Question about Pitch for Magazine Column

Don't send the full manuscript. Send them a short pitch letter seeing if they're interested then more details if they request it.

You need to make their lives as easy as possible. So expect to serialize your book yourself and send it in installments. They'll probably want to see the first piece on its own, just to make sure you can write.

Course, who knows. It all depends on the pub! Either way, best of luck.

Agreed - don't send the entire manuscript. Never. Ever! (Did I say that loudly enough?) Space Kadet is right: send a query then if they're interested you need to break it into columns and send them in one installment at a time. If you haven't written for them before, they're unlikely to take you as a columnist unless you're somewhat famous in your field. More likely they'll accept the piece as a feature and then if it's popular turn it into a column. So I'd recommend turning what you have into an 800 - 1000 word feature that can stand alone at first.

Probably depends on the magazine and your credentials, but in most cases I third the suggestion to sell them an article first.

If you go that route, pitch something that fits the mag's needs and tone perfectly, even if that means reworking your existing material a bit. Once you've demonstrated you're talented, personable, take direction well and a good fit for the pub, you can approach them about a regular gig.

On the other hand, if you've already got some cred on the subject, or if you've got an idea that's a spot-on match for a smaller mag, you might query a column and send them a few sample posts.

A third possibility: You could blog or Tweet on your chosen topic and build up a following. Then approach the mag to see if they'd like to put you on paper.

Whatever way you go, it sounds like a really interesting project! Best of luck and let us know how it goes.