I was out of work (as a computer programmer), browsing at the local bookstore. I noticed a technical magazine, dedicated to computer security, that appeared to be a brand new publication. I noted that the email address of the editor was inside near the table of contents. My most recent work until being laid off had been in the area of computer security, so I just sent off an email to the editor saying "Would you be interested in articles on any of the following topics? Here are my credentials...." I got back a positive response, and I was committed. That turned into a series of I think 5 articles, including one cover story.

That positive experience led me to easily send out many other similar letters. Never anything formal, always a simple "here's my idea, here's my credentials" sort of thing. Within my field it tended to work a great deal, but as I branched out and tried to get into bigger and more well established magazines, it did not do so well. Eventually, given how poorly it paid for the time I'd put into it, I gave it up and switched over to blogging where I could write whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Sure I wasn't getting paid anymore, but it's not like I was churning out enough magazine copy to pay the bills, anyway.

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