Easy Home Based Business - 10 Steps to a Magazine Query

Introduction

There are two ways to submit to magazine editors.

Are consigned to what's called the 'slush pile' and seldom get read, when received, and many magazines specify that they do not accept unsolicited manuscripts which, most editors dislike reading lengthy manuscripts. This is referred to as an unsolicited manuscript. One is to send the finished article without it being requested.

In which you pitch your idea to the editor before actually writing the article, to submit to magazines is to send a query letter, more productive way, another.

A query letter is a sales pitch: your goal is to convince the editor that your article idea is of interest to her readers and that you are the best person to write it.

Query letters save editors' time because they don't have to read lengthy manuscripts which may not be suitable for their magazines. You can write a few query letters which may result in more than one assignment, in the time that would have taken you to write a full article. Query letters save everybody time.

Make it easy for editors to offer suggestions to a proposed idea, on the other hand, query letters. Editors are usually reluctant to ask for a rewrite or suggest substantial changes to a finished piece. Query letters better your chances of working with the magazine you want to write for.

The editor may like the way you've presented your idea and yourself and may still be interested in working with you on a different assignment, even if your idea is not quite suitable for the magazine.

So it's well worth the time and effort to compose an irresistible letter that makes the editor want to see more of your writing. Especially if you are just starting out, i hope by now you are convinced that query letters are essential to breaking into the writing industry.

Make sure they remember yours in a positive way. Editors remember names. A single query letter can make or break your success as a writer. So you must do your best to make yours stand out from the crowd and get noticed, your query letter is not the only one the editor will see.

This means that a good query is often the beginning of a long-standing relationship between you and the editor. And your next query will be viewed in a more favourable light. She'll remember you even more, well-researched and error-free article, and you complete your assignment with a well-written, if your query is accepted. The editor will mentally clock your name, even if your idea may not be quite right, if your query letter is professionally written and attention-grabbing.

Do you really want to take that risk? You may be closing the door to that magazine forever by sending a single bad query. She may just quickly glance at it and put it in the bin, the next time you send her a query. But now she remembers you in a negative way. Too, the editor will remember you, suggesting ideas which do not fit the magazine, poorly-written query, if you send an unprofessional.

You will stand a much better chance of producing a professional query letter that gets read and gets assignments, but if you following the 10 steps outlined in this book. Even a perfect query letter does not guarantee an assignment. Nothing is guaranteed in life.

I have taken the liberty to refer to an editor as a 'she', note: To avoid cumbersome writing such as he/she and his/her.

Step 1: Get the name right

Do you feel the letter is talking to you directly, when you receive a letter addressing you as 'Dear Customer' or 'Dear Home Owner'?

Exactly.

And she'd be right, she will get the impression that not much time and effort has gone into the query, if you send an editor a letter addressing her as 'Dear Editor' or 'Dear Sir / Madam'. Doesn't it, it reads like junk mail that has been sent to millions of other people?

The editor will expect you to have read a few issues of the publication, in order for your article to fit in with the style and tone of the magazine. It is that your article must be targeted specifically for a particular magazine, if there's one thing all freelance writers should know.

Get the editor's name, if you only do one thing to make your query stand a better chance of success, so. How can the editor trust you to deliver an article that is suited to the magazine, and if you don't know who the audience is? You won't know anything about the audience, if you haven't read the magazine. A query letter beginning with 'Dear Sir' tells the editor that you have not taken the time to research the publication.

You can usually find all the information you need in the masthead. So take some time to find out if you need to send your query to somebody other than the main editor. And your query will be unread, she may not have the time or inclination to forward it to the short story editor, when a features editor receives a short story. And it's important to send your query to the right person, larger publications often have different editors for different sections.

Another way is to ring up the editorial office and ask the secretary. Go to a large newsagent or the library and look up the names there at leisure, if you don't want to spend money buying every magazine you want to write for.

So check that the name is still valid every time you send a query letter, bear in mind that magazine personnel changes regularly.

Why should she trust you to get the details of the article right, if you can't get the details of her name right, besides? Some editors are mad about having their names spelt wrong. Make sure you spell the editor's name correctly.

Ms or Mrs, it is particularly difficult to ascertain if she is a Miss, in the case of women editor. Nowadays it's not always possible to tell someone's gender by his or her name. It is acceptable to address the editor simply as 'Dear John Doe' or 'Dear Jane Doe' rather than 'Dear Mr Doe' or 'Dear Ms Doe'.

Step 2: Know your audience

Imagine this scenario:

It also has an inspirational short story in each issue. It offers fashion tips for your age group and good advice for busy parents. Wives and mothers, it addresses the needs of those who have to juggle between their roles as career women. You like the magazine because you feel that it caters for women like you. You subscribe to a magazine called 'Women Today'. You are a 35-year-old career woman.

Now image this:

And the short story is gone, advice on what to do on a first date; news about pop bands; only to find that the magazine is now full of beauty tips for teenage girls; you open your 'Women Today' and look forward to a good read, after the children have gone to bed and all the dishes have been done, at the end of a busy day.

And you'd probably stop buying it from now on and look for another one to fill the void, you would be forgiven for thinking that you've brought the wrong magazine.

That's why most magazines stick to a tried-and-trusted formula that suits the targeted readers. Driving readers away is the last thing editors want to do.

But if it's about teenage pregnancy then it's not going to get printed in a magazine for the over-50s, well-researched and error free, your article may be beautifully written. The moral of the story is that there is no point in submitting the wrong type of article ideas to editors.

Your ideas must be right for the magazines you're sending your queries to. Article ideas about enjoying one's life in retirement are unlikely to be accepted by editors of magazines targeted at teenagers, likewise.

Use a library or a large newsagent if you need to, again. Style and the average length of the articles, you should read at least two issues of the magazine to get to know the tone.

An article about trendy wine bars is unlikely to be of interest to a magazine advertising stair lifts. Which will tell you a lot about the magazine's intended audience, don't forget to look at the advertisements.

Reading the magazine will also ensure that you're not trying to pitch an idea that has appeared in a recent issue.

Most magazines will be happy to send you a copy. Write to the editorial office with an SAE asking for writer's guidelines, if you can't find guidelines on the website. So check these out first to get an idea about the kind of articles they want, many magazines now publish their submission guidelines on their websites.

And the only way to find out what the readers want is to read the magazine yourself. It will also appeal to the editor, so if you have an idea that appeals to a magazine's audience. Editors only print what their readers want to read, the bottom line is.

Step 3: A grand opening

Present your idea as early in the letter as possible. Don't give her any excuse to stop reading your letter. She will simply scan through your letter and move on to the next one, if you begin your query with a boring statement. Editors are busy people and you have about 30 seconds to get their attention. Make it attention-grabbing and make it a masterpiece. Make your opening sentence work for you.

A riddle or a joke appropriate to your idea, a statistic, an anecdote, a quote from someone you interviewed, an interesting fact, your first sentence can be an intriguing question.

Don't ever begin your letter with:

' . . 'Although I have never been published before .

' . . 'I'm new to writing but .

' . . 'My mother thinks I should submit this article idea .

No editors want to work with amateurs. Comments like these scream amateurism. You get the drift.

Step 4: Get to the point quickly

For example, editors are not interested in the fact that you struggle to find time to write as a mother-of-two. Don't over-stay your welcome by waffling on about inappropriate personal details.

By interviewing experts on the topic; for example, say how you will get the information required to write the article. But only if you think it will grab the editor's attention and make her want to know what comes next, include a provisional opening paragraph if possible. Explain to the editor why your article idea is unique and how it is of interest to her and her readers.

Then say so, if you have a science degree and your article idea is about making science interesting to the general public, for example. Make sure you let her know, if you have special qualifications to write about this particular article. Include brief information about yourself, if you haven't worked with the editor before.

Make it clear to the editor that the length can be varied to suit her needs. Make sure this is in line with the average length of similar articles in the magazine. Indicate how long your article will be.

You need to work on it more to get it more focused, if you can't condense your idea on one page. Make your query a single A4 page.

Number your fillers clearly. Even then it should be no more than 2 pages. The only exception is when you're sending fillers. Don't include more than one idea in a query.

Step 5: Be professional

But so is the image you project as a professional writer, the quality of your writing is of course important. Professionalism is the key to success.

Although she may become so once you have worked with her on a regular basis, not a personal friend, an editor is a potential client, at this point. But don't spill your emotions, you may be feeling despondent about having received five rejections in a week. Be businesslike.

Get a logo designed professionally, if you want to include graphics. And resist the temptation to include silly clip-arts in your letterhead, don't try to use all the available fonts and colours in your word processor. Make it minimal. Elegant letterhead yourself on your computer, you can design a simple, if you own a laser printer. It need not be too expensive. Get a professional-looking letterhead designed and printed at a printer, if you can afford it.

Telephone and fax number, postal and email addresses, include essential details such as your name.

You must include an SAE, if you want to get a reply. Don't expect the editor to pay for return postage.

Editors will doubt your ability to produce high-quality articles, if you query is full of mistakes. Editors want articles that are well-researched and error-free.

Don't send them out unless you know they're error-free. Get a friend or relative to proof-read your queries. This makes it easier to spot spelling and grammatical errors; read your query letters out loud. Don't rely on spell-checkers solely.

Step 6: Be focused

Or can you say something that's already been said in a new way? Do you have something new to say about your topic? Your task is to find a new angle. It is probably true that everything has been written about at least once.

Queries entitled 'Quick Mouth-watering Recipes for Busy Mums' or '10 tell-tale signs of dyslexia in children' are focused, on the other hand. This is too generic. Don't write to an editor suggesting you want to write an article about cooking or dyslexia.

Make your query focused and editors will love you. Editors like ideas that are focused because they can picture how and where the finished articles will fit into their magazines.

Which will put your in her favour, this tells the editor that you have studied the magazine. If you can indicate to the editor which section of the magazine your article will fit into then all the better. Many magazines have regular sections.

But no phone step 7: Mail or email,

Do not query by telephone unless you have worked with an editor on a few occasions and are sure that she doesn't mind. Others insist on them, some magazines will not look at email queries. Check that your submission method is correct, before you send out your query.

This will put you on the blacklist and jeopardise chances of acceptance of your future queries. Sending your query via the wrong method once again shows the editor that you have not spent time studying their publications and guidelines.

And editors who have not worked with you before will be unlikely to open an attachment from an unknown source, this is because attachments are notorious for spreading computer viruses. Rather than sending it as an attached document, it is best to paste your query into the body of the email, if you're querying by email.

IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO READ. AND DON'T USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS IN YOUR EMAIL. ! ! ! ! ! ! Like this, don't over-use punctuation marks! ) or abbreviations commonly used on the internet;  resist the temptation to use smilies (. Write it as you would a formal letter, however, when you email an editor. And we often adopt an informal tone in emails, emails are great for keeping in touch with friends and family.

She may well respond to that 'oh no another query' by deleting it without reading it, and faced with a deadline two days away, on a day when she is inundated with emails and letters. Editors are busy people. I would also advice against putting the word 'Query' in the subject line of your email.

Or no clips step 8: Clips,

There is little point in sending a clip on local history if your query is about fine wines. But only if the clips are appropriate to the idea you're proposing, include a couple of your best clips with the query, if you're a published writer.

Let your irresistible query letter and its professionalism speak for you. The editor will assume you're a pro and will treat you as one, if you act like a pro. It's much better to simply present yourself in a professional manner in your query letter. It's best not to mention them, if the only places you've been published are local church newsletters or obscure websites with dubious reputation. Don't draw the editor's attention to the fact, if you've never been published before.

Step 9: Learn from your rejections

Unfortunately editors are busy people and the waiting time can range from a week to three months. It's waiting time once you've sent your query off.

Assume it's a rejection and move on, if you still haven't heard anything after three months. Follow it up with a polite letter or email, if you haven't heard from the editor in four weeks.

Leaving you in doubt as to whether you are good enough to be a writer, along comes a rejection letter, just when you are feeling more confident about your writing. Rejections can be soul-destroying, for new writers.

Be professional and you will get published, be persistent. Don't let rejections stop you from sending out more queries. It means that you're making contact with the publishing world. It's important to realise that getting rejections is part of a successful writer's life.

Did you include an SAE? Did you include enough information for the editor to make a decision? Did you send it in the post when the magazine insists on email submissions (or vice versa)? Did you send it to the right person? Did you start your query with an attention-grabber? Was it appropriate to the publication? You should spend some time analysing why your last query has not produced a positive response before re-submitting it to another magazine, while you must try not to let the rejection get you down.

Learn from them and use them to make your next query better. Every rejection is one step forward in your writing career.

Step 10: Give it 100%

Your 'proper writing' may never be published and be read, if you don't write query letters, the trouble is. Argue that they should be spending their time writing 'something proper' rather than writing query letters, especially new writers, some writers.

She'll trust your ability to write the finished article, if she is impressed with what she reads in your query. It is an indication of the quality and style of your writing, to the editor. A query letter is a sales letter.

But that's another story. Now all you need are good ideas. Follow the steps outlined in this book and give it 100% every time you write a query letter. Think of it as the gateway to your success as a freelance writer. Nothing written is ever wasted, to a writer. Don't ever dismiss writing queries as a waste of time.

Happy writing!

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Appendix:

How not to write a query letter 1.

[No Date]

[Do return address and contact details]

ABC Magazine

123 High Street

Another Town

Dear Mrs Smith

So I thought I could write an article for your magazine about horses, i started riding since I was a child. But I have a wonderful article idea about horses, i have never written to an editor before.

I have written a couple of items for the local community newsletter and my family and friends think my writing is not bad. I haven't read your magazine but a friend suggested I should write to you to see if you'd be interested in my idea.

I will give you a call next week to discuss the details. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in my idea.

Emma Johnson

[no SAE enclosed]

Example of a professional query letter 2.

Or clearly printed contact details] [Professional letterhead,

20 October 2002

Anne Smith

ABC Magazine

123 High Street

Another Town

Dear Anne Smith

Started stammering? . A child st. . If. . If. . Parent do if. . Pa. . Should a pa. . What. . What.

Some will develop persistent stammering into later life, research shows that while most children do outgrow this problem, however. Many would simply keep their fingers crossed and hope that the child would 'grow out of it'.

The article will be an excellent fit for the Toddler Development section in your magazine. My Child Has Started Stammering'. Will be interested in a 1000-word article entitled 'Help, a large number of whom are parents of 2- to 5-year-olds, i am confident that your readers! And early intervention is vital in preventing it from developing into a chronic problem, stammering usually begins between the ages 2 and 5.

I will also interview two experts in this field to include the latest findings on childhood stammering. I am a speech therapist and have worked with children who stammer.

I enclose an SAE for your response. Thank you for taking the time to consider my idea.

Yours sincerely

Emma Johnson