Magazines

Writing query letters

Most freelance writers will tell you that the writing is easy compared to the selling of articles. One of the reasons is the Dreaded Query Letter.

"Writer's Market," an annual listing of magazines in the United States and Canada, is available at your local bookstore. It is a good book to buy if you plan to do free-lance writing.

The query is basically a sales tool that helps authors sell their articles before they write them. Unlike fiction writers, professional nonfiction writers sell their articles first, then write them. That not only saves time, it also means the piece can be written specifically for the publication that purchases it.

That does not, however, mean queries are easy to construct. A good one can literally take hours to write. The author must invest a certain amount of time and effort in research (to know enough to write an intelligent pitch) in addition to the time it takes to write a well-crafted, inviting letter.

There are probably as many theories about writing queries as there are editors. And indeed a query letter should reflect a writer's personality and abilities, but some things should be included or at least considered during the process: Study the Publication Do Your Homework

Study the Publication

Sure, you've heard this advice before and there's a good reason. This research tells you a lot about the audience for the query: the editor. It also tells you about the publication's readers so you can clearly explain why this article is appropriate; it provides the preferred tone and type of lead (article beginning), headline and punctuation styles; and it gives the proper spelling and title of the person to whom you'll direct your query.

To determine the publication's editorial angle, take special note of the publication's subtitle (for example, Sunset is "The Magazine of Western

Living," Office Systems 95 is "The Magazine for Small and Medium Companies," Playboy is "Entertainment for Men"). Also compare the names of the editorial staff in the masthead, or listing of the officers and staff, with bylines to get some idea of your chances. You'll be able to see almost immediately if a possible target publication is primarily or entirely staff written.

Writing a query is a balancing act: You must know enough to convince an editor you understand your subject, yet you don't want to devote more time than necessary researching and crafting a query on an idea that might not pan out. Still, numbers and "firsts" or "bests" are what establish the importance of a story. For instance, if you can say with authority that your subject is the first person to fly around the world backward, you are making a much stronger case than if you just point out that flying backward is pretty unusual.

A "Dear Editor" salutation will almost guarantee delivery...to the nearest wastebasket. This is one of the places studying the publication pays off, since you'll find the current editor's name-- and its correct spelling!--in the masthead.

Remember those blurbs magazine editors put on their covers to entice you to buy them? They make it sound as if you can't live without that issue. Give your query that sort of urgency.

Most query letters start with the same lead the author would use for the article, a wonderful way to show how you'd hook the reader by hooking the editor with the same irresistible bait. The next section gives a nutshell of the story and why that publication's readers will be interested. The next paragraph outlines the mechanics of the article: angle, how many words, potential sidebars and interviews, and availability of graphics. Finally, tell why you are the one to write the article. Don't forget to ask for the sale, preferably at the end of the letter ("Mr. Blayne, isn't it time readers of Home Owner Today learned how to avoid being taken advantage of by shady aluminum siding salespeople? If you feel they are, too, I'm ready to begin writing "Putting the Lid on Siding Fraud" for you today.")

The rule of thumb is usually one page, but many editors don't mind a little more. Just don't waste their time. Editorial space and time are valuable. (You can, however, pitch more than one idea at a time by covering each in a paragraph.

This is tough if you're not fond of writing headlines, but is a subtle way to make your story real. Think of it as a handle, something for an editor to hold onto.

You could send clips, or clippings, upon request, but if you include them with your query, an interested editor can immediately catch the flavor of your writing. If you've written on similar subjects, be sure to include those. Don't overdo it, though. Two or three legible photocopies should be sufficient.

Editors fear inaccuracy almost as much as communicable diseases. They figure if you can't get it right in the query, there's doubt you'll do any better in the article itself. A typo in a story isn't fatal, but it might make an editor think twice about another assignment.

Ring Lardner once wrote, "A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope, big enough for the manuscript to come back in. This is too much of a temptation to the editor." While this advice is certainly worth noting, you should either include some sort of SASE or a note telling the editor there is no need to return the material if he or she doesn't want the piece. This courtesy illuminates an important secret to success.

Before sending off your query, try to imagine what it would be like to receive it. Pretend you're behind deadline, beleaguered by the publisher and hundreds of "Dear Editor" and other queries are piled on your desk. Now ask yourself: Would I read past the first sentence? Is there anything unnecessary? Does the writer sound competent? Can I resist this?

Look in "Writer's Digest.com" for samples of query letters. How does yours compare?
Click here for a sample query letter and links to other information about queries.

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