Linda Sherwood

Query Letter Writing Tips

By Linda Sherwood
www.lindasherwood.com
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To be successful as a freelance writer, you need to develop your article pitch -- the query letter. Each publication has spent a lot of time and money setting their publication apart from their competition, and you have to convince editors your article fits into their editorial stance.

You don't want to waste your time writing articles that might not sell. So when you develop an idea, you pitch it to an editor rather than trying to sell the finished article. This allows the editor to work with you to focus the article to meet their particular needs before it's ever written.

A query letter is your sales pitch to the editor of a publication. So what are you selling? You're selling your article idea and yourself. You do that by targeting the article to the market, then demonstrating your knowledge of the publication and the subject.

Query letter writing should be considered an art. I don't want you to have the mistaken assumption that it's formulaic. The best queries pitch the topic in a way that is best suited for the topic and the publication you are pitching. With that said, I'll give you a basic outline that works for most query letters.

The first paragraph The first sentence in any article should grab your reader's attention, and the first sentence and paragraph in a query letter should do the same thing.

Often the first paragraph of your query works well as the first paragraph of your article. The goal is the same for both audiences (the editor audience and the reader audience) -- to hook the reader and make them want to read more.

Put yourself in the editor's shoes (or the reader's) and review your query and/or submission. Without knowing what YOU know, do you understand the concept? Or are there additional explanations needed?

Some bad openers There are a few types of article openers you will want to avoid.Try to avoid starting articles with quotes or questions. Starting with a quote doesn't let the reader know who is speaking and it causes confusion. Starting an article with a question essentially asks the reader for an answer. If they know the answer, or if they don't want to know the answer, why should they read on?

The second paragraph Support your opening paragraph with facts. Sharing some basic facts proves the article is more than just fluff. It also shows you've done a bit of research, and you know the topic and this is why the readers of this publication will be interested.

The third paragraph You want to pitch your proposal, mention experts, a proposed title and word count. This is where you are taking care of business. You should also be pitching why you are THE writer to write the article.

You may be afraid of pitching your ideas to editors because you are worried that the ideas will be stolen. It's happened. Some writers have sent a query and instead of getting an assignment, they get a "finder's fee" for the idea , or worse, they don't get anything, but the publication uses the idea.

You can limit the chances this will happen by developing a solid reason for why you are THE writer to write THIS article. Do you have contacts lined up? Did this happen to you? Do you have some of the research done? Do you write on this topic on a regular basis? There are lots of ways you can pitch YOU as the only writer that will do.

Sometimes a magazine may have already scheduled a similar article. Really! I once pitched Reader's Digest about drive-in theaters, and the editor wrote back saying it was a great article idea, and they already had it in the works. I read that other article less than two weeks later. Instead of being discouraged, I was encouraged because it meant I understood the types of articles the market was looking for, which is always a good thing.

While I don't deny ideas may be incorporated, it isn't stealing. Ideas can't be copyrighted. You can also take a single idea and twist it into something totally different. There are hundreds of ways a single idea can be manipulated into an article. In fact, that can be a great way to develop article ideas -- read what is being written and then put a unique spin on it.

How long? A query should be as long as necessary. In general, most people advise one-page is best. You want to show a clear understanding of your idea using as few words as possible. However, you want to adequately cover the subject as well. If an editor is intrigued, they may ask for a lengthier proposal.

So how long should a query letter be? It should be long enough that you get done what you need to do.

The ending paragraphs You want to make sure you thank the editor for taking time to read what you sent them. Don't forget to end on a positive note. Something along the lines of, "I look forward to hearing from you."

Common courtesy is really important in your communication with editors. Don't get too friendly, but do remember to include a thank you. You just invited yourself into their office so make them happy you're there (even if it is just your cyber self).

In the closing try either "Sincerely" or "Thank you." Then your name, your full name that is. "First Last Name." Don't forget all the ways the editor can contact you. Give them your snail mail address, phone number, and e-mail. Do you have a fax? Send that number too. E-mails can bounce, so you want to make it very easy for them to contact you.

Word of warning If you include your phone number, expect to get a phone call from the editor. I've sent out queries late at night and early in the morning, only to have the editor call me minutes later. If you give out your home phone number, keep in mind the impression editors might receive when they call. If you haven't already taught your family good phone habits, now is the time. Or consider investing in a business line, or use a cell phone.

It's also a good idea to keep printed copies of your queries on hand so you can talk to an editor if they make an unexpected phone call. If your computer is off when they call, you can be left scrambling.

The Wait Whether you send your query out by e-mail or snail mail, waiting for a reply is like watching a glacier move across a continent. Even when logic tells you that you can't expect a reply yet, you still expect a reply. The best way to deal with the wait is to put yourself to work. Develop another query letter for another market. If you have a lot of queries out, you improve the odds of landing an assignment. Plus, when you are busy writing queries, you aren't hovering by your mailbox waiting for that ONE reply.

E-Query Writing Tips

By Linda Sherwood
www.lindasherwood.com
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E-mail can be a great way to send out your article query to editors, but you'll want to keep some things in mind that are unique to e-mail communication. Unlike a "snail" letter, in an e-mail the subject line may be the first thing that grabs the editor's attention. Clearly identify your query so it won't be confused with spam. Use the subject line to label what you are sending (query, article, invoice). Try something like, "Query: Great Article Title Here."

The requirements of an e-mail query aren't that different than a snail mail query. You should be professional. You should have a salutation, the body of the letter, the closing and contact information. Don't neglect to put the housekeeping items you'd find in snail mail such as the editor's name and publication name. It'll help you keep track of important details later.

Because this is e-mail, the person reading it will have to scroll down the page. So put the article pitch on top, and save other information, like your contact information for the end. You want to grab the editor's attention as soon as possible, and reading your address isn't going to do that. Give them your contact information when they can act on it -- after they read your great query!

Check the writer's guidelines to determine when you should expect a response. Just because you sent it by e-mail doesn't mean you should expect an instant response. It can still take weeks to hear back. Or you can get an acceptance (or rejection) almost immediately.

One last thing to think about when querying -- your e-mail address. Is it professional? Does it seem respectable? What do other people think when they read it? If you don’t know, ask some people)? You don’t want it to be cutesy. Often, your first and last name is the best option. My first e-mail address was slsherwood, but I learned people tended to mislead it as slasher, which definitely wasn’t the image I wanted. You don't want to send editors e-mail from overworkedmomof4 or your chatroom alias. Would you open e-mail from spunkydominatrix? Don't expect an editor to do so either.

Sample Multi-Topic Query Letter

A number of writers hope to land a regular column, or pitch several topics to an editor at once, but they don't know how to do it and do it in less than a page. This is a successful query I sent by e-mail to an online market in a response to a job ad I read about seeking someone to write a regular column.

In her response, the editor mentioned that many of my ideas for the section echoed her own. I went on to land the columnist position, and I did write two of these four suggestions for the teens and money area.

From: Sherwood
To: AMOMSha
Subject: Writer for Teens and Money Center
Date: Monday, October 11, 1999 4:44 PM

October 11, 1999

Momsonline
Sharon Thompson

Dear Ms. Thompson,

I would like to apply for the opening you have for the upcoming Teens and Money Center at Moms Online. The teenage years are the perfect time to start teaching teens the importance of handling money in a responsible manner. A noble idea, but the reality of dealing with teens eager to prove their independence is another matter.

I have several article ideas on the topic already including:

-- A Teen And His Money Are Soon Parted - A look at ways parents can limit a teen's spending their part time job income. This would include solid financial options such as direct deposit as well as "from the trenches" advice from parents who have dealt with this issue.

-- Junior's Savings Can Limit Financial Aid - A look into the best ways to set up your teen's finances to offer the maximum benefits when it comes to applying for college. For instance, a savings account in your teen's name for college will be required to contribute a higher percentage to the cost of college if that same amount was in a saving's account in your name.

-- Preventing a Credit Crash Course - Ways to ensure your teen will be credit savvy when alone at college and faced with numerous offers for credit cards. For many credit card companies, the only requirement for credit is a copy of your college registration. The thrill of a credit card issued in their name can be a temptation to hard to resist. With the number of credit offers, incoming college freshman can receive four or more credit cards before Christmas break. This is despite the fact they don't have a job to pay the minimum payments. This article will explore ways to teach your teen credit card smarts with your supervision. This can prevent serious damage to the teen's credit report that could haunt them for years.

-- Spending Smarts - This article would explore new ways for parents and teens to look at spending. The teen wants to buy a $80 pair of sneakers with their own hard-earned money? Can a parent say no? Rather than drawing a line in the sand, this article would think of creative alternatives. Buying a pair of $80 sneakers while making $5.35 an hour means the teen had to work 15 hours to pay for them. Are the sneakers worth 15 hours of their life?

I am a full time writer who works from my home in northern Michigan. I have a bachelors degree in journalism and over five years experience as a reporter and editor for weekly and daily newspapers. In addition, I have written newsletters, and designed and written special promotional materials for several businesses. Clips are available upon request. You can view an article I've written online at The Writing Corner at http://www.writingcorner.com.

Thank your for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Linda Sherwood
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