Tried and True Means of Introducing Yourself to Magazine Editors

Let's Start a Thread on Pitches that's Worked for you this year.

Back when I had no clips or published articles to promote my work and my entire life strategy was telling everyone that I was a "Writer," I made the best resume of what a "Writers' Resume" should look like and sent it to hundreds of magazine headquarters.

Each resume has something special, a new font, a new design, cleaver usage of words and even a picture. I was constantly thinking of results-driven yet creative ways to introduce myself all the way from the west side of Detroit.

Cue the PHONE!! I'd never had a deep, moving, life-changing conversation through the mail. While I'd written and read some great love letters in my day, mail wasn't getting anyone's attention. I had the brilliant idea of cold calling magazines to speak to my favorite writers and editors and letting them just hear my voice. I thought I was genius until someone someone hung up in my face and told me never to call them again.

I then realized maybe this wasn’t the best idea, put the phone down and sent off another 100 resumes in hopes of someone noticing (for the next 2 years.) I remember thinking even if just one person a day sees my resume, then I'll get my big brake. That one person would read my name "D-A-R-R-A-L-Y-N-N and think "That's the name of a writer."

My first nationally published article came from relentless phone calling and several personal conversations. My first job at a magazine was after several calls with passionate messages left, saying "I'm the one!." For me, phone calls worked and got me started down a path of journalistic fulfillment.