By Lanee’ Blunt
New writers shy away from
using query letters because they don’t understand how they can work for
them. Maybe you have heard that sending
the magazine a query letter is how you should get your article sold, but as a
new writer the query letter seems intimidating.
It sounds like something only professional writers’ use. A new writer
can write an excellent query letter with a few tips.
The query letter is not the
place to try out your new logo or have fancy clipart with your writing
aspirations. Your query must look
professional because you are competing with published writers.
When you write the query
letter you are going to make it interesting and the advantage is that you are
going to do a small amount of research for the query.
Your idea should be
interesting and original. Express the freshness of your idea in the query;
don’t leave anything out including the ending. Tell the editor where you will
get your facts and interviews.
Tell the editor if you have
been published before; list the articles, the magazine, and the publication
date. If you have never been published you can tell the editor about how you’re
qualified for writing the story. For
example, if you’re writing a nonfiction piece on home school, you may tell the
editor that you are a teacher and that you have many years of experience.
Your query letter should be
one page. Keep queries in the mail until
you receive a go-ahead. Send a different
query to each magazine you can not send out simultaneous queries of the same
article. Include a self addressed stamped envelop (SASE) so you can receive an
answer to your query letter.
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