3. Not Knowing the Magazine’s Audience
I’m always amazed when I get pitched stories about pre-natal workouts or how the elderly should train. I work at two magazines that focus on men (aged roughly 18 to 40). Pitches like this are not only laughable, they’re insulting. It’s clear that whoever sent them isn’t interested in what I do or what the magazine is about—I’m just another name on their list. They’ll keep throwing darts until they hit something. TIP: It doesn’t matter how good the idea is or how talented a writer you are, if it doesn’t fit with what the magazine does, it’s going to get deleted from the editor’s inbox.