The Query Myth

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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.

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