Query Basics: Get The Editor Curious

by Catherine L. Tully

Crafting a good query is all about the intrigue. If you can get the editor interested, you have a winner. So how do you do that? Make them curious. The photo here is of a window, and the way it is cropped, it makes you want to peek inside. A good query does the same thing with words…

A good query gives the editor enough to wonder what the rest would be like. Don’t sell your query short by dashing off an idea that you think might fit. Do a little work. Dress that query seductively before you send it off.

How do you get the editor curious? Give them a taste. A spoonful. Perhaps an opening line for style paired with some interesting facts. Or you can tell them something they have never heard and promise to give them more…

Create that sense of wonder for the editor and you have a far better chance of hearing a yes. It’s worth the extra effort–don’t you think?

Where’s The Blue Box?

by Catherine L. Tully

The mail is not yet obsolete for writers. I occasionally send a snail mail query and I often receive things in the mail from clients (besides checks). Project information often has to go through the mail system and this means knowing where the closest ”blue box” is. If you are looking for one near where you are, I’ve got great news for you… … Continue Reading

Have You Queried Lately?

by Catherine L. Tully

“Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.”

- Andrew Jackson

Look…I know sometimes I get a little pushy, but I also know that it is easy to hang back and not get stuff done in this career. This is a little push to get another query out the door. Many of us have a tendency to sit on them rather than send them. This can actually be the death of a query. You might miss your time window–someone else could send the exact same idea. You might start changing it around until it isn’t as good anymore. You may hang on to it until it isn’t relevant anymore…

So do your research. Polish the query. Let it sit for a day or two and re-read it. Then get it out the door…

When You Should Ignore The Guidelines

by Catherine L. Tully

Ok. Maybe you shouldn’t ignore them, but most publications put out guidelines that are meant to give the writer a general idea of what they are looking for–and what they aren’t. That said, in some ways it can pay off to ignore them, or at the very least, be ready for changes in the grand scheme of things. Now I don’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to items such as tone and subject matter. You should. But some things can go off the map, and it helps to know what those might be. In that spirit, here are some things to think about when you query:

• Response time. If there is anything in the guidelines that you should take with a grain of salt–this is it. Response time can mean almost anything. I have queried pubications that say they get back to you within a month, only to have them call me out of the blue four months later. You never know what is going on over there, and editors are really, really busy. Sometimes they’ll hang on to your idea and make a mental note to get back to you, only to get sidetracked by another project.
• Word count. I never state how many words I can write on a given subject, because I prefer to let the editor tell me what he/she needs. Ad space can bump article placement up and down very easily, so the word counts can vary accordingly depending on how much room the publication has.
• Editor’s name and contact info. If you don’t listen to anything else I’m writing here, be sure you do this one thing…double check the contact info given in the guidelines. Editors change so fast it will make your head spin. Call the publication and ask who to send a query to, and be sure to read the information back to the person that you speak with so you know you have it right.
• Payment range. While this can give you a good idea of how much a publication will pay, it isn’t always set in stone. Sometimes the guidelines are outdated, which could mean you will make less…or more. Some mags have cut back on payment, while others are expanding. Be prepared for it to vary.

Now…even though I said the words, “ignore guidelines,” please note that you should follow what you read in terms of crafting a query. If they say that some departments are not open to freelancers, don’t send a query thinking that you can get around it. If you notice, much of what I have outlined above relates to the business end of things, not the editorial itself. If they say they don’t want personal experience articles, you aren’t likely to get in with a heartfelt account of your last camping trip to the mountains. In other words, follow direction, but be ready for bumps on the road along the way….

5 Freelance Mistakes

by Catherine L. Tully

There is so much to know when you are freelancing, and while it is important to learn about the things you should be doing, it is just as vital to understand those things you should not be doing. Here’s 5 of them to keep in mind:

1. Manic follow-up. If the writer’s guidelines say 4 weeks, give them at least 5, preferably 6. If they tell you they haven’t had the chance to look at your query yet, wait a while before checking back. Don’t pester the editor–it can get your query deleted. Seriously.
2. Social networking. Ok, let me explain. Yes, you should be doing this. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are your friends. But not at the expense of your work. Remember that these social networking sites don’t do a thing for you if you aren’t actually working at writing. While you can get work there, you have to get that work done as well. Schedule time for it–then stick to your schedule.
3. Copying. Just because your friend got a query accepted by sending in a paragraph on a subject written in a snippy tone doesn’t mean you should do it. Find your own voice. It will get you more writing work than anything else. It takes time to cultivate this, so start now and let other people do their own thing.
4. Emphasizing quantity. Are you trying to get 20 queries out every week? Perhaps you are biting off more than you should. Instead, make sure that each one is meticulously researched and polished. Call to make sure you are sending it to the right person. Take the time to do it right and you will get much better results than if you send out a bunch hoping for a hit.
5. Sending in a first draft. Don’t do it. Just don’t. First drafts are never the best writing you can do. Make sure you take the time to hone a piece before sending it off. If you do this every time, your writing will improve.

Get Those Queries Out There!

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”   -Elanor Roosevelt

A big part of freelance writing is overcoming fear. Fear that you will be rejected. Fear that your writing may not be “good enough”. Fear that you won’t make any money. I could go on and on…

I’m sure you have your own version of that list. Every freelancer does. The key is to not let that list begin to control what you are doing with your freelance writing career. I love this quote by Elanor Roosevelt, because it encapsulates the idea of moving forward–beyond those things that intimidate or scare you. A writing forum that I frequent (Absolute Write) has a recurring thread in their ‘freelance’ section called Just Hit Send. This is what I’m talking about. Moving past the fear of sending things out and what may or may not happen afterwards.

So resolve to do something about that this week. Dust off a query you’ve been thinking about sending and get it out there. Polish an idea that has been floating around in your head and find a market to query. Do that thing that you think you cannot do….

You just might surprise yourself!

The Query Process: Ideas

Here’s the question: Which do you do first….develop an idea for a query or find a publication then brainstorm ideas? The answer is…it depends.

I’ve done both of these in my time as a freelance writer, and they both work. The key is deciding on which approach you are going to use ahead of time. The query process can easily deteriorate into an unorganized mess if you don’t go in with a solid plan in the first place.

If you have an idea, you can look through market listings in search of a possible match. This can be effective, but it is important not to overdevelop the idea before you have a few specific mags or markets in mind. Remember that you must match your idea to their format, which can take a little tweaking.

If you are going with the publication first, study the material they publish. Do they use lists? How-to pieces? Essays? What sort of topics do they cover, and do you have an interest in any of them? This approach can work well too, if you bring the right mindset with it.

Try it out and see what you think. Pick an article idea and then go in search of a suitable magazine–or find a publication and try and come up with an idea for it. It may seem like a small detail, but it is one that can give you a more organized approach to the query process.

What You Can Learn From The News

Do you know what a reporter can do better than just about anybody else? Slant stuff. News reporters are masters at this technique, and writers can learn a great deal from them. After all–the slant a reporter gives something can be the perfect example of how to craft a good query. You really need that “angle”.

Think about it. Reporters dig deep and look for “the story“. Take the inauguration for example. The coverage didn’t stop with Obama. There were some other great stories out there that had real appeal. Pieces that focused on people traveling for hundreds of miles to get D.C. so they could see the new President get sworn in. Interviews with those who have been involved with the struggle for civil rights for years. You see? There are 20 facets to every story, and the news media knows how to pan for that gold.

So next time you watch the news, do so with the discerning eye of a writer. See how they slant each story and think about what you can do to hone that skill to your advantage. The most interesting query is often the one that gets the assignment. Learn how to make yours a standout.

The Query Myth

When I first started writing I was under the impression that all work you got as a freelancer came down to one thing: mastering the query. After many years in the business I’ve realized that this is…..well…..a myth. Now don’t get me wrong; queries can get you work. The thing is–there are many other ways to go about the process of freelancing. You can send a letter of introduction with an offer to send clips, you can get a gig through a pal (Joe and I have done this many times) or even send in a finished piece. Queries are part of being a freelancer, but not the whole deal.

I’d say in the beginning of my career I searched for work almost 100% of the time by sending a query letter. Great way to get started–especially when you don’t have clips or experience. But expect to be very patient. Once you are a little more established it can pay to explore other ways of getting work. Ask pals in the biz for leads. Answer ads and begin to get a feel for what that road looks like. My personal favorite way to search for work is simply to find a publication and send a letter of inquiry.

The letter of inquiry works well for publications that are local or smaller. Most big mags will pass on this format–they want queries and are too busy to sift through a letter for information. So what do I do specifically? Simple. I send one paragraph. I introduce myself, list a few mags I’ve been published in, ask if they use freelancers and leave my contact info along with an offer to send clips if they’d like to see them. (Notice I don’t just send clips. That’s bad manners.) Try to tailor your approach to the publication instead of sending a generic letter that you copy and paste again and again. And make sure you send it to the right person–call if you have to.

This approach has worked well for me and is far less time consuming than continually trying to come up with query ideas. Give it a try. Let us know how it works for you.

The Beginning Writer: Query Basics

Your Query: Five Mistakes That Scream-Amateur!

by Catherine L. Tully & Joe Wallace

Getting started in non-fiction freelance writing is not a simple task. Once you have gotten a few articles published, you begin to get a feel for what to say and how to submit query letters.  In the beginning however, it is easy to make simple mistakes that can brand you as an amateur in an editor’s eyes. You don’t want to get a bad reputation before you even get an assignment! Here are five things that would let an editor know immediately that you have little or no experience in the writing field: … Continue Reading