Why TechCrunch rejected your op-ed, and how to change that
Plus, all eyes on the launch of 404 media. Get your pitching engines ready!
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Walter Thompson is the person you need to know if you’re ever pitching a TechCrunch op-ed, and he’s just revamped his guidelines for op-eds. While we’re already familiar with how to get in TC+, we found the TC Opinion tips to be especially enlightening.
In his guide, he explains they’re looking for “expertise and opinions that are supported by facts and relevant experience.” Guest contributions fall into two categories:
TechCrunch+: Strategies and tactics for building and scaling startups. We’ve placed a lot of articles here and the key is specificity. When we were working on a piece about raising funding while navigating pregnancy, we were even asked to share screenshots of “on leave” email templates! THAT’s the level of detail they want.
TechCrunch Opinion: Editorials about tech-related topics in the public interest. This one is newer, and will be a great way to share first-hand industry POV sans “how-to” which is required for the first bullet.
We’ve found Walter to be very responsive and reasonable. Here are the most common reasons submissions are rejected:
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