Is Media Bistro worth joining? Are there other places to get contact information and guidelines to pitch freelance articles to magazines?

I don't think so - there's plenty of places to get guidelines on pitching your articles. There's an immense opportunity for freelancers in the current world of print. Just don't expect to make money right off the bat.

Here are several tips on pitching your freelance article ideas to magazines. It’s not just about what to write, but who to write to. For first time authors, writing their first pitch can be even more frustrating than writing their first article.In order for your article to be even considered it has to be the right type of article for the given publication.

This isn’t just a matter of picking the right topic, but also the voice. Writing for the Wall Street Journal is not the same as writing for Freelance Switch. Your goal should be to give the information that’s needed in the right tone and get out of the way.

How formal the actual language is depends on the editor. If you don’t know him or her, keep it formal. The pitch is a query, a proposal.

In order to even get the editor’s attention you have to be specific, outline the story in the right way. This doesn’t mean writing a manuscript.Be concise. Three to four sentences - and you’re done.

Like in marketing, a pitch should have only one goal - pitching the article. Nothing more, nothing less. This is why you personally shouldn’t ask too many questions.

If you’re contacting a publication for the first time, the editor doesn’t know you and at that exact moment he turns on his “first timer” filter. This is to separate the real writers from all the others. It’s a question of grammar, insight and the editor’s gut feeling.

Asking too many questions without providing enough value first will only frustrate the editor. He sees too many pitches and doesn’t have the time to answer all your questions. If you need guidelines, just look at the publication.

Your insight into the actual publication and your understanding of how it works can only impress the editor. Pitches are the best way to “sell” an article idea. CV’s don’t really help, with the exception being if you are a well known writer who has written for high profile publications.

In that case use your experience to your advantage, it’s good leverage. If, on the other hand, you’re just starting out - stick to the pitch. Check out the following: pitchingarticles.suite101.com/article.cf... freelance-writing.lovetoknow.com/Freelan... http://www.ehow.com/how_2015759_pitch-freelance-articles-print-publications.html http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/quipsandtipsfreelancing/49 pitchingarticles.suite101.com/article.cf....

You do not have to join Media Bistro to get contact information and guidelines to pitch freelance articles in magazines. Although it would probably save you a lot of time with your research. You may want to turn to subscription databases like Wooden Horse Publishing (woodenhorsepub.Com) and Writer's Market (writersmarket.

Com) for more in-depth guidance regarding what the magazines are looking for and how they want to be contacted. Writer's Market costs less than $50 per year and Wooden Horse is about $150, but both are excellent information sources.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.