Check them out before you go and pitch

Here is your homework today.

For those of you gearing up for nationals, have you done your research yet? I'm talking about finding out all of the information you can about the people you are pitching to. Make sure that you are pitching to the person that you will have the best fit with.

Find out what they like and don't like in terms of a story.
Find out who they represent.
If it is an editor, find out who they recently published and why.
Read their blogs, read all of the articles you can about these people.

The key is to get to know them. The more you know, the better.