Yesterday I called the editor of a supermarket magazine to introduce myself and pitch him on a story. He said, “The problem is, the July issue will be our last and we’ve already finished all the content for that issue. The magazine’s closing.” I stammered, “Sorry to hear that. Um, what’s next for you?” He said, “I don’t really know, I guess.” We laughed awkwardly, and I said I was sorry to hear that, wished him luck and hung up.

That’s one of the more awful pitch calls I’ve made. Lots of these calls are awkward, and a few are downright unpleasant. For example:
“What makes you think my readers would ever care about that?” -– Hartford Courant business editor
“Oh, you want to talk to the advertising department. I know you think you want to talk to the editor, but trust me, you need to talk to advertising first.” -– Receptionist at some podunk Pennsylvania newspaper
“[Vomiting sounds]”
-- Voicemail of a business editor at The Aegis, a paper in Maryland

Anyway, it bothered me so I emailed the supermarket magazine editor a little later and offered to use my vast network of connections to help him find a new job. Anyone know of a DC-area editing/publishing position for someone with expertise in retail and science, and fluent in Chinese?
 

¶ 11:16 PM