Lorraine Mace

Write Away! February 2009

Text Box: International News — Local Flavour Can expat writers supply material for UK regional newspapers? The answer is yes, and it can be a lucrative form of freelance writing. You might think that living in a foreign country would make this next to impossible, but it isn’t. International News – Local Flavour Many international news events have a regional connection. If there is a trade delegation, cultural exchange or sports event taking place, this might well make the national news and be covered by experienced journalists. However, within any major news event there will be people not senior enough, or famous enough, to gain international notice, but interviews with them could be of interest to editors of local newspapers in their home regions. Generate Local News Local newspaper editors are always looking for items to fill their pages. They will consider anything with a local interest. Their readers want to hear stories about people like them, or people they might once have known, or can relate to. To pitch to this market, you need to find stories about someone who was born, worked or lived in the area. The way to decide which paper to approach is by considering the following: Where does (or did) the interviewee live? Are there other connections to the subject – such as family living there? Which regional papers cover the interviewee’s business location? Would the local community be directly affected by the news item? Contacting the News desk If the item is time sensitive, then a direct approach by telephone works best. Call the paper and ask for the News Editor. Introduce yourself and outline your story in two or three sentences. Be ready to convince the editor that the story is of interest to their readers. Ask for the e-mail address and in what format they would like the piece submitted. If, on the other hand, the item is not time sensitive, it is better to contact the editor by e-mail. If the news desk’s e-mail isn’t available on their website then call the paper to find out who you should contact. Remember local news doesn’t have to be a spin-off from international events. In any expatriate community you will find businessmen, charity workers, teachers and sportsmen. Any of these could be of interest to the editor of their former regional newspaper. An article previously written for a country-themed magazine could easily be reworked with a local UK angle. Write Away! Notes from the Margin


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