Let’s talk about how to pitch an article to real life magazines.
Why is this important? Well, you could be the next Anna Wintour, but it isn’t going to matter one bit if you don’t know how to present your ideas to a legitimate publication. However, once you learn how to share your ideas professionally, you may find yourself snagging freelance jobs left & right! Let’s get started:

Explain what makes YOU special
Tell them a little about yourself: why are you an investment for the magazine, what do you have to offer? Include your résumé, relevant qualifications, or why you think you’d make a fabulous addition to their writing team. But keep it professional and simple—leave out your personal life.

Know the publication
Double check that the subject matter you’ve chosen for your article falls inside the general theme of the magazine. Dog Fancy isn’t going to care about your take on Miu Miu’s Fall 2009 Ready-To-Wear, so use some common sense. Read previous issues to get a feel for the type of content and writing style preferred.

Create your pitch
Share your idea and clearly state why their magazine’s target audience would want to read your article. Include a short & concise description of what your article would be addressing, and attach your piece in it’s entirety if the publication encourages it. Make sure you send your pitch in the appropriate format–some editors prefer Word or PDF, while some are okay with including it in the body of the email.

For good measure, attach a writing portfolio, or a document including snippets of your best writing, any published articles, and your contact information. Be sure to proofread and re-check for spelling and grammar!

Send it to the appropriate person
Make sure that you’re sending your pitch to the right person—as brilliant as your article may be, the director of advertising isn’t going to help you get anywhere! Check out the publication’s masthead or online contact page to get an idea of the best person (or department) to send your idea.

You’re done! Press send, and if all goes well, you could be published!

For more information, visit FreelanceSwitch.com’s ‘The Ultimate Article Pitch’, or How to Pitch a Magazine on eHow.com. Many magazines also contain information about submissions on their Contact page. Good luck!