More Simple Fixes For Bad Pitches
The small structural mistakes that quietly kill good ideas before they get read
Way back in November, we talked about some simple fixes for bad pitches. Since then, we’ve learned a lot about how many pitches fail because the writing creates friction or contains a decent angle buried under poor structure.
Editors aren’t grading effort; we’re scanning for speed, clarity, and usefulness. That means small mistakes matter more than most people realize.
So, here are three more simple fixes that can immediately improve weak pitches:
1. Cut Unnecessary Adjectives
Words like innovative, leading, groundbreaking, exciting, or unique usually add nothing. They sound promotional, not editorial.
Bad:
“Our innovative founder has created a groundbreaking wellness platform…”
Better:
“A founder created a wellness platform now used by 300 independent gyms.”
Specifics outperform hype every time. If the claim is strong, let the facts carry it.
2. Break Up Dense Paragraphs
Huge text blocks feel like work. Even a strong pitch becomes harder to process when it looks overwhelming. Editors skim visually before they read deeply.
If your email appears exhausting, you immediately create resistance.
Fix it by:
• Keeping paragraphs short
• Using line breaks strategically
• Separating core points
• Making statistics visually easy to find
Your goal is not literary elegance, your goal is readability under pressure.
3. Remove Soft Language
Phrases like these weaken authority.:
“might be of interest”
“could potentially be relevant”
“just wanted to see”
“thought I’d reach out”
You are presenting an opportunity, not apologizing for existing.
Bad:
“I thought this might potentially be relevant to your audience…”
Better:
“This data shows independent restaurants are cutting labor costs through AI ordering.”
Confidence signals professionalism; weak language signals uncertainty. Bad pitches are often fixable without reinventing the story.
Usually, the real issue is:
• Too much padding
• Too much hype
• Too little clarity
• Too little confidence
The strongest pitches are rarely the fanciest, but they’re usually the easiest to understand.
