Episode #44: Make a Story "Vogue-Ready" with Mekita Rivas
In this episode, we analyze a Vogue piece that stemmed from a different story idea entirely. From it, we learn how to nail down strategic pitching and story ideation, how to pivot when a reporter calls for it, and all the details that go into getting your client “Vogue-ready.” And, after our conversation today, you’ll walk away with newfound confidence, knowing how to stick out, not just in an accomplished freelance reporter’s email inbox, but also on their social feed!
In this episode you’ll learn…
What makes a piece “Vogue-ready” (or ‘Bustle-ready;’ ‘NY Times-ready; etc.!)
Why consistency is key (reporters recognize some publicists by name!)
New ways to relationship-build via social (not just on Twitter!)
Our guest is:
Mekita Rivas is a freelance journalist and creative consultant based in Washington, D.C. She is currently a contributing editor at Cosmopolitan and a senior contributing fashion editor at Bustle. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, and others. She primarily covers culture, style, and politics through the lens of gender, race, and ethnicity.
Stories we talked about:
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Show Notes:
0:00 — Britt introduces our guest.
1:00 — Britt asks Mekita for an overview of the story we’ll discuss in the episode.
2:20 — Jackie asks Mekita how she got connected to the women highlighted in the article.
2:46 — Mekita describes how the story idea evolved from an event coverage pitch.
5:05 — Mekita discusses working with the publicist to rework the story into a feature for Vogue.
6:15 — Britt asks Mekita how frequently she receives event pitches and whether she typically covers them.
9:27 — Mekita identifies an “influencer-editor” role emerging in the fashion and lifestyle industry.
10:39 — Jackie asks Mekita if the publicist represented the activists featured in the story.
12:26 — Jackie asks if Mekita worked with the publicist previously.
14:10 — Britt asks for more details on the pivot and brainstorming with the publicist on the story.
17:31 — Britt asks Mekita about her communication preferences with PRs.
19:22 — Jackie asks Mekita what kinds of pitches she would like to see in her inbox.
24:51 — Britt asks if Mekita receives a lot of pitches and what stands out when looking through her inbox.
28:02 — Housekeeping questions! Jackie asks Mekita about her relationships with publicists.
32:58 — Britt mentions her personal experience engaging with writers on social media.
37:28 — Jackie asks Mekita for additional relationship-building tips for publicists.
41:33 — Shoutouts! Mekita gives a shoutout to Eliza Liebler at Elle Communications, Emma Greis at Element Brand Group, and Amaya Starkey at Edelman.
Connect with Mekita Rivas
Connect with Jackie & Britt