DOG Magazine
Editorial writing & story pitching
Turning a personal story into a published editorial feature.
In 2015, I successfully pitched a story idea to the editor of DOG Magazine for its inaugural issue. The publication was looking for authentic, personal stories from dog owners, creating an opportunity to combine personal storytelling with engaging editorial writing.
The challenge
The brief was to create a story that felt personal and relatable while offering readers something they could recognise from their own experiences as dog owners.
The challenge was to capture the character and personality of two very different dogs within a concise, entertaining editorial piece.
The approach
I focused the story on the contrasting personalities of my Labrador and Pug, exploring their individual quirks, temperaments and the everyday moments that made life with them so entertaining.
Rather than simply describing life as a dog owner, the piece used character, humour and observation to create a relatable story that would resonate with fellow dog lovers.
What I delivered
Developed the original story concept
Pitched the idea directly to the editor
Wrote the full editorial feature
Developed distinct character and narrative
Tailored the writing to the publication's audience and editorial style
The result
The pitch was accepted and the article was published in the very first edition of DOG Magazine.
It was an exciting milestone in my writing career and an early example of my ability to develop an idea from an initial concept and pitch through to published editorial content.
The impact
The feature demonstrated my ability to use storytelling, personality and observation to create engaging content around a defined audience — skills that continue to underpin my approach to both editorial and commercial copywriting today.
A personal story, a successful pitch and a place in the very first issue.