As the associate editor of The Writer’s sister publication Volleyball magazine, many freelance pitches find their way into my inbox. Some I love – and I’m excited over a new contributor to the publication. Others are immediate turn-offs and either receive a gentle letdown or languish, untouched, until meeting their ultimate doom in my elaborate network of email archives.
What makes one pitch stand out from another? How can you increase your chances of being noticed and invited to submit work to a magazine? Here are the criteria that I’ve put together from my experience as a magazine editor.