Dos and don'ts

Dos and don'ts of pitching editors

The rules that get a pitch read, considered, and maybe accepted.

Intermediate Assumes you can already draft and revise a piece.

Researched & written by BRYME Editorial Desk · 2 min read · Updated 2026-09-05

Pitching is a skill, and most editors see hundreds of pitches a month. These dos and don'ts are what separates a pitch an editor reads from one they delete.

Do

Do pitch a specific idea, not a topic. "An essay about family" is a topic. "An essay about how my mother apologised with food, never words" is an idea with an angle.
Do match the publication. Read a few pieces first. Pitch something that fits their section, length and voice, and tell them why.
Do prove you can deliver. Say what you have already done: the interviews, the sources, the reporting. This is the strongest line in any pitch.
Do offer a clear outline. A few bullets showing the shape of the piece makes it easy for the editor to say yes.
Do be brief and polite. Editors are busy. A short, professional pitch that gets to the point is respected.
Do follow the submission rules. Many magazines want a query, some want a resume, some take pitches through a specific form. Read the guidelines.

Don't

Don't pitch the publication's own article. "I was inspired by your piece on X, here is my take on the same X" is a hard pass.
Don't pitch three unrelated ideas at once. Pick one strong idea; multiple tangents read as unfocused.
Don't attach a full draft when they asked for a pitch. Follow the format they requested.
Don't be rude about past rejections. Never argue or complain about a "no." It burns bridges.
Don't overpromise timelines or exclusivity you cannot deliver. Be honest about what you can do.
Don't pitch without a hook or a stake. Why now, and why this editor? Give them a reason to care.

The quick test

Read your pitch and ask: would an editor, after reading the first two lines, know exactly what this piece is and why they should care? If not, sharpen the first two lines.