My editor at .net, Dan Oliver, has just written 10 ways to pitch articles. His points are extremely useful and should be printed out and stapled to the noggins of many newbie writers; hell, from what I hear from editors, even seasoned writers could do with brushing up on their pitching skills.

In short, his arguments come down to:

• Know your target;
• Prove your worth;
• Don’t be a dick;
• Actually pitch.

You’d be amazed how often people ignore one or more of those things. Hell, I’m guilty of the last one on an ongoing basis, leading to editors occasionally wondering if I’ve been kidnapped by killer bees or emigrated to Saturn (my editors, clearly, being a somewhat imaginative and slightly unhinged lot). So, that link again: 10 ways to pitch articles. If you’re a freelance hack, read Dan’s advice and do some pitching. Or, you know, don’t, and then bitch about never getting any work.