You’ve got a fantastic idea for a story. You even know which publication or website it’s perfect for.

The only problem? You have no idea who you should pitch — or how to get in touch with them.

Figuring out which editor to contact — and finding that editor’s email address — can be a frustratingly time-consuming aspect of freelance writing. But it’s oh-so-necessary if you want to see that story published.

How to pitch a story to an editor

Don’t despair; there are a few tricks for making the process easier. All it takes is some sleuthing — after a while, you may even find the process fun! (I’m not the only one who does a little victory dance when I finally get in touch with the right editor, am I?)

In this post we’ll review both how to figure out which editor to pitch, and then tricks for finding that person’s email address, so you can place and get paid for more pieces.

To kick us off, here are some ideas for how to identify which editor to pitch.