What PR pros can actually do to support journalists right now
A behind-the-scenes look at the financial realities of freelance journalism—and how PR pros can become better collaborators.
Joni Sweet is a seasoned writer, editor, and content strategist with 15+ years of media experience. In this newsletter, Joni reveals insider tips to help PR professionals sharpen their pitches, avoid rookie mistakes, land coverage for their clients, and build stronger relationships with writers. Get detailed feedback from her on your next pitch with The Pitch Fix.
Hi friends,
Being a freelance journalist in 2026 means doing far more than just writing stories. Many of us are piecing together income from a mix of reporting, consulting, branded content, newsletters (like this one), speaking engagements, social media partnerships, and other adjacent work.
This diversification doesn’t always come from our desire to wear so many professional hats (fashionable as they may be!). More often, it’s what we need to do to stay afloat while traditional publishing continues to demand more from journalists while paying the same (or sometimes even less) than years ago. (Here’s the truth about freelance pay—numbers and all!)
The realities of making a living as a freelance writer came up during a lunch-and-learn I hosted with the team at Rachel Harrison Communications this week. We got into talking about freelance rates (yes, I even spilled the beans on the publication that pays only $50 for a travel story!), shrinking newsroom budgets, and how journalists are effectively doing the work of multiple people at once.
Then someone asked a really thoughtful question: What can PR people actually do to support journalists right now?
Honestly, I loved that question. It was a reminder that despite the adversarial tone you sometimes see online, lifestyle journalists and PR pros are often far more collaborative than people realize. We genuinely need each other to do our jobs well.
So today, I want to talk about what actually helps journalists right now (plus share a Father’s Day gift guide opportunity for your clients!).
How PR pros can support journalists in 2026
Here are three easy ways to support your writer pals without spending a dime.
1. Send timely, thoughtful pitches
I know PR pros hear journalists complain about inbox volume constantly, but I truly don’t think most people realize the scale of it right now. I receive 200+ pitches per day on a normal weekday (up from an average of 150 pitches/day last year!). Going through them all requires hours of time, where we’re not getting paid.
Yes, it’s part of the job, but being flooded with irrelevant or vague pitches makes it even harder to get to the good stuff—the stories that ultimately get your clients coverage and help journalists earn a living. So the best thing you can do to support journalists right now is sharpening your pitching skills by:
Leaning into the “why now” factor of the pitch
Finding a strong angle, rather than treating your pitch like an overview
Following the best practices of embargoes (or avoiding them altogether)
Keeping pitches short, sweet, and to the point (may I suggest the Story Seeds technique?)
Reading 200+ pitches a day has given me a pretty strong sense of what makes journalists immediately open an email… and what makes them archive it without a second thought. That’s exactly why I created The Pitch Fix: a service where I review your pitch drafts and give candid, journalist-level feedback to help them land.
And while we’re talking about inbox management, here’s the exact number of times you should follow up on a pitch.
2. Engage with their newsletter and social media
A lot of journalists have launched newsletters (hi, it’s me!), built social followings, or started creating content outside traditional publications because, frankly, we’ve had to. These platforms help us build more stable income streams in an incredibly volatile, uncertain industry.
A lot of PR pros now pay to subscribe to newsletters like this one to get valuable insights and support journalists directly, so please consider upgrading your subscription when budget allows. (Cue the “Upgrade your subscription” module…)
But in the meantime, you can support our work even as a free subscriber by continuing to read and engage with our newsletters and other projects. Clicking links in newsletters (especially sponsor links!), liking/commenting on posts, sharing our work, or replying to newsletters all sends signals that people are paying attention and finding value in what we create.
One thing I’ve been really touched by is how many kind messages people send me privately after I publish a newsletter issue. Those DMs genuinely brighten my day. But if you ever feel inclined to leave those thoughts publicly in the comments section instead, that can make an enormous difference, too. It helps show sponsors that readers are engaged and trust the newsletter—which ultimately makes brands more likely to advertise.
And yes, we do remember the names of those who subscribe and/or regularly engage with our content, which is huge for long-term relationship building.
Psst… Know someone who might want to get their products or services in front of an engaged audience of PR pros? Send ‘em my way! If they decide to sponsor an upcoming issue, I’ll give you a free Flash Consulting session as a way to say “Thanks!”
3. Refer us to potential clients
Authentic storytelling matters more than ever right now. Audiences are exhausted by overly polished corporate messaging, and brands are under pressure to sound like actual humans again.
That’s a huge part of why so many companies are turning to journalists for help. This is literally what we do all day: find interesting angles, ask good questions, and turn complicated information into stories people actually want to engage with.
That’s why one of the most meaningful ways you can support journalists right now is referring us for opportunities outside traditional editorial work. Branded content, newsletters, speaking gigs, consulting, moderation, strategy work—these projects can genuinely help journalists build more stable careers while still using the skills journalism taught us in the first place.
I recently saw a great conversation about this on Pitchcraft, one of my favorite journalist/PR platforms, where reporters were sharing all the different services they now offer beyond traditional articles. Honestly, the range of expertise journalists bring to the table is kind of incredible when you see it all laid out.
(Want to check out the magic of Pitchcraft for yourself? Use code JONI200 to get $200 off your first month or JONI400 to get $400 off your first annual membership!)
That referral support can extend to editorial opportunities, too. If you work closely with an editor and know they’re looking for freelancers for a press trip, feature package, or reported story, making an introduction can genuinely go a long way. A lot of this industry still runs on trusted recommendations and long-term professional relationships. So if a journalist immediately comes to mind for an opportunity, go ahead and name-drop us. We’d really appreciate it.
Pitch me for this opportunity
Yahoo: Father’s Day Gift Guide Opportunity
I’m looking to establish paid partnerships with brands that are interested in consideration for an upcoming Father’s Day Gift Guide that will appear on Yahoo. I’m looking for genuinely thoughtful gifts that dads would love, such as backyard games, grills, high-end spirits, luggage, subscriptions, knick-knacks, and more.
Please email me (jonimsweet@gmail.com) for details on rates and deliverables if your client has budget for partnerships. No firm deadlines yet, but I have limited spots available and several have already been taken after I shared this opportunity on Qwoted.
(Psst… if you haven’t tried Qwoted yet, use code JONI to get $50 off your first month and two free pitch credits. It’s one of my favorite HARO alternatives!)
Yahoo is one of the most visited websites in the world (2.56 billion visits in February alone!) and this is an incredible opportunity for Father’s Day! These gift guide partnership opportunities always sell out, so get in touch ASAP if you’re interested.
Love your content as a fellow freelancer. Keep it up, and thanks for sharing!
Such a helpful contextualizer, Joni. Thanks for putting this together!