The Big Article Idea

Okay. So you’ve figured out that you would like to write. Unfortunately, so have about eight gazillion other people on this planet. Therefore, you have to stand out from the crowd. You have to sparkle. How do you do this? Simple. It all starts with “The Big Idea.” The first secret you must learn in this funny business is that you don’t actually have to write the whole article/story/editorial/etc. to get a job. In fact, only bright green novices attempt to write the whole thing before selling it. What you do need, however, is the IDEA for the great story. You will use this great idea to convince editors to pay you exorbitant amounts of money via a proposal letter (called a “query letter.” But you’ll learn about that in a minute.)

So, where will you find this Big Idea? Well, you’ve heard that wise old adage, “write what you know.” That’s a wonderful mantra for finding your jumping-off point. You don’t need to stick to “what you know” for the specific focus of your story, but tap into your already huge vat of knowledge to find the story’s basis. This is how you will become an expert. Experts are in demand. People with “stories” aren’t. What you have to do is sneak your stories into your areas of expertise. Example: let’s say your hobbies and interests include fishing, watching talk shows, and traveling. Good! You are a potential expert in those areas. Jot these things down. Now comes the fun part: brainstorming.

The biggest mistake you can make in pitching your story is being too general. Never, ever send a letter to the editor suggesting “an article about fishing.” Not even “an article about fishing in Florida.” This vagueness is not appropriate for short writing. In general, you will be expected to write somewhere between 800 and 2000 words on your topic. You couldn’t possibly tell us “all about fishing” in 2000 words. What you could do, however, is give us “a comparison of twelve different lures used to catch sailfish.” Or “the pros and cons of joining a fishing club.” Or even “how the moon can tell you if it’ll be a good fishing day.”

So, here’s your first assignment. Get out your trusty notebook. (If you don’t have one, stop reading and get one. Right now.) On the first page, write down a list of any and all topics that interest you. It’s okay to be general here. Need some ideas to get you started?

Think through your whole day. Don’t neglect anything. What do you do from the moment you wake up until the moment you fall asleep? You turn off your alarm clock. (An article about alarm clocks disrupting valuable sleep stages! Or waking up to music versus waking up to that annoying beeping sound. Or the optimal number of times to press the “snooze” button.) You brush your teeth. (Article: “What all those touted ingredients (flouride, peroxide, baking soda) really do for your teeth.”) You take a shower. Maybe with your significant other. Lucky you. (Romantic showers for two.)

Moving on. You go to work. This is the most obvious area of expertise. Let’s say you’re a secretary. “How ergonomic office equipment can save you from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, an achy back, and a stiff neck.” “How to avoid screaming at your boss when he’s a total idiot.” “Five couples (or ex-couples) share their wisdom about dating in the office.” Think about what cover story would entice you to pay three dollars for a magazine. You don’t have to have the knowledge to actually write the article yet. You just have to know you can get this information later.

Next, you come home. What happens? Do you have kids? Great! A wealth of article ideas. You could write about childcare agencies, potty training, decoding teenage slang, teaching table manners — you’re getting the idea now, right? Run with it!

Write at least one page of general topics that interest you, then weed out the most interesting ones. Narrow it down to three or four. Then write those three or four topics on top of brand new pages. Now fill up those pages with specific article angles. Just write. Don’t edit yourself. Don’t judge. Just write whatever pops into your head. If you need motivation, play it like a game of “Scattergories.” Set a timer for ten minutes. See how many ideas you can jot down before the timer sounds.

Keep in mind that there are markets for almost any conceivable topic. Don’t limit yourself to the headlines you’d read in “Vogue” and “Good Housekeeping.” Between newspapers, consumer magazines, trade magazines, e-zines, tabloids, literary journals, and more, you’re bound to find an appropriate publication for your Big Idea.

You want to know more about these markets? Read on!

Researching Freelance Markets

First, you’ll need a few definitions:

Consumer Magazines: These typically pay the best. These are the types of magazines you might find in a grocery store check-out line, convenience store, in your airplane seat pocket, or your doctor’s office. Types of consumer mags: men’s, women’s, special interest, inflight, teen’s, school/career, travel, health, ethnic/minority, political, entertainment, romance, religious, etc. This is the area most writers try to break into.

Literary Magazines: These don’t pay much, if at all. However, what they lack in moolah, they make up for in prestige. If you’re looking to jump-start your career as a fiction writer or poet, your best chance at recognition may come in the form of one of these small publications. Often published by colleges and universities, their circulation is usually regional and low. They generally seek scholarly essays, intellectually challenging prose, poetry, and book reviews. Publishers will be impressed if you succeed in placing your work in one of the more prominent journals (Cimarron Review, Ploughshares, and Story, for example.)

Trade Journals: Pay varies greatly. Any publication that focuses on a particular occupation/industry falls into this category. This is where your expertise can shine. There are trade journals for almost every line of work, from art dealers to truck drivers. In general, your written eloquence is not as important as your research and timely knowledge for these publications.

E-Zines: Pay varies greatly. Simply put, e-zines are simply magazines on the Internet. The only major difference is that articles for e-zines can usually run longer than print magazines. (No printing costs, so space isn’t as important an issue for e-zine editors.) Most e-zines don’t pay (except by means of a byline,) but this trend is changing. The most popular sites (Word and Wired, for example) pay quite well. Topics stretch as wide as your imagination.

Now that you know, learn how to contact them!

There are tons of ways to find markets that are open to freelancers. If you were paying attention, you might notice that this very website is looking for writers! Finding places to submit your work is easy if you know where to look.

First, the most important tool in a freelancer’s toolbox is The Writer’s Market. Available at any major bookstore, this is an annual compilation of over 2,000 magazines, 1,000 book publishers, and even specialized markets like greeting cards, script writing, and syndicates.

The next best tools are online. Lucky you! They’re free. Writer’s Digest (http://www.writersdigest.com) has a great, searchable database of markets. Inscriptions (http://come.to/Inscriptions) has a super monthly newsletter that lists ads placed by editors on the Internet. The new and promising Freelance Writing site (http://www.freelancewriting.com) hosts a bi-weekly newsletter, plus articles and writers’ guidelines. Oh, yeah! And there’s always my site, too. (Grin.)

You can even run a search for “freelance writers” on any major search engine, and you’re likely to come up with tons of listings. Try specifying if possible; add words that fit your needs. (Example: paying markets, romance, teen magazines.)

So, your next assignment is this: go back to your trusty notebook and pick out your very favorite idea. That will now be known as your Big Idea. Pick the markets that best fit your idea. Choose several. Find out if you can get a free or discounted sample copy. (Writers often can, if you specify that you would like to query them in the future.) Request writers’ guidelines if available. It’s considered poor form to query publications that you’ve never read, or know nothing about. Do your best to read at least one copy of whatever magazine or journal you plan to query. Check your library for copies if you prefer not to go broke researching.

Got it now? You have your idea, and you’ve found places to submit it? Great! Then you’ll need to learn proper protocol for writing and submitting the Killer Query.

The Killer Query Letter

The job of the query letter is to entice an editor to say, “Hey! I’d be interested in learning more about that.” Therefore, you don’t want to spill all your secrets and research yet. You want to tease and tantalize. Now that you’ve got your fabulous Big Idea, your job is to condense (or expand) that idea into two to three paragraphs.

To illustrate the components of a killer query, here is an example of one of mine (using fictitious contact info — sorry!) that landed me the assignment:

Jenna Glatzer
(Always use proper formal letter format)
123 My Address
My City, State, Zip Code
(555) 555-5555

Mr. Joe Shmoe
(Make SURE to get a name of the appropriate department College Life 101 editor. Never address a letter to “editor” or “submissions.”)
123 Their Address
Their City, State, Zip Code

Today’s Date, 1999

Dear Mr. Shmoe:
(Colons are used in formal letters. Commas are used in friendly letters.)

Think company cars, expense accounts, and a spacious office with bay windows. Who do you picture running a business this successful?

(Start the letter with a zinger that captures the essence of your proposed article/story. Raise a question that will cause the reader to think, or give a visual image — anything that will make him/her want to read on and find out what you’re talking about.)

Think again. This company was the brainchild of three Boston University sophomores whose ambitions led them to thriving careers before they had diplomas to hang on the wall.

(The rest of the first paragraph should give a concise description of the focus of your proposed article. Remember to tell why it’s appropriate to the publication you’re querying. In this case, I was targeting a college magazine, so I made sure to emphasize the relevance to their subject matter early in the letter.)

Net One, an Internet Service Provider, is run by Charles Strader, Richard Skelton, and Pablo Mondal. The three met in the freshmen dorms, then moved into an apartment together. Opportunity knocked when Strader, who worked for the university’s computer center, took a phone call from the owner of a hair salon. She sought help designing a website; Strader volunteered, and Net One was born.

(Again, concisely, get a little deeper into the content of the article. What is special about your story? In this case, I wanted to emphasize that these guys were college buddies who started a booming business by branching out from their humble beginning.)

“Working closely with friends to build something we believe in” is Mondal’s favorite perk. Skelton agrees. “We have great trust in each other, and feel that we’re all in this together.”

(Quotes aren’t necessary in a query, but it’s nice to give something specific to show that you have done some research into your topic, and that you have access to resources that will enable you to write the article well. I wanted to show that I had already spoken to these guys, they happen to be friends of mine, and that they would be upbeat and inspirational people to interview. You can accomplish the same effect by including a few quirky facts or survey results you’ve found out about your topic.)

Considering that their only capital was a computer and a small loan from Strader’s father, the guys feel very successful. “We’re not millionaires, but we have goals, and we’re following them,” says Skelton. “I think that’s true success.” By any definition, Net One’s roster of over 50 clients ranging from colleges to Fortune 500 companies attests to their hard work and talent.

(Look, editor. These guys are big up-and-comers! Notice I mentioned “Fortune 500 companies.” This lets the editor know quickly that these college guys aren’t small potatoes. It neatly ties up the opening sentence, which promised an article about guys who have a spacious office, expense accounts, and company car. Now the editor has a reason to believe that these guys actually are that successful.)

I propose a 1,000 word profile for your “Students At Work” section.

(Great. Shows I’ve researched their magazine. I know which section this should fit, and I’ve read their guidelines to determine an appropriate word count.)

I am a full-time freelance writer, and my works have been recently featured in such publications as 201 Magazine, College Bound (Notice I mention the most relevant magazines first. Anything you’ve had published that might relate to the content, tone, or audience of the proposed publication belongs here.) Bliss!, Working Women, and Video Librarian. Clips are enclosed.

(If you’ve never had anything published, don’t distress. Just shut up about it. Do NOT tell anyone, “Though I’ve never been published yet, I’m a real go-getter.” Less is more. If you keep quiet, they may not even think about the fact that you didn’t mention your credits. Also, do not get into a diatribe describing how you edited your high school newspaper. Just a quick list of relevant writing background. See below for info about clips.)

I can provide documentation and interview notes for easy fact-checking, and could submit the completed article within two weeks.

(Optional. Some people like to suggest a time frame, others let the editor do it. In general, the editor will tell you when the article is due, regardless of your preferences. It’s a nice touch to mention how you will research your article. Mine was primarily dependent on interviews, but you may wish to include the names of journals/experts you plan to quote or use for information.)

I look forward to your response.

(Obligatory polite ending. Use any variation you wish. No pleading. If you dare type, “I promise to write a reallllly, realllly good article! Please hire me!,” you will incur my wrath. I will hunt you down and yell at you. A lot. Just a simple, dignified ending requesting a response.)

Regards,
Jenna Glatzer

(Oh. Substitute your name and preferred signature ending. Unless you feel like sending your paycheck to me, in which case, you can feel free to use my name. Grin.)

Finally, clips! If you’ve had anything published — or even if you haven’t, but you have a few good writing samples appropriate for this type of market include them. These samples are called clips, and they are used to show the editor that you are an intelligent, insightful, funny, clever, and/or excellent writer. Photocopying straight from the publication is okay. Just 2-3 clips.

Interviews and Profiles

I know, you feel weird about this one, right? You’re uncomfortable calling someone or visiting a business to ask a professional to take precious time out of their day to help you research your article.

Well, buck up, little camper, because most professionals absolutely love to be interviewed. They jump at the chance, for a few reasons. These are the reasons to keep in mind when you feel small and silly for asking:

-It shows you respect their opinion and/or job.
-It gives them opportunities for publicity of their business.
-It gives them the chance to brag to friends that they are quoted in a magazine.
-It gives them something to frame and show clients.
-Finally, someone is recognizing their genius and taking an interest in their work.
-They’re usually wannabe writers, anyway, and they will be just as happy to pick your brain to find out how you got the job.

Before you approach experts:

Make sure you already have your questions mapped out, at least briefly. What exactly do you need to know from this person? What could this person tell you that no one else can? Avoid “yes” or “no” questions. Ask open-ended questions that could lead to lengthy responses chock full of great quotes. Also, have a synopsis of your planned article ready, so you can tell your expert what you’re writing and how they can supplement your knowledge.

How to approach experts:

Get on the phone. Have your idea condensed into 2-3 sentences, so you can quickly explain yourself to whomever answers the phone.

“Hello. My name is Jenna, and I’m writing an article about the rise in vegetarianism among young women in Nevada for Youth In Nevada Magazine. I know Dr. Spuds is a well-respected nutritionist, and I’m hoping she would be willing to answer a few questions on this subject.”

At this point, the secretary will say, “Hold,” and make you listen to elevator musak while she summons the boss. Or she’ll take down your number and have Dr. Spuds call you back. Or it will be Dr. Spuds herself, and she’ll say, “What do you want to know?”

Your options at this point are (1) Ask questions over the phone, right then and there. Make sure you check to make sure your expert is not pressed for time before you begin. (2) Set up a “phone date” to conduct the interview. (3) Ask if you can meet in person. This is good, almost necessary, if the person will be the focus of your article. If the person is being used just to add a few quotes, you don,t have to meet in person, because it,s unlikely you,ll ever need to write, “Dr. Spuds wrinkled her brow and stared into her pea soup as she explained that young women are becoming more health-conscious.” (4) Trade e-mail addresses and send over a list of questions. This approach isn’t usually the best, because it doesn’t allow you to react to, and build from, information you gain in answers to previous questions. However, if the publication will not reimburse you for long distance phone calls, and you have to conduct a lengthy interview, e-mail exchanges are acceptable. Just make sure you specify a “due date” for the responses. Be reasonable — try to give the expert a week to answer all your questions.

The Sales

Okay, you sent out your killer query, and you got a phone call from an editor with the big news: you got the assignment! Congratulations, you! Go on and do a little dance of joy, then crash back to reality with your new mantra: “GET IT IN WRITING.” Make sure the editor tells you that a written contract is forthcoming in the near future.

If you’ve researched your market, you probably already have an idea of the pay rate, but be sure to cover this ground in that initial phone call if the editor fails to mention it. Important things to remember:

On Publication vs. On Acceptance

You not only need to know how much you’ll be paid, but also, when you’ll be paid. Many markets want to pay you “on publication.” This can be a problem, because many magazines and journals have long lead times. (Translation: a long time between when they assign you the article and when it actually ends up in print.) If you write an article in January, and it doesn’t get published until November, you probably won’t see a check until December. Do you want to wait a year to get paid? Can you wait that long? This is a point you absolutely can negotiate. Ask for payment on acceptance. If this is refused, it gives you a little leverage to work with on the other “issues,” which are:

Kill Fees

If you get the assignment, and, for whatever reason, an editor decides not to print your article, you can negotiate for a kill fee. This is a percentage of the sale price. If you are offered $200 to write an article, you may get a $50 kill fee. It’s a well known fact that big publications “kill” articles all the time. Some editors admit to assigning 10-20% more than they could ever fit in the magazine. They do this so they can pick and choose from the final products, or so they can see how things fit once the layout is complete. Some articles will be pushed back to other issues, and some will just be trashed.

Bylines

We like them. Those are the little blurbs that often follow an article, giving short biographical information about the writer, and sometimes an e-mail address or phone number. Ask for one if you can.

Sidebars and Photos

Those are the little “factoids” or columns that rest next to the main article. For example, in an article about exercise, you’ll often see a little chart on the side that tells how many calories are burned by doing specific exercises (riding a bike, climbing a hill, etc.) If you can suggest sidebars, you can often get extra pay. Same goes for photos. If you’ve got a decent camera and a good eye, offer photos for a few extra bucks.

To Spec or Not To Spec

Especially as a novice writer, you’ll sometimes get asked to write an article on speculation. This means that you’ll have to write the whole article and submit it without a contract, or any promise of payment. It’s a bone of contention among professional writers, because almost no other field works this way. It’s never “do the job, and then I’ll decide if I feel like paying you.” Only in this crazy business. Harumph.

That said, I advise you to take spec assignments in the beginning. Once you’re established, you shouldn’t need to do this, but in order to build up your resume and your clips, you need to get published. So go ahead and submit on spec, and go ahead and do a few free/nearly free pieces for the experience.

Before submitting anything, though, make sure you know in advance what the terms will be if the editor does use your piece. How much will you be paid? What rights will they buy?

Even many of the big markets have adopted the practice of requesting pieces on spec. They do this because they can get away with it. Because there are thousands of wannabe writers out there who will beg, borrow, and steal for the chance to be published. So, if you want to compete, sometimes you’ll have to suck it up and accept this. Once the publication accepts one of your spec pieces, you’ll be a much more likely candidate for an outright assignment next time.

Rights to Write

There are several kinds of rights a publication may buy:

First North American Serial Rights: The newspaper or magazine has the right to publish this piece for the first time in any periodical. All other rights belong to the writer.

One-Time Rights: The publication buys the nonexclusive right to publish the piece once. The writer can sell the same article to other publications simultaneously.

Second Serial Rights (or Reprint Rights): Also nonexclusive. Gives the publication the right to reprint an article that has appeared elsewhere.

Electronic Rights: Becoming popular due to the Internet. Covers multimedia (CD-ROMs, e-zines, website content, games, etc.) Get in writing which electronic rights are specified.

All Rights: Pretty self-explanatory. You can never sell this piece to anyone else again. Try to avoid this one. Most publications ask for First Serial Rights.

TV/Motion Picture Rights: Also self-explanatory. Almost always exclusive.

Recycling Your Big Ideas

This is the bread and butter of freelance writing. It’s also called re-slanting. Once you’ve got the Big Idea, don’t waste it by only using it once. Use the information you’ve gathered and come up with off-shoot ideas. Slant it to appeal to different markets.

You’re afraid because of the issue of “rights” that we just discussed, right? (No pun intended.) Well, you have nothing to fear, provided the new article is sufficiently different in content and intended audience. If you’ve managed to sell your article to a major national magazine, it is considered poor form to try to sell a re-slanted version to another national magazine. However, if you’re dealing with regional, specialized, or small publications, there should be very little overlap of intended audience. Therefore, an editor from Alabama Aristocrats would probably never know if you sold a re-slanted version of your piece to Guitarists Today. Even if they did know, they almost certainly would not care.

It is standard and accepted practice, for the simple reason that it is darn difficult to make a living as a writer. If you have the choice between making $100 for selling your piece to one small publication, or making $1000 by selling altered versions to eight different small publications, which would you choose?

Re-slanting an article is easy, since you’ve already done the bulk of the research. Scrounge up a few new quotes, and use the information you left out of the first article. Focus it on the new desired market.

For example, I could sell an article about the health benefits of meditation to a fitness magazine. A few alterations, and that same article becomes “Religions Encouraging Meditation” for my local newspaper’s “Society” pages. Then it becomes “Meditation Makes You Smarter” for the college market. Then, “Meditate Your Stress Away” for a working woman’s magazine. And I didn’t even mention all those new age/holistic publications. What a field day!

With just a few more questions posed to your trusted “experts,” you’ve got a whole new article. And, look! You’re becoming an expert yourself. This is how you begin to find your niche: a few specific subjects that you feel comfortable writing about. Ah, soon those journalists will be coming to YOU with their questions.

“The Extras”

Once you’ve gotten a few assignments, and feel that you’ve really embarked on this as a potential career (or just a part-time income-booster,) you’ll want to think about the little extras.

A nice touch: get yourself some nice letterhead. Splurge a little with your second or third paycheck and invest in professionally printed letterhead. Presentation does count when submitting your correspondence to an editor.

Also, an invoice. You should always include an invoice with your completed article. Often, the person you submit the story to is not the same person in charge of sending you a paycheck. By including an invoice, you can be reasonably assured that the billing department will have a record of what terms were agreed upon, and when they are supposed to pay you.

Receipts: Hold onto your postage receipts and your writing-related supplies. If writing is your profession, then these can be tax write-offs. Also, if you are able to negotiate it, editors will often reimburse you for any expenses you incur while on assignment once you are an established writer. Submit your phone bill (with the reimbursable call/s circled,) your book receipts, your travel expense receipts, etc. along with your invoice. Make sure these terms are specified in your contract.

You’re ready? Good! Get out there and get ‘em, slugger. Good luck!

Contact her at jenna@absolutewrite.com

Visit her site at www.absolutewrite.com

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Don’t get to the point. Editors are very busy. When they read a query letter or a submission cover, what they really want to know is what you are proposing and how it fits their needs. The longer you can keep yourself from telling them that, the better your chances of getting an editor to hate you.

Don’t use enough postage. Guess what? No one is going to pay the mailman just to see your submission. If you really want to aggravate an editor, send your submissions via certified mail and make them sign for it.

Get the editor’s name wrong. There’s no quicker way to get on an editor’s bad side than to misspell their name. This is a great way to get your query letter thrown away before it even gets opened. While you’re at it, get their title wrong too. That should ensure a quick trip to the garbage can.

Ignore the editor’s needs. Send the editor of an arts journal an article about ways to avoid a hangover. Send your proposal for a microwave recipe book to a publisher specializing in historical fiction. It may not quite make the editor hate you, but it will certainly be good for a laugh.

Insult other people’s work. The book you’re proposing? It’s way better than any other book in the genre and the editor should know that. Take the time to insult the competition. If you get lucky, you may just insult something the editor has worked on in the past. That should really tick them off.

Send the editor a letter that stinks. Chances are, your proposal will stink anyway. What I mean is send them one that smells bad. Smoke while you write it, or scent it with perfume. While you’re at it, use an obnoxious paper color like pink or orange. Make your query as unpleasant to smell as it is to read.

Talk money. Make it clear in the first few sentences that you expect a certain amount of money for your efforts and you will accept nothing less. Whether your demands are in the editor’s range or not doesn’t matter. Your demands will make them hate you either way.

Tell the editor how much your friends and family love your work. If you’re really out to convince the editor that you know next to nothing about the publishing industry, including the opinions of people the editor doesn’t know and has no reason to respect ought to do it.

Try to sound cocky and sarcastic. You know you’ve got the goods, why should you try to be polite and businesslike? This should make it clear to the editor just how big of a hassle it will be to work with you. Note: Feel free to use this article as a guide.

Use a cheap printer, or better yet, a typewriter. Nothing screams “not worth the effort to read” more than poorly printed, smudged text.

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The best way to start off a query letter is to treat the first line like it was the headline for your article. Center it above the rest of the text and make it as provocative as possible. Try to match the style of your target publication when you write the headline. Cosmopolitan and Woman’s Day are both publications aimed at women, but their style and content are different. In most cases, you would want to write a different headline for your query letter if you were pitching it to one magazine rather than the other.

Beyond being provocative, the headline should give the editor some idea of the format and style of your article. For example, “Ten Ways to Smash Christmas Debt” would clearly be a list article while, “Do You Blow Your Christmas Budget?” could be a list but sounds more like a quiz or a series of questions and answers. Here are some provocative headlines from recent articles on the web. Note that the style of headline matches the style of the publication. Also remember that I am discussing the headlines, not the content of the articles.

• Beat the Holiday or Financial Blues: 9 Tips for Making Yourself Happier in the Next 30 Minutes — Zen Habits
• How to Deal with Cranks, Flamers and Trolls — Men with Pens
• I Got Off My Ass and Did It –  Someday Syndrome
• What Freelancers Can Learn From The Dog Whisperer — Beyond the Rhetoric
• The 10 Free Resources Every Writer Needs — Write to Done
• When witnesses take over the news — BuzzMachine
• Doctors Observe First Known Case of Sleep E-Mailing — Techcult
• What Do Prostitutes and Rice Have in Common? — Freakonomics
• Social Media Bought My Car — Remarkablogger

After your headline, consider writing a subhead that provides additional information and clarity. A headline that is meant to attract attention is not always as informative as it is provocative. The subhead gives you a chance to explain the content of your proposed article. You want to capture the editor’s attention, and then you want to give them the essential flavor of your article before you move on to the meat of your query.

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Look for submissions guidelines 

A magazine or web site’s submissions guidelines are the best advice you are going to get about how to approach the potential client. They may have a format they prefer, or they may let you know what topics they are looking for and what topics to avoid. They might also tell you what they pay, who the appropriate editors are, and what lengths are preferred. Some magazines may still prefer printed and mailed submissions over email. Whatever the case, the submissions guidelines are your first, bet advice about how to approach your potential client.

Read the articles 

You need to get to know your potential client. Read through their articles. For web sites, it is generally easy to find archives and review past articles. For a magazine without a web presence you may need to pick up several issues and examine them. You don’t have to read every word of every article, but you want to familiarize yourself with the writing style and the sorts of subjects they write about. You also want to be sure that your idea won’t be identical to something they have published recently. 

Figure out who is who 

You need to identify the appropriate person to receive your query. Sometimes you can get this information from the submissions guidelines, but in many cases you are going to have to actively look for the appropriate person. With magazines, there is generally a masthead somewhere in the publication. The masthead is a list of all the relevant people at a publication, from the publisher to the editors to the writers. You want to look for the editor that best seems to match your submission. For example, if you wanted to submit an interview with an artist to a regional publication, you would look for the arts editor or perhaps the lifestyle editor. 

When searching a web site for the appropriate person, the best places to check are the “about” page and the “contact” page. If you cannot find an appropriate person, it is acceptable to email the publication and ask for the name and title of the person who can review your submission. Using the correct title for a person is important. Identifying a person by the wrong title is bad. If you are unsure, just use their name.

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Before I discuss what you should tell a potential publisher, I should make sure you know what you should NEVER tell them.

• Never tell them that you are a first time writer who is looking for a break
• Never tell them about your personal or money problems
• Never tell them you don’t know the subject well but are looking to learn more

Publications don’t care about your problems. They are looking for good writers. The last thing a publisher wants is to take a chance on someone who may not be able to deliver what they promise. Your goal should be to fill the publisher with confidence, not pity.

The best spot to discuss your qualifications is just before the concluding paragraph of your query letter. You don’t want to waste time or space, so limit the discussion of your qualifications to those that are most relevant to the article you are proposing. For example, if you are proposing an article about the financial impact of divorce, it is relevant to mention that you are a financial advisor and a divorcee, but those same facts would be irrelevant in a query for an article about living with chronic back pain.

You will want to mention a few of your past article credits. Again, they should be the most relevant credits you have. If you have nothing relevant, go with the most prestigious credits that you have, but relevancy trumps prestige. If you are employed as a writer for a particular publication, be sure to include that. If you have very few credits, just include the best that you have and don’t apologize for them. Just put them in and move on. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Here is a sample paragraph from a query letter:

I have been a professional investment counselor for the past fifteen years and was one of the earliest adopters of Internet trading. As a former state representative, I authored several investment fraud bills that are still on the Arizona law books. For the past two years I have written a weekly investment article for Phoenix Business Insider. I have also published investment-related articles in Worthwhile Investor, Smart Stock Analyst and Fund Advocate.

Finally, you should include, along with your query letter, from one to three writing samples. If you are emailing your query, it is acceptable to include links to articles, but if you are sending a query by regular mail, you need to include the actual articles. Remember that you want to include whatever samples are most relevant to your query.

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There are two advantages to pitching very specific subjects. The first is that it makes you look more knowledgeable. Specificity and knowledge go hand in hand. Anyone can pitch an idea about picking up women. Even “six pickup lines” is general. If you dig deeper, you might find a more unique perspective. For example, if you have studied linguistics, you might pitch, Why Your Pickup Lines Don’t Work, Six Tips from a Cunning Linguist. If you used to be a bartender you might pitch, The Bartender’s Guide to Picking up Women: Six lines that never work (and three that do).

The second advantage of specificity is that it reduces the risk of you pitching the same idea as someone else. The last thing you want is to pitch a topic your potential publisher has seen (or even published) before. There are limits to how much research a writer can do into the past topics at a magazine, especially if you want to spend more time writing articles than pitching them. Specificity gives you the best chance at originality.

Realistic ideas are the other side of that coin. If you don’t know anything about pickup lines, don’t pitch an article about them. Your query letter should start with some flash, but the body of your letter is going to have to back up that flash. You will need to give examples of what you intend to write about. You not only have to convince your potential publisher that your idea is perfect for them; you have to convince them that you can turn that idea into a great article. If you can’t convince them you are the right person to write the article, your great idea won’t help you.

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It can be difficult to come up with truly original ideas, especially when you are dealing with a publication that caters to a narrow topic. A magazine about model trains or a web site about search engine optimization doesn’t have much new ground to cover after a while. Still, if you consider yourself a knowledgeable writer about one of those subjects, you should be able to find a fresh approach to the material. You may not come up with an idea that has never been used before, but at least try to find a new way to present the material. Often, it is a good idea to get more specific. There may be many search engine optimization articles about using keywords, but if you take the time to discuss a small part of a specific technique, you might find some ground that has not been covered.

When you do have a new idea, or a new take on the subject, make sure that you emphasize that early in your query letter. The fact that you aren’t offering the same old story should be one of your key selling points in your query letter. Your goal is to stand apart from everyone else. It is worth spending a little extra time thinking about how to make your idea original. Another good way to do this is to add a little personal experience to your pitch or to pick an overriding metaphor that hasn’t been used before, such as comparing model train enthusiasts to politicians. No matter how you go about it, find something new to say if you want to make a sale.

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Query letters are a 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 especially grown in the age of email, where a less formal writing style has taken root. See Bob Sassone’s article The Query Trap if you want to look further into that strategy.

Here are some advantages to writing a formal query letter:

• A well-written query letter helps prove 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 before, are submitting an article that was not written specifically for their publication or are attempting to resell a previously published article.
• Short, informal queries will often go unread or will be given less weight by an editor if they are a stickler for the formal process.
• A formal, detailed query gives you the opportunity to do preliminary research for a piece that can then be quickly converted into an article.
• When submitting a query to an online publication, your query will look better than 90% of the 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, 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 publication before you submit a query letter.
• Get writer’s 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 Writer’s Market. Editors change jobs frequently.
• 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 be no 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 inch 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 reply to you conveniently.
• Include your name, postal address, email address and phone number in the letterhead or at the bottom of the letter.

Your query letter should be interesting

• Your query should introduce a fresh idea/topic/angle.
• The idea should be set off in the type so it is easily viewed.
• Your idea should be presented at the very beginning of your letter.
• Your lead-in should excite the editor.

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.
• Give a proposed article length. Round to the nearest 100 for under 2000 words and to nearest 500 for articles over that length. The length should be appropriate for that publication.
• Identify which section of the publication you believe your article fits within.

Your query letter should be persuasive

• Include writing samples that are appropriate to the publication, article topic, and writing style you believe the publication is looking for.
• Present any credentials or awards you have that show you are qualified to write, especially about this 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 should show why you are the best and only person to write this article 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 (solicits) your article, send it to them promptly. In your cover letter, remind them of their request.
• You do not need to enclose an SASE when sending your article.

What you should not do in your query letter

• Do not mention who has rejected the piece before.
• Do not include other people’s statements about your article.
• Do not tell the editor how long and hard you have been working on this article.
• Do not mention the assistance of others.
• Do not tell them that the piece still needs work.
• Do not request advice, comments, criticism or analysis.
• Do not talk about how thrilling it would be to be published.
• 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 enough to know whether your idea is appropriate.
• Do not waste your time querying an unreceptive editor over and over again.
• Do not present ideas for several different articles in the same letter. This can be done once 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.

Sample Query Letter:

Max Swift

Securities Editor

Money Bucks Magazine

1010 E. 10200^th Street

New York, NY

August 22, 2000

Dear Max Swift,

Proposed Article:

You’ve Got Fraud! How Internet con artists can crush your portfolio

Last Monday, the Enforcement Section of the Massachusetts Securities Division ordered a temporary cease and desist order against three men it accuses of manipulating the stock market by flooding Yahoo.com with tens of thousands of false and misleading statements about Biomatrix Inc (BXM.N) and Genzyme Corp (GENZ.O). This is the latest in a growing series of civil and criminal lawsuits against people who manipulate stocks through mass emails or in this case, by posting misleading statements on financial discussion boards. My article will detail the trend from the perspective of three people.

• A securities trader whose legitimate stock analysis email newsletter has contended with fake announcements by people who acquired his mailing list.
• A lawyer who represented a client in a case similar to the Massachusetts case.
• An investor who blames her loss of $70,000 in the stock market on fraudulent discussion-board posting.

In my article I will discuss the negative effects of fraud on investors and companies. I will also discuss how you can protect yourself from fraud. More importantly, I will show how you can be victimized by the trend even when you don’t receive a fraudulent email or read a misleading post. Because such fraud can cause an individual stock to both rise and fall dramatically, investors who never see the misleading information can still end up investing in a bad stock or dumping a good one.

My article would be an excellent fit in your Caveat Emptor section’s ongoing coverage of investment potholes. As is customary for that section, I will include a sidebar of ways you can protect yourself from Internet investment fraud. My advice will include: verifying any news through conventional sources, keeping an eye out for any unusual email from online newsletters, never trusting blind e-mails, and carefully watching or avoiding discussion boards altogether. The last point, that discussion boards rarely result in good investments, will also be a focus of the article. If you would like, this can also be turned into a sidebar.

In addition to the three sources above, I have access to dozens of other securities professionals, legal authorities and investors. I have been a professional investment counselor for the past fifteen years and was one of the earliest adopters of Internet trading. As a former state representative, I authored several investment fraud bills that are still on the Arizona law books. For the past two years I have written a weekly investment article for Phoenix Business Insider. I have also published investment-related articles in Worthwhile Investor, Smart Stock Analyst and Fund Advocate.

Enclosed are reprints of three of my recent articles covering investment and the Internet. These articles will demonstrate both my knowledge of the subject and my ability to convey that knowledge to the reader. Your readers need to know about this looming crisis and how it can affect their investment strategies. Please call my office to discuss any further details or resolve any questions. Thank you for your consideration.

Regards,

John Doe

Box 901010

Scottsdale, AZ

85528

408-101-0011

Enclosures:

Clips

SASE

About the letter

This author of this query letter may or may not have some advantages over you. The author is someone who has all of the experience and credentials necessary to write the article, and has already secured sources. You may not have everything he has, but you need to know how it sounds when you do.

Note that the query is timely. The author may have been researching Internet fraud for months, but he went out and found an article that ties his research to that week’s news. Also note that none of his sources are from the particular case he mentions. Instead, he uses that case as a selling point for his research. Quite possibly he has already written a related article for his column, and he now wants to reuse part of it to make a national sale. There is nothing wrong with this practice. Selling similar articles (not just reprints) to different markets is perfectly acceptable.

For more information:

• 10 Ways to Make Editors Hate You Before They Even Know You
• 5 Ways to Start Making Freelance Money TODAY!
• Super Simple Submissions Tracker
• 40 Fabulous Faults of Freelance Failures

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