Today mb rolls out Pitches That Worked, a new feature for AG members that takes an actual query letter that landed its writer an assignment, and breaks down just what made it successful. Consider it your guide to the nuts and bolts of assignment-worthy pitches, complete with comments from the author of the pitch and the editor who fielded it about what made it work.

In this first installment, we illustrate (with numbered, hyperlinked comments) how freelancer Betsy Noxon's pitch to Parents magazine has the ingredients essential to a convincing query. Plus, she and Parents' articles editor, Mary Hickey, describe in their own words how Noxon's pitch led to a published piece.

Key Components of the Pitch

(1) Correct address information for the outlet's assigning editor, formatted properly for a business letter, is essential -- including the properly spelled name and title of the person to whom the pitch is addressed.

(2) Noxon addresses her pitch directly to Hickey, avoiding the impersonal "To whom it may concern."

(3) Noxon jumps right in without any distracting preamble. Her tone is clear and authoritative from the start, implying that she knows their subject.

Read all of it, including the pitch itself, here.

At the Renegade Writers Blog:

We asked you to send in a "query letter you'd love to send - but never would." As promised, here are our top picks. Now it's up to you: please vote on your favorite by commenting here or e-mailing Linda at linda-eric@lserv.com. The winner will receive a signed copy of The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock when it's released in November. Deadline for voting is August 25, 2006.

We also have a winner in the "rejection letter I'd love to send" contest - party because the letter is hilarious, and partly because it’s the only one we received! Guess we’re not on the must-read list for editors (yet). The winning entry is at the end of this post.

You've spent a pretty penny to get to a (reputable) writers conference. You're excited to meet other authors and chat with editors--until you fall on your face because you overlooked one thing--how you were going to pitch your book. Cynthia P. Gallagher at Writing-World has advice on how to prepare for the big pitch.

A few weeks ago I posted the question on the boards: when has a writer's story idea been stolen by an editor, and when has it just been an unfortunate coincidence that the story she pitched ended up in the publication? Interesting topic, as some thing that nothing can be done about it when it happens, and others are convinced that stories get pinched all the time. Here were some of the highlights of the advice:

An editor's two cents: When writers pitch me ideas we already have on the books or another writer has pitched, I make sure I tell them just so they don't think I stole their idea. I would not be upset if a writer "confronted me" on this, as long as they did it in a professional way. I prefer the chance to clear up a misunderstanding to simply severing a good working relationship.

When I pitched an idea, I'd give just enough detail to show the editor I have the concept well-formulated in my brain and have access to useful data or sources to make the article happen-- in other words, tease them that 'here's this great idea, and I've already got the guts of it ready to go.' If they wrote back and expressed interest, I'd quickly move the conversation to payment, deadline, etc., to establish the premise that this would be an assignment, not a conversation to show them my cards. Once an assignment was in hand, I'd happily tell them all about the details. No editor ever really pushed me on this, and as an editor now I'd have no problem with a writer doing the same to me.

Best route to personal satisfaction, revenge or what have you: Tweak your idea and sell it elsewhere. It leaves all bridges intact, avoids the "whiner" label, avoids the "naive" label, avoids the "paranoid" label, etc.

Read the whole discussion here.

mb instructor Daina Hulet will be teaching some upcoming courses on writing for women's magazines, so I asked her to shed some light on what she'll be sharing with students that will lead them to publishing in the lady periodicals. Daina has over twenty years of experience as a staff editor and writer focusing on the areas of women's fashion, beauty, health, fitness and lifestyle for various magazines, newspapers and websites. She spent 10 years on the staff of Glamour magazine as the west coast editor, has worked as special publications editor for Teen.

One of the things I urge my students to do immediately after they've come up with a good story idea, is to do the research. Often beginning writers will come up with strong FOB or short service piece ideas based on personal experiences or a point of view. That's a good start, but unless you are an expert in your field, pitches need to be well researched, a include facts and even offer statistics for even the shortest 150-300 word pieces. To make sure that a pitch is saleable it should pass what I consider to be the ultimate acid test, "Why would the reader of the specific publication you're pitching want to spend her time (and money) to read your piece?"

In order to answer that question, you've got to build a story first. Find out what's new, newsworthy, or trendy, on the subject as it relates to the woman who reads the magazine as well as the specific section of the publication you're planning to pitch. The more you know about the subject, the easier it is to write the pitch-actually they almost write themselves. I even suggest doing some pre-interviews with an expert or two, to get even greater insight into your topic.

Even if it seems that you're collecting more material than you'll ever need as you do the initial background work for your pitch, another benefit is being able to give an editor more options on how you can approach the story, should she like the subject, but not your take on it. I've salvaged many a piece suggesting alternate spins while discussing story ideas with editors. And, should you get a flat rejection, your research may have sparked ideas for you to use to query other publications.

Want to learn more? Sign up for one of Daina's classes!

Jason Boog from a few weeks ago posted a semi-comprehensive post on how to pitch and how to improve those pitches. Read on at The Publishing Spot.

There are so so so many articles on pitching that boil it down to a science or a formula or a template. Do these work? I don't know. But they sure make querying seem like a drag. Craig Kellem at Absolute Write has a reminder for you--you were once excited about this article or script you're pitching! So why aren't you that excited in your pitch? A well-written pitch is not one with the soul sucked out of it.

It can sometimes take practice figuring out how your personal interests and expertise can be turned into a marketable article. Erika Dreifus has some ideas on how to mine what you know into clips--specifically, don't forget that your thoughts on writing can be sold to writers.

Freelancer Donna Talarico isn't just a freelancer with a blog: she turned her blog into her freelancing project. The daunting project is called Query-A-Day
, following Donna's quest for national publication. I think it's a great idea although I bet Donna will realize sooner or later that dedicating yourself to write daily about writing is a lot less fun than NOT doing that. But check out her blog and cheer her on--hopefully you and she can share some inspiration.

Jenna Glatzer at Absolute Write is a crafty gal: she tells you how you can use other writers' bios to your advantage when it comes to pitching publications. Just be careful and polite if you do end up emailing other freelancers for contact information or advice: by sharing tips such as editors' email addresses, they're doing you a huge favor, so don't get huffy if you don't get responses.