--- title: "Coffee with a Journalist: Pilar Guzmán, Oprah Daily" description: Get pitching tips from Pilar Guzmán, Editorial Director at Oprah Daily, in the latest Coffee with a Journalist podcast episode. --- [Blog - The OnePitch Tea](https://blog.onepitch.co) # [Coffee with a Journalist: Pilar Guzmán, Oprah Daily](https://blog.onepitch.co/coffee-with-a-journalist-pilar-guzman-oprah-daily) Written by [OnePitch](https://blog.onepitch.co/author/onepitch) | Oct 8, 2024, 9:00:00 AM [Pilar Guzmán,](https://www.oprahdaily.com/author/276587/pilar-guzman/) Editorial Director at *Oprah Daily. *   During the episode, Pilar discusses why she favors subject lines that read like a headline, the evolution of pitch language, and how you can best showcase assets and sources in your pitch.   P.S. Join the Oprah Daily Insider community platform [here](https://shop.oprahdaily.com/oprah-daily-insider-membership-all-access-purpose.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=opr_membership_offer&utm_id=go_cmp-14224752433_adg-174223087424_ad-713637501596_kwd-2359472298382_dev-c_ext-_prd-_mca-_sig-Cj0KCQjwjY64BhCaARIsAIfc7YawNBK9BNlN7jXv69Ha4hlyqrDW8-hvw56aSYaOfenxurtFyS2kUyoaAmBtEALw_wcB&utm_source=google&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjY64BhCaARIsAIfc7YawNBK9BNlN7jXv69Ha4hlyqrDW8-hvw56aSYaOfenxurtFyS2kUyoaAmBtEALw_wcB) to gather in real time and respond to topics generated from within the community with editors and other community members.   Follow Pilar on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pilar-guzm%C3%A1n-995a921a/)and [Instagram.](https://www.instagram.com/pilar_guzman/?hl=en)   Click below to listen to the full conversation and read below for highlights from the interview:         ## ***What Makes a Pitch Stand Out? Pilar’s Insights on Subject Lines*** \[00:04:41\] BB: Okay. Pilar, what do you love to see more in a subject line or in the body of a pitch? You already said is it written like the headline. Could you expand further or give us any other insights? The opposite, too, by the way, of like, “I don't want to see this ever. That's all.” \[00:04:56\] PG: Yes. No. I think it's a really good question, and I think it's kind of an evolving thing. I mean, I will tell you a little piece of history. I remember when I was redesigning. I think it was the front of the book at Condé Nast Traveler. It was at the moment when tackier headlines online were starting to crop up. I remember changing the type spec of the headline because I'm like I've probably written every two-word headline under the sun in my 150 years in media, and it needed to expand with the culture. There is that sort of like a tackier headline was catching people's attention because you glaze over. It's sort of you cycle through trends like any other trends, like fashion trends. There are word trends that then stop being interesting or stop catching your eye. I think the same is true for a pitch. I think that they evolve pitch languages like all other language, what stops you in your tracks. I don't know if that answers your question, but I do feel like something like that. \[00:05:58\] BB: It helps. But stops you in your tracks, I think that's something to hang on. Does it or not? \[00:06:03\] PG: Yes. But as far as – sorry. To go back to what should it look like, it's sort of like you do want things to get to the point right away. You forgive a long-winded something if the first couple of sentences feel one. They are pitched specifically for you, and your brand and that the person who's pitching really understands who they're pitching to, and they've done their research, and they've put whatever their point of view is in the context of said subject. If we are talking about menopause, for example, which is something, or longevity or weight, we want to know that whoever is pitching is up to speed on the subject matter, has done their homework, and knows what's been covered by us and other brands. \[00:06:47\] BB: Yes. That is so often missed. Publicists, they send you a pitch and you're like, “Well, I just did that topic five days ago.” \[00:06:54\] PG: Or everybody else did. You know what I mean? \[00:06:57\] BB: I think that's the other thing, too, and there's nothing \[inaudible 00:06:59\]. There’s nothing fresh, no. \[00:07:01\] PG: Exactly. \[00:07:02\] BB: Exactly. Speaking of experts, people who really, really know their field, we like to talk about this on every person we're talking to. Sources and any particulars that you're like, “Yes, I do want X all the time.” I don't know. \[00:07:15\] PG: I mean, I think I'm always happy when the pitch addresses some fresh take. Then the expert, I have some sense of what that expert's point of distinction is. Yes, original sources. People who are on the front lines often our go-to, and maybe this is not always correct, but somebody who's publishing a book who has some area – who has an expertise on a subject matter and has some fresh take. Therefore, there's a reason to go to them. But they also have to be compelling, not just because they have a book. I think having – if it's a video something, they've got to be camera-ready. If they're incredibly good at synthesizing a subject matter, that's also valuable.   ### Want to pitch Pilar and other journalists like her?   Click below to sign up for OnePitch and use these insights in your next pitch!     ## ***Pilar's Tips on Pitching Experts***   \[00:08:41\] PG: Assuming that we are intrigued by the subject matter and the expert, I think one has to make a decision because we're not just writing articles. We're also doing video and social around people like are they camera-ready if this is something that goes on camera. Of course, we play in all the different spaces, so it doesn't – not everybody has to be good at everything. I think a pitch that speaks to or showcases the strength of the expert, that should come up pretty high up. If somebody did a TEDx talk or a TED talk, have a 30-second clip of that. \[00:09:18\] BB: Yes. \[00:09:19\] PG: Don't make me go to the Dropbox at the bottom of the page and load another page because, usually, I'm on my phone, that sort of thing. Or give a little snippet of an image if it's sort of a visually driven something, whether it's a product or a hotel opening or something. If it's visual, make it easy and don't make me sit through an ad. \[00:09:40\] BB: Oh, boy. No. That is one of our questions on our little rapid fire, which we're going to get to in a second, which is do you want a Dropbox zip file or whatever. Personally, I don't want to click to anything else myself. It sounds like you want to see everything contained in the email ideally like the visuals there. \[00:09:57\] PG: Yes, exactly. If it links to more images, more video, whatever it is, that's fine but as long as I get a little taste. I don't even mind a long-winded email as long as it sets things up succinctly at the top, and there are some bullets. I'm okay with the combo. I know that goes down to it the next question.   ## ***Rapid Fire Pitching Preferences***   \[00:11:15\] BB: Yes. Excellent. Pilar, here we go with our rapid-fire questions. First one is video or phone interview? \[00:11:23\] PG: Phone interview, usually, although I don't mind video. \[00:11:26\] BB: Okay. Bullet points or paragraphs in pitches? You talked about it earlier. \[00:11:30\] PG: Yes. I think it depends on the topic, number one. If it's something that's really data-driven, bullets can be helpful. But always you want a setup. You want something that puts it in context, whatever the topic is. \[00:11:42\] BB: Images attached or Dropbox zip file? We copy that, too. You want to see it all right up front. \[00:11:47\] PG: I think you want to at least get a sampling within the body of the email, and then you can link to Dropbox if there are more. \[00:11:53\] BB: One follow-up or multiple? Because we already covered emails are the way to pitch you. \[00:11:57\] PG: For me, it's a maximum of two. \[00:11:59\] BB: Two and done. Direct or creative subject lines? Now, you talked about a headline. But would you like to elaborate? \[00:12:05\] PG: I would say a direct subject line doesn't have to be dull. \[00:12:09\] BB: Yes, so true. \[00:12:11\] PG: I think sometimes people can be too clever by half. I'd rather – if I had to put a gun to my head, I'd take direct over clever because most people aren't that clever. \[00:12:20\] BB: Yes. This is so true. Press release or media kit in a pitch/ \[00:12:24\] PG: I think it sort of depends, but press release generally. Media kits tend to need to be downloaded. \[00:12:30\] BB: Yes. Based on the East Coast, is there a time that you prefer to read pitches, or you’re like, “It's all the time.”? \[00:12:35\] PG: It doesn't really matter. It's just when I get to them. But I get up very early, so I usually – I clear my inbox early in the morning or end of day. It's just – I think that's pretty common for most people. \[00:12:47\] BB: Got you. Then we already talked about sources. Is there, Pilar, anything you want to note for publicists where you're like, “Hey, publicist. When I see X, I love it.”? Hard question? Yes. \[00:13:02\] PG: No, no. I think it's a really good question, I think, for me, the greatest pleasure I get from a good pitch is when I know that somebody is familiar not only with the subject matter but also with our brand and our particular lens on something, and they pitch within that context. I realize that's not super soundbitey, but it is really true. It's about doing your homework more than anything. \[00:13:26\] BB: Yes. Do you know the outlet? Do you show you know the outlet? \[00:13:29\] PG: There are so many people who cover – we are technically women's service, and so many titles fall under that umbrella. We sit uniquely, I think, at the intersection of women's health, psychology, and spirituality. I think it makes – we are always threading kind of an interesting and unique needle of rigorous journalism and storytelling. I think that's the secret sauce is those two things, both incredibly hard-nosed and also poetic. I think that it makes us a little bit unique in the sense that we straddle both. So we get pitches from all sorts of writers that are first-person essays, and that's great, and the hard nose. It's sort of like we encompass those things. I think if people understand that within a context, then they pitch accordingly. Not to say that everything has to tick both boxes at the same time always, but we do tend to straddle those realms. \[00:14:32\] BB: I do love, Pilar, and I've never heard it said. This is what we were talking about earlier where you're like, “Oh, it must be all the same stuff.” No. It's always different where you're saying rigorous journalism but with the storytelling that's compelling. Both are very hard and when you got to do both. \[00:14:46\] PG: Yes. I think I get plenty of wonderful pitches from publicists that do do that, that do take those things into consideration. \[00:14:55\] BB: Yes. All right. Well, everybody, we need to send poetic storytelling, keeping in mind robust journalism and the integrity of such because that is what Pilar wants to see.   \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_   You can find more conversations with journalists from leading outlets when you subscribe to the ***[Coffee with a Journalist](https://onepitch.co/podcast)*** podcast to get the latest insights as soon as they drop. Don’t forget to ***[follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/onepitchsaas)*** for other updates on our newest tips, tools, and top strategies.   ### **Want more tips from journalists?** Fill out the form below to subscribe to Coffee with a Journalist and receive weekly emails highlighting reporters, journalists, and editors and their individual pitching preferences. 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