Aside from the sample article, you also need to provide your resume and cover letter when you want to apply as a freelance writer or pitch in a story to a magazine or newspaper. Usually, that's where the problem sets in. This is because they either put too much or too little to their resume and cover letter.

These can either make or break you. To avoid losing a good deal because a poorly written resume and cover letter, you better take note of these following tips:

1. Include all important information in your resume. Don't forget your name and contact details such as your e-mail address in your resume and cover letter. It's also very important that you mention the position you're applying for, as there's a huge chance that the company is looking for different types of freelancers for their business. You don't want them to second-guess your objective. You don't need to state your civil status and even your gender, unless they have clearly specified in their ad the sexual orientation that they're looking for.

2. Focus on the relevant experience. You may have worked as a cashier before, but then you know that it has nothing to do with freelance writing. To make your resume compact, get rid of those experiences that will not be beneficial to your application. Nevertheless, it's essential that you can itemize or describe your job position in detail to give your clients an idea of what you have contributed to the company and your real freelance writing capabilities.

3. Don't repeat but summarize. A lot get tempted to simply translate what they've written in their resume in paragraph form when they're developing their cover letter. Always keep in mind that you just need to summarize everything, not repeat what has already been covered.

In your cover letter, tell your client the job you're applying for and why you fit the position. A good trick is to match your skills, knowledge, or experience to the qualifications they have listed in their ad. You should also be clear on certain things such as how many copies you can produce for them every day, your rates (if they ask you to provide one), and how they can communicate with you if they have questions or issues. Most of all, let them know your strengths. Are you good in meeting deadlines? Can you create a lot of articles every day? Or do you have wide experience on a specific topic?

4. Address the e-mail to a specific person. The e-mail should go to someone, perhaps the editor, HR officer, or to the business owner. If it's not clear to you, send an e-mail to the company, informing them of your intention to apply for a job but you don't know to whom to forward your e-mail to.

Tip: Leave whatever questions you have once you already get an offer. You may be pushed to ask how much your salary would be or what their policies are. You may want to leave these queries out until you can get a reply at their end, expressing their interest. A lot of good companies and even publishing houses would give you an overview of what they need from you and what their enterprise is all about. It would also pay to visit their website just to get a general feel of their work ethics.