Linda Tischler, who covers design stories for Fast Company magazine, posts 10 tips on how to sell your story idea.

The list is mostly pet peeves, which freelancers must pay attention to. But there are also two excellent guidelines on what to do:

Offer me something nobody’s had before. The quickest way to catch my eye is to give me a chance to be first to report something cool. Editors, a very competitive bunch, love that. Give me some catnip to dangle before them.
…
Do pitch me something that advances the conversation. What are the big issues designers will be grappling with in the next few years? Who are the brightest young talents? Who has solved an intractable problem in a particularly innovative way? What trends are you picking up as you talk to clients? Why should I care about what you’re pitching me?

Read the rest of Linda Tischler’s post, “How to Pitch Me.”

For more pitch guidance, read my post, how to pitch a multimedia story to MSNBC.com.

Photo: Steve Rhodes/Flickr