3 Ways to Always Have Ideas When You Need Them
and how to know when not to invest your time in free labor
I’ve had some pitches rejected lately where the editor has asked me for some other ideas. Both times, I set the email aside intending to get back to it but flaked, and now too much time has gone by for me to follow up with more ideas! What are some tricks I can use to quickly find good ideas the next time an editor asks me to send something else?
— -
I’ve been in that position, too. It’s always encouraging when someone else asks for other ideas–but, like you, if nothing comes to mind immediately, I might not respond.
Some writers swear by brainstorming these backup ideas before they even send the first pitch. I’m not always that organized, especially if I’m replying to a specific call for pitches for a publication I’m not familiar with. But if I do have a few off-the-cuff ideas, I’ll jot them down on my spreadsheet of opportunities just in case.
Honestly, if it’s a publication you only pitched because of one specific call and you don’t imagine yourself writing for them generally, it may not be worth your time to do the research, investigate a few potential pitches, write them up, and continue to nourish the relationship. A better use of time might be recycling that…
