Step Up To The Plate And Write For The IBWAA Newsletter
Today, one of our editors make a case for why you should consider writing for this newsletter.
IBWAA members love to write about baseball. So much so, that we've decided to create our own newsletter about it! Subscribe to Here's the Pitch to expand your love of baseball, discover new voices, and support independent writing. Original content six days a week, straight to your inbox and straight from the hearts of baseball fans.
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Leading Off
Three Reasons To Write for The IBWAA’s Here’s The Pitch Newsletter
By Brian Harl
Today I’m going to write about something a bit different and speak directly to each of our IBWAA members. I’m one of the editors for this newsletter and since we had an opening on the calendar for today’s feature article slot, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to take some time and explain why I think you should consider writing for the newsletter if you don’t already contribute.
First off, if you have written for the newsletter, thank you. For those of you who are regular contributors, double thank you. Without your consistent, quality submissions the newsletter would probably cease to exist. I also welcome your thoughts on why you choose to write for the newsletter in the comments below.
Reach A Wide Audience
Here’s The Pitch has seen its viewership increase ever since its inception back in September 2020. To date, the newsletter’s SubStack home page has seen over 20,000 individual visits, including over 2,000 views each coming from links on Twitter, Google, and Facebook. Additionally, since we began cross-posting the newsletter on the popular website NewsBreak four times a week last year, viewership has expanded even more. The newsletter postings there have amassed over 100,000 views and over 800 shares. The IBWAA page that hosts the newsletter on NewsBreak now has over 1,800 followers, with more being added by the month. We’ve had our articles featured on other websites, and highlighted in SABR publications. I say this not to toot the newsletter’s horn, but to inform you that if viewership and exposure matter to you as a baseball writer, the newsletter does have some of that to offer.
Get Paid To Write About Baseball
There is something to be said for earning something for hard work. I used to pick up hay bales on my aunt and uncle’s farm as a teenager during the summers for a nickel a piece. The check I received at the end of a 12+ hour day of sweat, scratches, and sore muscles let me lay my head down on my pillow at the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment. The decision Dan Epstein and Jonathan Becker made to put together a payout formula for the authors is commendable and should not be overlooked as a perk of writing for the newsletter. Don’t get me wrong, you aren’t going to strike it rich and quit your day job by writing for the newsletter. But you will get monetary recognition for your efforts, which can provide a level of fulfillment. It also can encourage those of you just starting out in the baseball writing world to see how getting paid to write feels and how the revenue-sharing process works.
Flexibility For Your Creativity
Years ago, I used to write regularly for an up-and-coming baseball site. It was a great experience and I learned a lot, but the demand for submissions was extremely high (several posts a week) and I realized I was sacrificing quality for quantity. I also had fairly defined guidelines on what I should write about and I had little ability to deviate from that. I ended up getting burned out and stepped away from writing for a while. What I think makes Here’s The Pitch unique in this aspect is that it puts you, the writer, in the driver’s seat and provides you the medium to get your words published.
We have a small number of guidelines such as using a community spreadsheet to sign up for a date, word count limitations, licensed image usage, and meeting submission deadlines, but otherwise, as long as you write about something remotely related to baseball, you are in control. You can write about baseball board games. You can write about your favorite childhood memory of a baseball game you attended with your best friend. You can write about the best palindrome names in baseball. And all along the way, you have an understanding and experienced editing team there to help you with both drafting and publishing your work in the newsletter.
You also get to decide how frequently you write. Experiencing writer’s block or just busy with life? Take some time for yourself and what you have going on. You will always be welcomed back when you find your inspiration or deem the time is right.
That being said, we do need you. The writer. The “W” - right in the center of IBWAA. You are at the heart of this great organization. Whether you are a professional or amateur, die-hard analytics guru, or casual fan, it is the writers that make the newsletter a success. As I write this article, we have eight open slots for feature articles in the month of September.
This is where you can come in and take advantage of the benefits I described above. Showcase your talent. Share your experience, insight, and analysis with others. I think you will find it a rewarding experience, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see you become one of our regular contributors alongside many other wonderful writers and fellow IBWAA members.
If you would like more information on writing for the newsletter, please reach out to me via email or Twitter, or send a tweet to @IBWAA and someone will get you set up.
Brian Harl is a freelance baseball writer and an editor for the IBWAA Here’s The Pitch Newsletter. He is a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan and enjoys baseball history and trivia. He is actively involved in IBWAA and SABR groups. You can find him on Twitter at @cubs_corner or contact him via email at bchrom831@gmail.com.
Extra Innings
"You can make anything by writing."
—C.S. Lewis
“Baseball is a good thing. Always was, always will be.”
—Stephen King
"Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good."
—William Faulkner