Feature Story Query/ Pitch Letter

Feature Story Query/ Pitch Letter- I AM COM MAJOR

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, your Final Project requires that you consider the importance of visual images in planning feature stories or profiles. As you think about your ideas for the Final The project, consider the types of original visual images you will be able to obtain for the feature. Read Chapters 1 and 2 of White Space Is Not Your Enemy to assist in the planning of your feature story.

Review the Week Five instructions for the Final Project for more information about what you will be required to include in the feature story or profile. Then, follow the directions depending on your area of study for this week’s assignment.

COM Majors:

This week, you will write three proposal letters for real-world publications with your ideas for the feature profile that will be used in the Final Project in Week Five. This assignment requires that you propose your ideas for a communication campaign for a business or organization in your local area with the purpose of helping it to effectively communicate its message to its audience. Each proposal will be written for consideration for a local print magazine, a local digital publication, and a broadcast media outlet. While you will not be required to actually submit the proposals to the local media outlets, you must clearly identify them and understand the audiences they serve. You must be able to conduct research associated with the business or organization to be included in the communications you create. While parts of the proposal letters will be the same, other parts must be written specifically towards the media outlet. Only one list of sources is required.

JRN Majors:

This week, you will write three query letters for real-world publications with your ideas for the feature story that will be used in the Final Project in Week Five. This assignment requires that you write about a regionally or nationally significant topic and its impact on your local community, city, town, or state. The query letters will be written for consideration for your local print newspaper, a digital publication, and a broadcast media outlet. While you will not be required to actually submit the letters to the local media outlets, you must clearly identify the media outlets and understand the audiences they serve. You must plan to interview at least two local people who can lend expert knowledge and opinions relevant to the topic that you choose to write about. While parts of the query letters will be the same, other parts must be written specifically towards the media outlet. Only one list of sources is required.

Important: Please carefully read the instructions belowand follow them according to your area of study. If you are a COM student, your instructions fall at the front of the “or,” and if you are a JRN student, you should follow the instructions after the“or” in each criteria. If there is no “or” included in a criteria, it applies to all students regardless of area of study.

Each one-page query or proposal letter

Must include the contact information, including a proper greeting for the query letter.
Must create a strong lead that is informative and compelling.
Must describe unique selling points.
Must include previous work to demonstrate expertise and credibility or your interest in the topic.
Must create a concluding paragraph that summarizes the topic.
Must provide a preliminary list of four sources of information including the following:
The source of factual information related to the history of the business or organization you are profiling or interview of an expert source on the topic or issue (conducted in person, videoconference, or by phone)
The source of factual information about the current strategies that the business or organization is involved in or interview of an additional source with an opposing point of view on the topic or issue (conducted in person, videoconference, or by phone)
Two credible sources from which you plan to gather facts and/or statistics about the topic (open records, meetings, speeches, news releases, etc.)