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Literary Arts - Articles |
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| How To Write a Query Letter |
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Andrew was educated at
Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and the University of
California at Santa Cruz. He has authored The Cigar
Connoisseur along with numerous magazine articles on
cigars, food & wine and travel. Aside from these areas
of interest, Andrew has written for both film and
television having sold an original screenplay as well as
a two-hour A&E Biography.
Query letters are an essential and often much-debated
practice in the writing community. The majority of
writers swear by them, but others feel they are a waste
of time. There are many successful writers who stick to
sending completed manuscripts or informal, ultra-brief
queries. This practice has undergone a change in the age
of email, where a less formal writing style has taken
root.
These are some of the advantages to writing a formal
query letter:
Well-written query letters help establish to an editor
that you are qualified to write the piece.
Sending completed articles blindly can indicate to an
editor that you either failed to sell the article or
manuscript before, are submitting something that was not
written specifically for their publication, are
attempting to resell a previously published piece.
A formal, detailed query gives you the opportunity to
do preliminary research for a piece that can then be
quickly incorporated into your writing.
When submitting a query to an online publication, your
query will look better than many other queries being
submitted to that publication.
In the age of email, much can be said for the ability to
quickly send off a brief query. This is very possible
these days, and may result in more sales than writing a
formal query for each publication you wish to write an
article for. Still, if you want to impress an editor or
reader, online or otherwise, a formal, well-written
query letter is a way to do it. Below is a
point-by-point description of how to write a query
letter.
Know your target
Study any publisher or publication before you submit a
query letter.
Get writers guidelines for the publication if they are
available
Study the publication's masthead to identify the
appropriate editor for your query. Do not rely on
Writers Market. Editors change jobs frequently and
addressing an incorrect subject looks very
unprofessional.
You may send the same subject query to more than one
publication, as long as they do not compete and you have
taken the time to make sure the subject is appropriate
for both publications.
Your query letter should have a professional look
There should never be spelling or grammar errors.
Be sure to include the date on your letter. This can
be important if you feel later on that your idea has
been stolen.
It should be addressed to the appropriate editor. Use
their full name and do not use Mr. Mrs. or otherwise.
The exception to this rule is Dr. or other professional
title.
The publication name and address should be correct
The salutation should be formal.
If mailed, the paper and the letterhead should be
clean and professional. Standard 8 1/2 x 11 paper
should be used.
Single-space your paragraphs and double-space between
paragraphs.
If mailed, the Query should include Self Addressed
Stamped Envelope (SASE) so that the editor can return
your article or manuscript and reply to you
conveniently.
Include in the letterhead or at the bottom of the
letter include your name, postal address, email address
and phone number.
Your query letter should be interesting
Your query should incorporate a creative idea/topic.
Your idea should be offered at the very beginning of
your letter.
Your lead in should immediately draw the editor into
your pitch.
Your query letter should be specific
Keep your query letter to a single page in length.
Lay out exactly what you intend to include and exclude
from your article or manuscript.
Give a proposed article or manuscript length. The
length should be appropriate for that publication or
publisher.
Identify which section of the publication or division
of the publisher you believe your article or manuscript
fits in.
Your query letter should be persuasive
Include writing samples that are appropriate to the
publication, article topic, and writing style you
believe the publication or publisher is looking for.
Present any credentials or awards you have that show
you are qualified to write, especially about your
particular subject.
Identify other similar publications that have
published your work.
Identify any sources you have that you feel would help
persuade the editor.
Your article or manuscript should show why you are the
best and only person to write this article or book for
them.
Close your letter with a phrase such as: I look
forward to hearing from you. Please write or call if you
have any questions.
Respond promptly when a query is accepted
When an editor expresses interest in and solicits your
article or manuscript, send it to them promptly and
remind them of their response in the cover letter for
your article.
You do not need to enclose an SASE when actually
sending out your article or manuscript.
What you should not do in your query letter
Do not mention who has rejected the piece before.
Do not include other peoples statements about your
article.
Do not request advice, comments, criticism or
analysis.
Do not include inappropriate or off-subject
information about yourself.
Do not discuss the rights you wish to sell.
Do not discuss price or payment
Do not give your social security number
Do not give or discuss copyright information
Do not wear out your welcome by writing too much or
failing to get to the point.
Do not query without studying the publication or
publisher enough to know whether your idea is
appropriate.
Do not waste your time querying an unreceptive editor
over and over again.
Do not query several different articles or manuscripts
in the same letter. This can be done if you have
established a rapport with an editor, but should not be
done in a blind query.
Do not use obscenities or inappropriate content.
Do not send inappropriate, off-subject samples.
Common sense is your best guide in writing a query
letter. If you second-guess including something it is
probably best to not include it in your letter. Remember
that publications and publishers receive a very large
number of query letters and making yours stand out is
imperative in getting your hard work the attention that
it deserves. |
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