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Step 1
Get attention. Don't start out with the same, typical thing that everybody else does. Try to get their attention by reciting a funny anecdote that relates to the idea you're pitching. Editors will read more than enough query letters during the week and it's your job to stand out.
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Step 2
Describe your idea. Let the editor know what it's all about. Give them a brief description and make it enough that they will want to read the entire article or pursue the idea with you.
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Step 3
Highlight how it fits. Make sure that the editor knows that it will fit in their publication somehow. You don't want to provide a random piece of writing.
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Step 4
Address the audience. Whether your article is for teenage girls or middle aged men, you want to keep the target audience in mind. The two groups won't be interested in the same material and like the same style of writing.
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Step 5
Be current. Don't fall behind the times trying to pitch the same article. Be updated and create new articles when it is needed. Nobody wants to read information that they've already read weeks, or even months, ago.
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Step 6
Stress your qualifications. Let the editor know that you are qualified to write about the topic you've chosen. Also, let them know of your writing background, no matter how limited it is. Sometimes editors like to start with someone that has a clean slate.
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Step 7
Discuss the benefits. Be sure to let the editor know of the benefits that your piece will bring to their publication. If it's a new idea, they will want to know how it will benefit them. That's basically what it will come down to.
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Step 8
Be conversational. Don't be so formal that it is hard for the editor to read. Try to make it sound conversational and easy to read. Don't be too informal, however. It will seem as though you don't care enough about the position.
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Step 9
Be polite. This may seem obvious, but sometimes writers feel so passionate about their piece that they don't realize that they're being rude. Also, don't forget to thank the editor for taking the time to read your letter and piece. A simple thank you at the end can be enough.
