How to Ask Journalists for Corrections Without Burning Bridges
Here’s the lowdown on asking a journalist to make a correction—without stepping on any toes.
Joni Sweet is a seasoned writer, editor, and content strategist with 13+ years of media experience. In this newsletter, Joni reveals her current assignments and insider tips to help PR professionals sharpen their pitches, avoid rookie mistakes, land coverage for their clients, and build stronger relationships with writers. Get ready for candid advice, a touch of sass, and secret strategies to make your pitches stand out.
You've landed that coveted coverage for your client, and you’re thrilled—until you notice a tiny error in the final copy. Time to put on your PR hat and ask for a correction. But how do you do it without harming your relationship with the journalist?
There’s an art to correction requests. It requires knowing when to pick your battles, how to phrase your request delicately, and understanding the editorial side of things.
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of mastering correction requests, a quick shout-out to our amazing sponsor, PodPitch.
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Now, let’s break down the do's and don'ts of getting that correction without burning any bridges.
Mastering the Art of Correction Requests
Correction requests are tricky. Most freelance writers (like myself) aren’t able to directly make corrections to our stories—we have to ask our editor to do so. This can sometimes make us seem annoying or even incompetent. And let’s face it, no one wants to risk losing their gig over a minor issue.
So, it’s really important to…
Choose Your Battles Wisely
Before you even think about hitting “send” on that correction request, ask yourself if the story actually has a factual error.