editor will have your name, potentially harming your standing with that publication for years to arrive.
2. Put together effectively. We’ve posted blurbs from editors describing what they want, so browse individuals to personalize your pitch to what every single editor needs. For case in point, news editors will not want to listen to a pitch for a attribute. Analyze the publication to guarantee your pitch is a excellent fit.
3. Arrive in plenty of time. We will operate on time and we will operate like clockwork. If you are late, you forfeit your pitch.
4. Regard the time restrict. When you hear the one-minute warning, begin to wrap up. When you listen to time named, thank the editor and convey to them that you will abide by up with an email.
5. Comprehend the limitations. Please acknowledge that attending PitchFest does not assurance you a sale. It does guarantee you an chance to pitch facial area-to-confront to editors who are incredibly tricky to access, even by e-mail.

Of study course, impartial journalists really don’t appear to the meeting just for PitchFest. There are panels geared to freelancers and panels to support all journalists develop their techniques. You are going to hear from seasoned journalists and editors about how to craft a successful pitch, negotiate costs, find sources, integrate narrative composing into your tales, and considerably much more.

The panels at this year’s conference about vital wellness topics, these as weather modify, racial justice, the pandemic, cancer screening and much more, will help you create tale strategies. And every single day, there will be opportunities to community with fellow journalists, panelists, editors and associates from hospitals and trade groups.

Karen Blum, AHCJ’s main topic leader on health IT and an independent journalist in the Baltimore location, has created a tip sheet for getting the most out of the convention. I extremely advise reading through it ahead of arriving in Austin.

I seem ahead to seeing you at Well being Journalism 2022!

Barbara Mantel (@BJMantel), an impartial journalist, is AHCJ’s freelance neighborhood correspondent. Her operate has appeared in CQ Researcher, Rural Wellness Quarterly, Undark, Healthline, NBCNews.com and NPR, between some others. She aids customers obtain the methods they require to do well as freelancers and welcomes your ideas.