Let's say you're the editor of a magazine called "Sex Under the Fir Trees" and you receive an unsolicited manuscript titled "How to Get Barnacles off Your Boat," what are you going to do?

Whether you laugh, cry, or use industrial-strength profanity, the result's the same for the writer: a form rejection slip.

The writing guidelines for most publications advise prospective contributors to read the publication first and learn about its style, focus, viewpoint, and previously covered topics before sending in an unsolicited article.

Many writers skip this step. It takes time. Copies of the publication cost money or require an online registration. It delays completion of the article the writer wants to write.

Haste makes waste.

If it looks like you don't even know what kinds of articles a magazine (or Ezine) uses, then the editor is not only going to reject your work out of hand, but he'll also wonder if you know what you're talking about.

Generally speaking, most novice writers don't sell many articles without demonstrating that they: (a) know the publication, (b) know the subject, and (c) are willing to pitch an article idea to the editor rather than sending it in blindly.

Knowing a Publication

Volumes can be written about this. What does a typical issue include? What have they already covered? Do they have theme issues each year that dictate what some or all of the articles are going to be about? Do they have an editorial calendar that maps out plans for the upcoming 6-12 months? Do they use long, serious articles or do they use light, how-to articles, or both? Do they use freelancers?

Knowing the Subject

Let's suppose you've read every issue of Sex Under the Fir Trees and know their style, focus and requirements pretty well. You decide to submit an article called "Subalpine Firs and Grand Firs in Glacier National Park."

Assuming that the editor doesn't think this is too narrow (or too obscure) a focus for his magazine, he's still going to ask: WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS FOR WRITING THIS ARTICLE?

Do you have a degree in forestry? Do you work for the National Park Service at Glacier as a ranger, forest management specialist or in a related field? Have you developed an expertise in the subject through years or research and personal experience?

If not, why should the editor publish your article? Why would the readers want to read it, much less trust it? Whether you send an article in blind or whether you pitch the idea first, demonstrating your credentials is always priority number one.

Asking for an Assignment

Most editors depend on a trusted, dependable group of staff writers, guest experts, and often-used freelancers for most of their material. They don't sit around waiting for somebody they've never heard of to send in exactly the thing they are looking for at the exact moment they need it.

If you are psychic or

if you have planted a bug in the magazine's office, you might know months in advance that the editor of Sex Under the Fir Trees wants to publish an article later this year about the identification of flat needle conifers.

If you're not psychic, not adept at wiretapping, and have no credentials in the world of needles and cones, you're either not going to know what the editor wants, or knowing it isn't going to help you.

Once you know a publication that fits into your areas of expertise and experience, pitch your article idea to the editor rather than writing something up and sending it in.

First, when you pitch (propose) an article idea to an editor, s/he immediately sees that: (a) you're approaching the magazine as a professional, (b) you aren't wasting your valuable time researching and writing something the s/he may not use, (c) you're asking the editor "what do YOU want in your magazine" rather than assuming s/he will like something randomly sent in.

Next, let's say you've sent the editor a well-written cover letter that demonstrates why your proposed article is vital or interesting, how you will approach the topic, and why the magazine's readers might use or enjoy such an article. And let's say that you've included a writing sample and some great information about your expertise and experience, now what?

You want the editor to say, "yes, write the article." But you also hope the editor will offer valuable guidance that helps ensure the article really will meet the magazine's needs.

Perhaps you've proposed an article about pine needles AND pine cones: the editor might say, leave out the pine cones, we're already working on that one. The editor also might suggest a slightly different focus or a longer article than you initially planned. Show your openness to the editor's ideas in your cover letter.

The first time an editor says, "yes, send me your article," s/he will probably stipulate that you are sending it in on speculation, that is, without a guarantee that it will be used. Once an article or two is published, the editor will see that you can deliver what s/he wants. Then, the next pitched article may result in a more formal assignment.

In time, the editor might start pitching ideas to you: "Bob, we need an article about the Douglas-fir. How would you like to send us about 2,000 words on the largest examples of this tree in Oregon and Washington?"

Now you're where you want to be.

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