Brainstorm story ideas. Ensure the ideas are relevant to the publication and timing of the story. Story ideas do not need to be breaking news (and usually are not), but there should be a current angle to persuade the editor to accept the story pitch.
Filter through broad topics and craft an idea that is a focused, angled story. A topic like "Inside look at a day of a garbage truck driver" could be refocused to "Even in the worst economic climate in years, garbage truck driver reports equal amount of local wastefulness."
Research the past six months of the publication you are pitching to. Be sure the story idea has not been recently covered. If it has been covered, do you provide new insight and a different angle that is worthy of newspaper space?
Write the pitch, including the angled story idea, any research you have begun, and why the story would fit into the publication. Keep the question "Why should this be published today?" in mind throughout the process. If the story could be featured a year from now with no major changes, your timing angle is not strong enough, and an editor will push the story idea aside for later publication or reject it.
Grab the editor's attention in the first paragraph with a one to two sentence angled pitch. The rest of the letter should be short and simple, never more than a page. Include more detail about the story idea and a short paragraph on why you want to write the story.
Include up to three clips of published stories you've written. If you do not have any published clips, provide your experience and qualifications.
Include your contact information: address, phone number and email address. If you have a website and/or fax number you can include those as well.
Check the query letter to be sure it contains the basis of the story with your unique angle, why the story would interest the publication's readers, and most importantly, why you are the best person for the job. The newspaper undoubtedly has many qualified reporters and journalists, so why should they pay for your story? Do you have an unheard angle or idea, an inside contact or a means of obtaining little known information? If you do not have any of these, reevaluate your story idea and angle.
Edit your pitch for clarity and correctness. If the pitch requires edits, most editors will immediately throw it out in anticipation of an error-filled story submission.
Decide what section of the newspaper publication your story belongs in. Because most newspapers leave section content at the discretion of the section editor, you should contact the editor in charge of the section your piece belongs. The section editor's contact information is typically located on the front page of the section, and if it is not, call the paper's office and ask for the editor's contact information.
Follow up on your submission if you have not heard from the editor within one week. Evaluate a rejected story submission, taking into account any specific reasons for the rejection given by the editor. Rework angles to resubmit it to the same publication or a different publication.