By
Lanee’ Blunt
Writing
query letters is important to learn and master. They are important because they
keep you out of the slush pile. One advantage of using the query letter is that
it takes your manuscript from unsolicited to solicit. You don’t have to write
the full article until it is requested by a magazine publisher. If the
manuscript is requested there is no guarantee that it will be sold, but only
that they will read it.
Read
the magazine that you want to appear in. Read at least the last six copies of
the magazine. Your query will be turned down if the editor has just bought the
article that you are querying. So it’s best to know what type of articles they
have recently purchased from freelancers.
The
query letter is only an idea. You will do enough research for the query letter
to prove to the editor that you know something about the subject. More research
will be done when you finish the article. Have an original and interesting
idea. Express freshness to the approach of a subject. Leave nothing out
including how that article will end. Tell the editor where you will get your research,
facts, and people you will interview.
Have
you been published before? For example, I have appeared in several magazines
and state the name of the articles, publication dates, and where you have
appeared. If you are a new writer don’t mention it because if you can write you
might still get a go ahead. Tell the editor how you are qualified to write the
article.
