Has anybody ever sold a story to a newspaper?

[2020namechanger]

Wasn't sure where to put it?

How do you go about this?
Who pays the most?

I've got a really good one!

Just make sure you can check what they've wrote, I sent a story in to take a break 15 + years ago, if they hadn't published the photos I wouldn't have known I was reading about me and my DH

What sort of story is it?

Honestly, it’s very unlikely to be ‘front page news’ in a broadsheet, unless you’re a politician etc. or it’s breaking news that sheds light on an existing story in a foolproof way. And then they’re going to research, write, corroborate - it’s not likely to be a first person story they’ll pay mega bucks for. Like a tabloid expose on a celeb.

I’ve sold a first person piece to a national before, years ago - but it didn’t pay much as it wasn’t “news” just “interesting” as a feature.

I mean unless you are confessing that you were the one who leaked Colleen Rooneys false news from.. Rebecca Vardys account.. or patient zero who ate the sodding bat or have a magic vagina that can reverse Brexit then I doubt you'll be front page news right now.

Are you that Rose Cholmondeley who had Congress with our noble Duke of Cambridge? Sell the story. It will pay for the restoration of the battlements.

Don’t mention it.

Not in the sense that I got paid, but I do feed information about issues not covered in our industry for journalists to highlight.
As most errors are government related, I cannot effect change but my info has resulted in policy alterations and embarrassment for those trying to cover things up that are in the public interest,

Nobody would care.

Approach with caution, journalists tend to twist your words and if you have any muck on you or your family they'll find out about it

@notapizzaeater you need to tell us more now!

I mean unless you are confessing that you were the one who leaked Colleen Rooneys false news from.. Rebecca Vardys account.. or patient zero who ate the sodding bat or have a magic vagina that can reverse Brexit then I doubt you'll be front page news right now.

I'm very intrigued to know how a magic vagina might work in order to be able to reverse Brexit

@Thisseatisnotavailable

I mean unless you are confessing that you were the one who leaked Colleen Rooneys false news from.. Rebecca Vardys account.. or patient zero who ate the sodding bat or have a magic vagina that can reverse Brexit then I doubt you'll be front page news right now.

I'm very intrigued to know how a magic vagina might work in order to be able to reverse Brexit

Well, if a pack of cunts caused it...

@VodselForDinner

I have an ex who sold a story to the news of the world in the 90s. It was about a jury who used a ouija board for the verdict. He got paid really well I think. Don't know how much though.

Is that you Carrie?

Newspapers can (and will) get the simplest facts spectacularly wrong, as I've seen for myself when there's been anything in the press about people I know. They rewrite history and twist the whole thing to suit the 'angle' they want for the story, invent quotes, you name it.

You will have absolutely no control whatever over what they publish.
Honestly, OP - don't do it.

It really depends who you are - some celebrity? You have to be to want to sell a story about yourself? Though .... if you were a celebrity , how do you NOT know how to sell a story?

No
We were asked to because we lived next door to a premiership footballer who had been doing things he shouldn't. We didn't because it just all felt grubby and immoral tbh.

There are agents who will sell the story for you and will tell you how much it's worth etc, know who the best payers are and which papers would be interested in which story. They obviously charge a commission but may get you more than you could negotiate yourself, especially as you seem ignorant of what kind of paper you should contact. Google is your friend.

I didn't when I could. Also, once you sell you lose control of the process.

@thaegumathteth

No We were asked to because we lived next door to a premiership footballer who had been doing things he shouldn't. We didn't because it just all felt grubby and immoral tbh.

How much did they offer you, out of interest?

I sadly have no interesting stories to sell.

@YesMeLady

Why wouks you want to sell a story? Pretty nasty thing to do.

Depends what the story is?

A member of my family sold their story to the Sun, it all got rather out of hand & became a total nightmare for them. It still follows them now, several years later

A friend of mine sold a story to The Sun about an British athlete who had fathered two of her children along with having 4 or 5 other children with 3 or 4 other women. Some of the children he had nothing to do with.
I think she thought he was a bigger star than he actually is because she was expecting a considerable amount of money (£5,000-£8,000). I think she was paid £1500-£3000.

If you want it to be reported in any way close to the truth, or to spread the message you want (raise awarenss etc) then the press officer for our company always says you should speak to the media in this order:

1. radio
2. TV
3. Broadsheets
4. Tabloids
5. Magazines

Unfortunately the pay doesn't work in the same order.

[quote 2020namechanger]@notapizzaeater you need to tell us more now![/quote]
Nothing exciting or scandalous ! Just how he proposed etc. The article was sooooo cheesy had the salient facts in but they'd elaborated everything else.