| Virtually everything ever written about freelance | | | | * precisely focused on a topic the magazine wants |
| writing and getting published says that you need to | | | | to run; |
| write query letters. Yet in the Internet Age, the | | | | * written in the magazine's chosen style and tone; |
| truth of the matter is that query letters are almost | | | | * 100% accurate and error free; |
| always a huge waste of time. | | | | * formatted the way the magazine wants them; |
| Certainly some people do get work by writing query | | | | * and arrive BEFORE the deadlinean editor will notice |
| letters. But the query process soon turns into a | | | | you! |
| numbers game, almost like a direct mail campaign. | | | | Okay, so what if you've never written for that |
| You have to send out so many queries to get | | | | magazine before? Instead of querying, do some |
| meaningful responses that you won't have much time | | | | research on the magazine. After you have read the |
| left to do any actual work. A good query letter must | | | | magazine and any available writer's guidelines, write a |
| be carefully crafted and painstakingly personalized. To | | | | polite letter to the editor to ask for an editorial |
| compose one that doesn't sound cutesy or contrived | | | | calendar and explain your expertise. |
| is difficult and time-consuming. | | | | This method is far preferable to any query letter, no |
| The reality is that you must think of editors as your | | | | matter how clever or well-written. Why? With some |
| potential customers. They control the budget and | | | | concise information about you, often an editor can |
| whether or not to buy from you. It is NEVER a good | | | | tell whether or not your writing will be a good fit for |
| idea to harass or inconvenience a customer. For | | | | my publication. |
| many busy editors, query letters are annoying. Often | | | | For example, if you say that you have written |
| they are just another form of junk mail. | | | | articles for managers about "enterprise computing" |
| Now you're probably thinking, "If editors don't read | | | | and the editor works for a "how to use Microsoft |
| query letters, how does anyone ever get published?" | | | | Word step by step" magazine, it's likely that you |
| What the writing books don't tell you is that article | | | | won't be the right writer for that magazine. |
| topics are often defined far in advance. At many | | | | However, if you explain that you spent two years |
| magazines, editors figure out a monthly or yearly | | | | teaching "introduction to word processing" classes at |
| plan. Barring some earth-shattering catastrophe, the | | | | your local YMCA, and that you wrote handouts for |
| editors stick to that plan. The standard query letter is | | | | your students about how to get started using |
| usually a waste of time because with the calendar of | | | | Microsoft Word, that same editor might just |
| topics decided well in advance, off-topic queries are | | | | encourage you to submit a few articles! At the very |
| ignored. In other words, your carefully crafted query | | | | least, the editor might send you the editorial calendar. |
| letter gets round-filed, not because it's bad, but | | | | Don't forget the basics! Simple little things often |
| because it had no hope of being used. | | | | make you stand out from the crowd and help your |
| The fact that query letters are often thrown away | | | | chances of getting published. For example, when |
| doesn't mean editors don't use freelance writers; | | | | writing an e-mail or letter to an editor, always |
| they do. But the reality is that editors tend to rely on | | | | remember that you are writing to someone who |
| a stable of writers who have proven themselves | | | | spends a lot of time with words and probably has a |
| experts on the magazine's chosen topics. So if you | | | | degree in English or Journalism. Double-check your |
| want to be published, your task is to discover those | | | | spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Format properly. If |
| topics and become one of those experts. | | | | you don't compose your e-mail competently and |
| From an editor's point of view, few decent writers | | | | professionally, editors won't believe that you can |
| actually exist out there in the big world. Editors have | | | | write a good article. |
| simple needs: they want articles that are original, easy | | | | And finally, be truthful. Don't inflate your credentials. |
| to read, accurate, and on time. | | | | Don't fib about how much you know about a topic. |
| Flakey writers that don't meet deadlines are the bane | | | | Don't gush, and don't sell. Just state your credentials |
| of every editor and publisher in the industry. If you | | | | concisely, clearly, and correctly. Editors don't need to |
| meet your deadlines, every time with no excuses, | | | | be sold and they have no tolerance for hype. They're |
| you will stand out from the pack. If you consistently | | | | just too busy to put up with it. |
| send articles that are: | | | | |