Pitching Your Very First Freelance Writing Assignment

Pitching your article idea to an editor as a freelance journalist can be a lot like baseball; You have this great idea and want it to land right in the catchers mite.

Here, I've identified, my personal go-to ABCs of pitching my ideas that have landed me writing assignments time and time again.

A: Analyze your audience. Before you start pitching, research the publication you want to write for. What kind of content do they publish? What topics are they interested in? Knowing your audience will help you tailor your pitch to their needs. You cannot imagine how many pitches I receive for a fashion publication that have nothing to do with fashion. Don't approach an editor without reading that editors publication.

B: Be concise. Editors receive hundreds of pitches every day, so you want to make sure yours gets the attention it deserves. Keep it pitch brief and to the point. Highlight your unique angle and why you're the best person to write about it. No one and I mean, no one wants to read a full page explaining a pitch; just as no one wants to hear a long unexciting story; it's boring and no one has the time or the interest. Keep it short. Edit your pitch over and over until you can share it in one paragraph. That's it.

C: Customize your pitch. Avoid sending a generic pitch to multiple publications. Editors hate that. Take the time to personalize your pitch to each individual publication. This shows that you've done your research and are serious about working with them. Remember, the goal is to get another assignment and start to form a reliable relationship with your editor; the goal is never to just get one article.

One of the best resources to find editors is through The Big Fat Media Guide: