3 Things You Should Never Tell an Editor

This morning I asked Matador’s Managing editor Julie Schwietert for her advice on beginning writers dealing with editors. She came up the following list of things never to tell an editor. I thought that was a good start.

Please help us, other editors, and most of all, yourselves, by not writing any of the following:

I have hundreds of stories. Let me know which of my experiences might interest you.

Come with one idea, well-developed, rather than “100” ideas that aren’t developed at all.

I’m about to go to Mexico. Is there a story you need?

Ditto the above. As you develop a relationship with an editor, he or she will learn more about you, your interests, and your writing abilities and will pitch ideas to you as needs and synergies arise.

I’m a single mom who just got back from a trip with my daughters. We had a blast. If you want us to write for you, let me know.

You get the idea. Editors have all the work they need. Don’t give them any more. *Get access to paid freelance travel writing opportunities and an active community of travel journalists by enrolling in the MatadorU Travel Writing program.