I had the great joy of working a Sunday shift yesterday. I now tend to work one in every six or so weekends which isn’t bad at all. So, in honour of that, I’m dedicating this edition to the unique pitching beast that is the Sunday for Monday special.
I’m thrilled to confirm that these stories have become a lot more popular in recent times. I have a feeling this LinkedIn post from a while ago may have something to do with it. For a long time, it really was an underutilised window when journalists were desperate for stories and comms pros weren’t sending them.
There is a very special place in my contact book for people who pitch me stories I can pull together on Sunday (if not earlier) for Monday’s newspaper.
So, when is the best time to send reporters these stories? How do you find out who is working on the weekend? Are there particular types of stories that lend themselves particularly well to this slot? I come bearing all the answers…
What is a Sunday for Monday? One of my key rules as a journalist (which I’ll admit I’ve been known to break) is never make assumptions. So, first things first… I need to make clear what “Sunday for Monday” actually is. It’s not about pitching a journalist on Sunday but more about creating a story that can potentially be published online on Sunday (or online early doors on Monday morning) which will also appear in Monday’s print edition.
What makes a good Sunday story? Journalists are looking for something that won’t be in the Sunday papers. If it’s strong enough for a splash (also known as the front page story) then that’s an added bonus. It also must not be dependent on Saturday events. Something built around new data, an investigation or a compelling case study is a helpful place to start. Think of it as something readers will still care about by 7am on Monday.
What doesn’t work? A pitch that’s poor on a Tuesday is still going to be poor on Sunday. Although there may be less news around, the desire for quality remains the same. Journalists aren’t looking for just anything to fill the paper with. They’re looking for something genuinely interesting that their readers will care about. So, don’t use Sunday as an excuse to dust off the story that didn’t get any traction during the week while sending it to a different inbox hoping for the best. The difference is that a great story can have a particularly good chance of cutting through when there are fewer competing pieces around.
Exclusivity is a huge help. But it is by no means a necessity. If a journalist thinks they have something other outlets don’t, it gives them a much bigger reason to invest time in getting it over the line. There's nothing wrong with an embargoed release that's gone out widely either though.
Best time to pitch Sunday for Monday stories?