• Become familiar with the type of article that is published by the newspaper, website or magazine that you wish to write for. A news editor is always busy, and usually does not have time to describe what his or her publication is interested in. It's far better to work that out yourself beforehand. 

• Once you are familiar with a publication or a website, contact the news editor - ideally by email, but by telephone if necessary - with a brief outline of the news article that you would like to submit.

• Remember that the news editor will need to know three things: What is the 'story' (expressed as succinctly as possible)? What aspect of it is new? What aspect of it is significant, and why? If you cannot answer each of these in one or two sentences, the news editor may rapidly lose interest. 

• Agree a length for the article and a delivery date, or deadline, and stick carefully to both of these.

• An alternative strategy, once you have become familiar with a newspaper, magazine, or website, is to submit a completed article without consulting the news editor beforehand. If you are lucky, it may be accepted. But you also risk a quick rejection.

 

 

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