Freelance Guidelines

While most of our investigations are produced by our staff, we occasionally work with veteran freelancers who pitch us a groundbreaking accountability project rooted in the Pacific Northwest.

When we evaluate pitches, we consider them against the components we believe make for an ideal investigative project:

An ideal investigative story…

• Is original and includes substantial new insights/findings on a subject of importance. In a word, it’s revelatory. It doesn’t waste time on something that’s already been done in the region.
• Has a strong accountability framing. It answers: What’s wrong? And who or what is responsible? It doesn’t merely ponder whether something bad is happening; it rigorously proves it with evidence. Nor does it attribute problems to broad, ill-defined systems, but instead spotlights specific people, policies, laws, regulations, institutions or societal structures contributing to or ignoring a problem.
• Is policy-focused and has a clear hypothesis. It answers: What needs to be changed? It identifies potential solutions and includes the best thinking from outside experts calling for change. Bonus points: It includes original data analysis quantifying the issue. For bigger projects, this is absolutely essential.
• Features real people impacted by a meaningful problem. It clearly shows harm.
• Has the potential to spur reforms by identifying problems, the responsible parties and what should change. Real-world impact is not something we as journalists can control, but ultimately it is how we judge our success. All good projects will involve follow-up stories that sustain public attention and outrage and keep pressure where it belongs.

One thing is certain: We never want to duplicate a story that’s already been written. Everything we do should provide new insights about something important. That said, not every story needs to be a three-part series or a blockbuster investigation. Many stories can qualify as “investigative” as long as they’re fresh and examine in some way how those in power or responsible should be held accountable.

The difference between a successful pitch and one we reject often comes down to your ability to convey that you know what you're talking about. Have you done your homework and read everything that's ever been written about your subject? Are you able to think beyond "the system is broken" and determine a more specific target for your investigation?

Are you ready now? Reach out to our team at editors@investigatewest.org.