Writing query letters are painful — unless you know exactly what the editors want to read. Enter mediabistro’s How To Pitch series, where editors break down exactly what they’re looking for from word count to which sections are prime for pitching.

Jaime Lowe, executive editor of Airtran’s in-flight pub GO, says an email with links to one or two clips that show clearly why you should be given the assignment, based on your experience, will have her jumping at her desk. “I definitely think that writing one really tight paragraph that is incredibly gripping is the most important part. “It just has to catch attention,” she explained.

For details on which sections Lowe is looking to fill, read How To Pitch: GO.

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