National Story

Ten reasons why you might not sell your story…

admin — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:40:44 +0000

Ten reasons why your story might not be saleable…

Newspapers are choosy about stories they print

• You have no evidence to back up your story. A typical example is a woman who claims her husband was having an affair – but he divorced her for unreasonable behaviour. Ask yourself before you approach a magazine, newspaper or agency – how do I prove my story is true? And be aware that when making such an allegation, you will have to produce a divorce certificate to prove it or your ex will have to admit it to us.

• You want to remain anonymous or you don’t want to be photographed. Unless you are approaching an editor with a tip, information and evidence about some wrong-doing there is virtually no market at all for anonymous stories – and you can’t give them away for free either. If anonymous stories were saleable, we would be sat at our computers avidly making them up.

• You don’t have any photos to illustrate your story. Every day someone tells us they ripped up photos of their wedding day, they burnt all pictures relating to their past – and so on –not realising that this might render their story unsaleable. Although publications can of course send out a photographer to do a picture of you, old photos will make your story much more placeable and valuable. So if you no longer have photos, it’s worth tracking down friends and family who do.

• You have sent your story round to lots of publications, agents and journalists. It is surprising how many people believe they will gain the most coverage sending their story to as many people as possible. Publications want exclusive stories and they don’t want to think they were in a round-robin email you sent to everyone. Unfortunately, this sort of approach puts many people off and it can make your story much less likely to sell. The motto here is send it to one publication or agent at a time and leave getting a multiple deal to an agent.

• Your story has been told before. Years ago when plastic surgery was new, just having a boob job was enough for your story to go into a magazine or newspaper. But now, there would need to be more to your story than simply having a boob job to get it into the national press. The only way to find out if your story is saleable is to send it to an agent who can market your story with an original line and make it more attractive to editors.

• Your story has already been printed in newspapers and magazines. In general publications do not want to run stories that have already been printed in rival magazines or newspapers. That said, an experienced agent can sometimes resell your story again so it is worth contacting us for advice.

• You are a nightmare to deal with. It might sound obvious but if you never pick up your phone or return your calls, you will render your story unsaleable. Incredibly, some people return calls weeks after you have rung them, by which time they are too late. The opportunity for them to sell their story has long gone.

• You don’t sell your story at the right time. If you have a story relating to something in the news, the time to sell it is right then. Sadly the bitter truth is unless your story is extremely sensational, news doesn’t wait until you ‘feel the time is right’. So if for example anorexia is in the news and you have an eating disorder story to sell, it will be most saleable while it is in the news. Waiting even a few days can leave you with less money or at worse, mean your story is rendered unsaleable as it’s already ‘been done’ (by someone else who got in quicker…)

• You demand an extraordinary amount of money for your story. Despite what people might think, newspapers and magazines are not awash with cash to fritter away. Yes, they will pay well for very strong stories that are in the news with no legal issues and lots of great photos – but even then there is a limit to how much they will pay. Bear in mind most interviewees in newspapers are not paid at all. Meanwhile payment to interviewees for the majority of stories in newspapers and magazines is in the hundreds and not thousands of pounds. That said, a media agent who is able to gain you multiple deals in a variety of newspapers, magazines and even on TV, will mean your earnings can add up. And using a media agent will undoubtedly ensure you earn the most money as he or she will send your story to many editors to gain the best deal.

• You don’t adhere to your contract. Signing an exclusive deal with one magazine and then chatting with another can mean your story will be printed in both – but neither will pay you. Even if you are selling your story for fun, remember that contracts you sign are legal documents and legally you are bound by agreements not to talk to other publications in them.

To find out if your story is saleable please send us a few details about your story here: Contact Us.

Why you should choose an ethical press agency to sell your story

admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:01:44 +0000

At National Story we believe in ethical journalism. Here we explain why it is so important to choose an ethical press agency to sell your story.

NationalStory abides by a strict Code of Ethics

Firstly we are qualified journalists who’ve studied journalism law and have years of experience behind us. And with so many years of experience selling stories to the press, we are quick to foresee any pitfalls or difficulties that might affect selling your story.
We work closely with you to sell your story. We match you with a magazine, newspaper or TV show that you will feel comfortable with and best fits your needs – whether they are financial or simply to gain the best publicity or both.
We believe in being transparent. So everything is always put in writing to you before you go ahead with an interview. This includes a brief overview of your story, the publication your story will appear in and the price. Most important, it also includes our commitment to you – for example, we need your consent before selling your story again and we usually ensure interviewees are paid within seven days of publication.
Your story will always be read back for your approval. This ensures you are always in control of your story and know exactly how your story will be written.
We respect your wishes. If you don’t want your story to appear in a certain magazine or newspaper we will endeavour to find a publication you are happy with. Ultimately if you decide not to go ahead, we respect that decision and won’t contact you again.
We do not involve ourselves in any underhand practices to get a story into print. During our years of selling stories to the press, we know it is possible to expose wrongs and gain justice for interviewees without resorting to any sort of subterfuge.
We abide by the Editor’s Code of Practice and you can view it here: Press Complaints Commission.
Mostly, however, we are friendly and approachable and we always put YOU first.

To see if you have a story to sell, please contact us here: Story Enquiry.

Guest blog… ‘What I look for in an interviewee…’

admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 12:42:37 +0000

Today in our guest blog media agent Alison Smith-Squire talks about setting up and running a Sell My Story website… and what she looks for in an interviewee…

Alison is a media agent

Almost six years ago when I set up as an online media agent, it was a voyage into the unknown. Just one of two or maybe three agencies were online – I don’t believe there was even ‘a media agent’…

Then, the whole premise of an interviewee going online to sell a story was so new, even though my website did well in Google, I felt lucky if I had one inquiry a day through my site, which had perhaps three pages at most.

It’s a far cry from the hundreds of people a day that find their way to my site now – which incidentally now consists of tens of pages.

Yet the premise of why I set up as a media agent online remains the same today. I wanted to set up a sell my story website the ordinary person could trust, somewhere they could seek independent advice about selling a story to the press (newspapers, magazines and TV) and where, as celebrities have been paid, they too could earn money for their time and trouble.

But while receiving a constant stream of stories from potentially willing interviewees is of course the biggest bonus of being an online, it is only a small part of running a successful online business.

Firstly, maintaining your online website is much more time-consuming and much harder to make a success of than you might imagine.

As a journalist working on a publication, you will obviously have some idea about the story you are researching – for example, you might be following up a court case. But enquiries through a sell my story site come through 24/7 and can be about literally anything from politics to a couple’s relationship to a pet.

I need to be constantly up to date with the news (I click on news websites hourly) being aware of the latest celebrity scandals, trends and breaking stories so I can react fast if something comes in that is related to the news at the time.

Enquiries often come in when I’m very busy and you can guarantee the punchline is right at the end of someone’s very long enquiry. Then all stories need to be checked out. I will usually have an initial confidential chat with an interviewee – answering all questions about the process. I try to gauge what they want – a magazine piece, a news story? Is it just about the most money or is the amount of publicity generated more important? Often a story then requires further checks before a synopsis or ‘pitch’ is sent to editors. It might require legal paperwork to stand it up and I always ask interviewees to send in some of their own photos as good ‘collects’ to illustrate their story can make it much more valuable.

I have a mental checklist of attributes I look for in an interviewee.

Firstly, if someone is approaching other agents or papers (and these days it has become extremely competitive and there are now LOTS of sell story websites) then I am unlikely to take their story on. This is because I like to build up a rapport and work with interviewees on their exclusive story selling it in multiple deals across newspapers, magazines and TV. I also need to be totally sure when I offer a story exclusively to a publication, it truly is exclusive.

Then if interviewees can’t provide photos, paperwork or prove difficult to contact they are unlikely to be reliable enough to enable their story to be sold. And if they are awkward or rude then it goes without saying I won’t pursue their story further.

They must also be sure about selling their story. However amazing their story is, interviewees must be completely happy and enthusiastic about selling their story for me to go ahead. Interestingly, if people don’t go ahead straightaway (and I always respect they might need time to think about it) many do eventually go ahead at a later date. One man, whose story was sold to the Daily Mail, and made the front page, came back a year after I initially gave him advice about selling his story. And a couple, whose story went into the Daily Mirror and later Best magazine, also emailed me four months after their initial chat.

And of course as in any business, days can be full of tiny hassles – impossible deadlines, needy interviewees and ruthless editors to name a few!

Thankfully, though, I love it.

Alison Smith-Squire runs Featureworld.

Find out more about seeking help of a media agent here: Media Agent

For advice about selling a story contact us here: Selling a story contact form

Should I sell my story? What to consider…

admin — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 19:31:43 +0000

There are numerous reasons why people decide to sell a story to the press. But what should you consider before going ahead?

Selling a story is a good way to raise some cash.

Why you might sell your story
For some, selling their story is a way of earning extra cash. Others want to raise awareness for an issue or charity. Or they may seek publicity to advertise or promote their business. Some people might seek justice or even revenge. Meanwhile others might simply want a few beautiful cuttings.

The main considerations are:

What friends and family will think. We advise you talk it over with family or friends. It is important to ensure you are clear you do want to go ahead with selling your story to a newspaper or magazine. But it is probably unrealistic to expect everyone to approve.
How your story will be portrayed. At National Story it is important we ensure your real life story is sold how you want it to be. And then it is always read back to you before it is printed in the press. This way you won’t be worried about what will be printed.
Which newspaper or magazine you sell a story to. Ensure you like the publication your story will be printed in. Bear in mind your story will be written in the style of that newspaper or magazine. We advise if you are not happy with the publication and we are unable to offer an alternative, that you don’t go ahead.
How much money you will earn or if you are selling a story for charity, will that charity be guaranteed to get a mention? At National Story we always give you a firm price for your story in writing and we can ensure your story is sold on condition a charity is plugged.
If the agent can sell your story to multiple publications and TV. Selling your story to a variety of magazines and newspapers is a good way to maximise your earnings and publicity. Some points to remember – if you sell a story directly to a publication, you might find they will sell it on without your consent. Be aware many agents also only sell stories to magazines or a handful of publications. But at National Story we deal with ‘whole of market’ so we can market your story in multiple deals to the national press, women’s magazines and TV.
Will your story be sold without your consent. At National Story we need your written permission to sell your story – and we need it again every time we sell your story. If you change your mind and decide you no longer want to sell your story after all, we respect that!

Read more: Story to sell? You have options…

Remember, selling your story via us means you are never alone as support is offered beforehand, during and after you have sold your story. To find out if your story is suitable for publication in a newspaper or magazine, contact us here: Sell Story to the Press

Story to sell? Your options explained…

admin — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:32:08 +0000

If you have a story to sell, you then have to decide whether you sell it to a newspaper, magazine or TV … but do you have a choice?

Story to sell? You might just want to sell your story to a certain magazine...

Naturally some people who contact us at National Story have very definite ideas about where their story goes to. Some people may choose to sell their story one paper over another newspaper, others have a favourite magazine and then other interviewees are keen on the idea of appearing on TV.

If you have a story to sell, choosing which publication to place your story with might well be something you are concerned about. Here we answer all your questions…

Can I tell you which magazine or newspaper I want to sell my story to?

Yes, it helps us to market your story properly if you tell us which publication you prefer – and any newspapers and magazines that you don’t like. But unfortunately we sometimes find that the paper or magazine you like doesn’t want your story. Or, it might be our experience that the publication you adore is unlikely to print your story.

Why would my favourite newspaper or magazine not want to print my story?

Firstly, even if your favourite magazine or newspaper does want to print your story, it might not be the one that in our experience would pay you the most money – in fact some publications have a policy that they won’t pay interviewees.
Newspapers and magazines often also have very particular criteria to fulfil. One example is you might be too young or too old for a particular magazine. Some magazines cater for the younger or older market.
We are also choosy about where we send stories – we want interviewees to have a good experience – and we might recommend one publication over another simply because in our experience it is more pleasant to deal with. You can see our hightly recommended newspapers, magazines and TV clients here: recommended clients.

What if I really don’t like the newspaper or magazine that wants to buy my story?

Then we never force you to go ahead. You do not have to sell your story to that particular publication. We recommend that before you accept a deal we find you, you buy a copy of the publication that has made you an offer. You should also look at the publication on the internet to ensure you are happy to go ahead. The only issue might be that sometimes, despite sending a story to many publications, only one does make an offer. If you are then not happy for your story to be sold to that publication, and that is the only offer we have received, you might not sell your story.

Which pay the best – magazines or newspapers or TV?

The answer is it depends on your story. National newspapers do have the highest budgets – but it must be a story they really want. Otherwise interviewees might find they earn more money going to a magazine. Although a story can follow into a newspaper and magazine after being featured on TV, in general many real life stories on TV have been in print first.

What about selling my story in multiple deals?

By far the best way to gain the most publicity and highest fee is a combination of selling your story to newspapers, magazines and TV. As you are paid every time we sell your story, this can greatly increase your total fee. We work out an individual media strategy for every story that comes through National Story. The strategy is devised by listening to what you – what you, the individual who is selling the story, hopes to achieve, and by marketing your story to publications and TV Production companies we feel will most want your story.

To find out more about our Individual Media Strategy, contact us here: Selling my story

How to … get publicity

admin — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:41:50 +0000

Do you need to get publicity? Perhaps you want to gain money for a charity or raise awareness for a good cause?

Gaining headlines is our job at National Story

GAINING NATIONAL PUBLICITY

Many people imagine they must have to spend a lot of time – and money – in order to gain good publicity. They might spend hours briefing an expensive PR agency or sending out press releases. But here at National Story because we have such extensive media contacts, we are able to gain you national and even worldwide publicity for free.

If you are looking to gain publicity for a charity or good cause, the first thing to do is to contact National Story. We can discuss with you what you hope to achieve – be it publicity in a newspaper, magazine or on national television.

You do not need to send a complicated press release. A few sentences describing the story and the charity – perhaps with a link to the charity website – is all that’s required on our contact form.

We usually suggest real life stories are a good way of placing a news story in the national press. It might be that you or someone you know has a personal story to tell that would be suitable for national press coverage. If so, see if they would be happy to help promote your cause. Don’t be afraid to ask – they can only say no!

The benefit of going through National Story is your story can be sold with the condition that papers or magazines give your charity either within the copy or at the bottom of the story. You will also be reassured that you or your interviewee is in the safest hands. This is because at National Story we always write stories ourselves. Then stories are always read back to the interviewee (and the charity if necessary) to ensure copy is accurate in facts and tone. Futhermore – and what can be as important for the person telling their story – we can arrange a payment for them.

GAINING LOCAL NEWSPAPER PUBLICITY

Firstly, before approaching a local newspaper it is always wise to speak to National Story first and ensure your story is definitely not suitable for national press publication. This is because these days local newspapers will often syndicate a story. This means if you or your interviewee speak to a local newspaper and pose or provide photos to them, they will often sell your story on. Sometimes stories are sold by local paper journalists to national newspapers – even appearing all over the world. While at National Story we always require your written consent before even approaching an editor, legally the fact you have spoken to a journalist on a local newspaper and posed for photos means they can sell it without asking your permission.
If you are seeking publicity, this can seem a dream come true – at first – but you will not gain any payment and you will lose all control over your story.
Of course, many stories will unfortunately not be suitable for a national newspaper or magazine – but it pays to check first before you go ahead.

To find out more about how to get publicity, contact us.

Selling photos to the press…

admin — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:38:59 +0000

If you are selling your story to the press, you might be wondering about what photos will be needed to go with your story… here we answer all your questions.

Photos are key to selling a story

Why are photos important?

Imagine buying a newspaper or magazine and seeing in it only writing? Imagine there is no TV and only radio? Many editors believe photos can be MORE important than the copy – because good photos illustrate a story. And whether journalists like it or not, many readers will just look at the headline of a story and then the photos…

Do you always ask for photos when selling and marketing a story to newspapers and magazines?

Yes. We always ask you to email us some photos of yourself and any other photos that might be relevant to your story. So, for example, if your story is about you having a baby, we would ask for recent snaps of you with your baby along with ones of you when you were pregnant – and you with your partner. This is because we know a lovely photo of the person behind the story will make editors keener to buy it. Excellent photos can also transform a borderline story into a fantastic one.

Is it possible to sell a story without photos?

Unless you are going to sell your story anonymously (and there is vitually no market for anonymous stories) when selling your story you will need to be available to be photographed. To ensure the highest price, you also need to provide snaps from your own album. For example, if you are selling a love rat story, publications will expect to see old photos of you with your ex in happier times. With weightloss stories editors will want to see old ‘fat’ pictures of you – and new ones of the slimmer you now – before they make an offer.

What happens if I have ripped up all my old photos?

In some circumstances it can still be possible to sell your story. Magazines and newspapers also often take their own photos of you to go with stories. However, some mags only use reader’s own photos so that rules them out buying your story. And unfortunately we have come across cases where someone has had a great story to sell but no good photos to go with it and because of that their story is unsaleable.

Should I send photos out when I am trying to sell a story?

No, only send photos out to an agent once they have expressed an interest. We cannot speak for other agents, sell story websites or publications you contact directly. But at National Story when you initially email your photos these are only ever used for marketing purposes. We then require your written permission to actually sell your photos for publication each and every time your story is sold – and you only give that permission if we find you deals you are happy with.

Who owns my personal photos when they appear in a newspaper?

If you sell your story through National Story, you always own your photos and it is our policy to never sell them on without your written consent.

What about photos taken by the newspaper or magazine themselves?

When you go through National Story we arrange that any photos taken by newspapers or magazines of you cannot be sold on without our consent and most importantly your consent – as above.

Can I just sell a photo?

Of course. Sometimes the story is the photo. We are able to sell your photo or photos worldwide. Read more about how to sell a photo or video footage here: Sell My Photo

To find out if you have a story to sell, and for free advice: Contact Us

Paying you for your story…

admin — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 10:40:40 +0000

How does paying you for your story work? Here, at National Story, we answer some common questions for you…

How much will a newspaper buy a story for?

Is everyone whose story is printed in a newspaper or magazine automatically paid?

No, most people who tell their stories are not paid. The reasons are numerous – most usually they didn’t think of actually selling their story and don’t ask for money. Some people are happy just to get some coverage – for example, they want to raise publicity or raise awareness of a cause. Others might not have thought their was worth any money. Or they might have spoken with a big press agency or local newspaper that has without their knowledge sold their story to the national press.

Does every newspaper and magazine pay people for stories?

No, not every publication pays for stories. Some papers, such as the local press, simply do not have the budget to pay interviewees. Some parts of the national press also have a general policy that they won’t pay for a story. This is the same for magazines.

Are payments the same for each national newspaper or magazine?

No, some newspapers will value your story more than another newspaper. Meanwhile, it is unlikely every magazine will want your story. The reasons can be very basic – for example, your age. Some magazines cater for younger readers or older readers and you won’t be the right age for them. Some stories might have legal issues that will put some editors off – whereas another editor on a different paper might fight through the courts to get those legal issues overturned.
Unfortunately, the publication you like to read might not be the one that will pay the best price for your story (or even want your story…) so bear this in mind.

How do you ensure you get the right price for my story?

Because we are so very experienced, we know which magazines and national papers are most likely to be interested in a story. We also know which is likely to give it the biggest ‘show’ (a page, a double page or a front page) and therefore which editor is most likely to offer the most money.
But as well as this, if we think several editors might like your story, we can put it out for auction – this means several publications can make an offer and you take the highest price.

Is it true that newspapers and magazines often pay thousands of pounds for stories?

Newspapers and magazines will pay thousands of pounds for a story that they really want. But the vast majority of stories are sold for hundreds of pounds and not thousands of pounds.

I don’t want to sell my story for less than £1,000?

Unfortunately, if no-one wants to pay this much money, you might not sell your story at all. However, as an agent, we can sell your story to a variety of publications. And as you are paid each time your story is published, this can greatly increase the total amount of fees you can earn.

Is selling a story legal?

Selling your story and being paid for your story is perfectly legal. And in fact we believe interviewees should be paid for their story. After all, publications and journalists are making money out of stories, so why shouldn’t you? However, there are times when it is not legal to pay an interviewee. One example is paying money to a criminal. In this case a criminal (including his or her family) can not be profiting from a crime, although they can still tell their side of the story if they wish.

To see if your story is saleable to the press and how much it might be worth, go to: Sell story to the press