Mastering the Query Letter

You have a brilliant story idea. You’ve identified what you think is the perfect publication to pitch the story to. Now it’s time to write a query letter explaining the article you want to write, why it’s perfect for the publication, and why you should be the person to write it.

Writing a stellar query letter is key to landing a freelance assignment. If you can’t catch the editor’s interest with your opening lines and keep her reading until your signature, you don’t stand a chance. And with fewer editors on editorial staffs doing more work than ever before, you’d better make one heck of a first impression if you want to snag work with any publication.

Here’s how to write a query that gets results.

Make sure you’re pitching to the right place. It’s all about picking the right publication and making certain you’re proposing a story that fits that magazine.

If you try to propose a story about pointers for tackling fall yard care quickly and easily to a parenting magazine, busy editors (or their assistants) are going to toss your letter without a second glance. Obviously, you didn’t take the time to look at the types of articles the magazine typically publishes, and your lack of familiarity with the publication will show. If, however, you propose a story on easy ways parents can get their kids interested in and involved with fall chores outdoors by turning easy tasks into games, you may be onto something.

Get to the important stuff. Treat the opening sentences of your query letter like you would the opening lines of a story. Make them snappy, interesting, appealing, compelling. You want to hook the editor you’re writing to and get her to keep reading. Jump right in with an anecdote you’d use in the story, a startling fact or statistic, or a brief bit of description. Then, just as you would with a magazine article, quickly transition to the “hardworking” details—in other words, tell the editor exactly what the story is about, why you think it’s a great fit for the magazine, and more.

Be specific. Don’t just say you want to write an article about fall lawn care or moms with minivans and leave it at that. Give the editor details. Who will you interview? Include names. How long do you expect the story will be? Give an estimated word count. What form will the story take? Give a brief outline of how you see it progressing, and mention if it’s going to be presented in quick bullet-pointed tips or if it’s a long feature divided into subheads. If you think the story fits best in a certain department in the magazine, say so.

It all comes down to proving to your editor that you’ve thoroughly thought this through—and that you’ve done your homework on the types of sources, the length, and the format of other similar stories in her publication.

Tell a bit about yourself. As much as a query letter is about the story you’re pitching, it’s also about you and what makes you qualified to write the story. So once you’ve spent a paragraph or two on the story itself, talk about yourself. What qualifications do you have? What else have you written that you can mention to prove to them you’re a published writer who can pen the type of story you’re proposing?

If you’re a beginner, you might have limited experience to mention. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by saying you’re new to the field or apologizing for your lack of experience. Just state what you have done and move on. If your idea is the perfect fit, the editor may be willing to overlook that you haven’t done much magazine writing yet.

If, on the other hand, you have a fair amount of experience, be selective about what you include. If I’m introducing myself to a “green” magazine, for instance, I’ll write about my passion for the environment and will focus on my experience working on other green publications, my educational background in environmental studies, and any other relevant info. Other experience that isn’t as relevant in this instance—such as small business writing—might be left out this time around.

Show some personality. Writing a formal letter that provides a basic rundown of the story, who you are, and what you do—and nothing else—won’t get you anywhere. This is your one shot, your first impression. You have to convince the person you’re sending this letter to that you’re interesting, that you’re reliable, that you’re a talented writer, that you’re everything they’ve ever wanted in a freelancer and more.

What are you going to say in the lede that’s witty, that’s intriguing, that will convince your reader that they have to keep going to learn more? Is there a turn of phrase or an aside you can insert into your second paragraph to give the person you’re writing to a glimpse of what you’re like or what you’re capable of? How will you close your letter to leave the reader wanting more?



This isn’t to say you should go over the top. But a well-crafted letter should leave a lasting (positive) impression on the reader. When you read back over your letter, does it bore you? Does your attention wander? Odds are, it’s going to bore the person you’re sending it to too.



Get the facts right. Make sure you know the proper format to send your query, whether it’s by email or snail mail. Check that you have the editor’s name right. If you use formal salutations like “Mr” or “Ms,” be darn sure you know that Pat Cameron really is a man. It just may be a woman, and if you start out with the wrong salutation you’re not going to earn any points in her book.

Keep it short. If you think an editor is going to take the time to read a five-page proposal for a 500-word story, you’re crazy.

As with the writing you hope to ultimately do for the magazine you’re querying, your letter should be written clearly and succinctly. Don’t waste words or ramble. Write well, make it interesting, but keep it brief. Unless you’re proposing a particularly in-depth, heavily researched feature, your query letter shouldn’t be longer than a page.

Proofread. Then proofread again. Once you’ve penned that letter, set it aside for a while—a day or two is ideal. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and read it closely. Set it aside. Repeat. Have a friend proofread it too if possible to catch errors you might have missed. That attention to detail matters, because rest assured that if you let a typo sneak in, it will jump out at the person reading your letter immediately.



Follow up. Your job isn’t finished just because you hit send or slapped a stamp on the envelope. Keep track of your queries, and when a reasonable amount of time has passed—say, a month—be prepared to follow up with a brief email or phone call. Sometimes that follow-up makes all the difference.

Celebrate National Punctuation Day

Did you know today is National Punctuation Day? It's true—an entire day devote to celebrating all there is to love (and loathe) about our favorite forms of punctuation.

It all started with Jeff Rubin, a former copy editor who got the day listed on Chase's Calendar of Events in 2004. Each year, he and his wife cook a meatloaf shaped like a question mark as an ode to the day.

You can learn more—and even enter a National Punctuation Day Baking Contest—at the official website, nationalpunctuationday.com.

I'm wondering: What's your favorite form of punctuation and why?

An Apology

Hello dear freelancing friends.

I apologize for leaving you high and dry for over a month. I never intended for time to get away from me like that, but I discovered that it really is possible to be too busy.

Things have slowed down a (very little) bit now, however, so I hope to be back a bit more frequently with news and notes and posts of interests to you, my fellow freelancers.

In the meantime, I'm wondering: As a freelancer, is there anything in particular you'd like to learn more about? Anything you could use some advice or assistance with? If so, let me know. I'll provide my two cents when I can and track down answers from other pros where it makes sense.

In the meantime, happy freelancing!

Staying Sane

I'm sure you know the old cliche, "When it rains, it pours." Right now it's raining cats and dogs here—literally, because we've had some nasty rain storms (and tornadoes) in the area this week, but also figuratively, because suddenly I'm looking at my to-do list in alarm and wondering how I'm going to meet the deadlines I have in the next two weeks when I have a bunch of family visiting now through Monday morning and I start graduate classes again next Monday.

Don't get me wrong: I will meet my deadlines. Failure is not an option and when I make promises I'll do anything I can to fulfill them, even if it means forgoing sleep and ignoring my honey for a week or so. (Hopefully, he'll understand, when it means I'm actually contributing to the bills!)

And I'm not complaining, by any means. Any freelancer who has slow weeks (or months) knows better than to do that. I'm incredibly grateful for all of the work I have on my plate right now and am excited about all of it. It's a great mix of researching, writing, and editing on a variety of topics, which is just how I like it.

But you know how it is when things get way too busy, seemingly out of nowhere. All of a sudden it hits you just how much you have to do and how there most certainly can't be enough hours in the day. And then it's hard to breathe or think or even contemplate tackling the to-do list.

Then, after the initial panic, the only thing left to do is buckle down and get to work. That's all you can do. Well, that and these three steps designed to keep you sane when things get crazy.

1. Get organized. I can't stress enough the importance of staying organized when you're a freelancer. If you're juggling multiple projects, clients, and commitments at once, it's the only way to ensure you're on top of everything and able to focus on what really matters. I employ good old pen and paper to-do lists like it's my job—I have three different lists in front of me right now, actually.

Jot down everything you have to do. Now prioritize. Right now, my to-do list is organized by deadline. My goal is to work my way down it, one step at a time, crossing things off as I go. Just having those words in front of me that spell out exactly what I need to do right now help keep me focused and, hopefully, prevent me from staring off into space trying to remember what the heck I was going to do next.

2. Take some me time. Yes, even when you feel like you could work 25 hours of every day and still not get everything done, you need some downtime. Maybe it's just taking 20 minutes to pause and eat lunch in peace (read: no computer in front of you). Maybe it's going for a quick run or even—gasp!—bathing. You need time to take care of yourself. Otherwise you'll get to crunch time and be too exhausted to think. Or you'll be sick. Either way, you certainly won't be at your best, and if you're not at your best it's going to be pretty darn hard to turn in your best work.

3. Know when to drop a ball. When things get really tight, take a long, hard look at your to-do list. Will the world end if you don't clean the house this week? Probably not—so cross it off the list and worry about it later. Do you have so many paying projects right now that you can't possibly think about your personal blog (I admit, I'm about to be at that point, at least for a couple of days). It's hard to abandon your work, and you don't want to disappear for too long, but if you've built loyal readers they'll come back even if you're gone for a few days.

And the relief and knowing there's one less thing on your to-do list may be just what you need to keep going, to power through to the end, to find freelance success.

Freelance Resource Monday: Government Sources

What are you researching or writing about this week?

Odds are, whatever it is, there's a government website that can lead you to information on your given topic.

I regularly use government sites for a variety of writing assignments—the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Centers for Disease Control, and the Small Business Administration have all been go-to sources for me recently.

And why not? Government agencies and departments offer a wealth of knowledge for freelancers and can be a great, reliable source for facts, figures, and expert sources depending on the topic you're exploring.

You wouldn't want to rely solely on government sources for an in-depth feature on a given topic, of course, but government websites can be a great place to start when you're tackling a new topic.

To find the right government agency or department, there's no better place to begin than USA.gov, which can direct you to government information by topic and allows you to search for info across all government websites.

This doesn't just apply to the United States, either. I've worked on projects before where I had to gather Canadian data, and the government of Canada offers a terrific network of sites teeming with specific, easy-to-find information on anything and everything you can think of.

What government sources, resources, and sites do you find most helpful? Please share!

The LOI

In the throes of my first couple of weeks as a freelancer, I sent out a flurry of letters of introduction (LOIs) to potential clients.

LOIs are a means of contacting editors, business owners, and the like to let them know who you are and that you’re interested in working with them. Think of it as cold-calling, only by email.

It’s a less time-intensive method of drumming up business than sending out query letters, and it can be successful if you do it right. Here’s what I’ve learned about crafting and sending LOIs that get results:

Know when to use an LOI. If you’re pitching a major consumer publication, sending an LOI is probably a waste of time. Unless you’re pitching very specific article ideas that are a perfect fit for their publication, busy editors (or their assistants) are going to toss your letter without a second glance.

Who will take heed? If you’re finding work possibilities on freelance writing job boards, odds are those employers are looking for general letters of intro rather than specific queries. Smaller publications, b-to-b pubs that focus on very specific content areas, trade publications, custom publishers, web design companies that might be in the market for writers to assist their clients, and businesses that can benefit from your copywriting abilities are all possible targets for your letter.

Show some personality. Writing a formal letter that provides a basic rundown of who you are and what you do—and nothing else—won’t get you anywhere. This is your one shot, your first impression. You have to convince the person you’re sending this letter to that you’re interesting, that you’re reliable, that you’re a talented writer, that you’re everything they’ve ever wanted in a freelancer and more. But you can't just say that. You have to prove it.

Think of your LOI like you do an article you’re writing. What are you going to say in the lede that’s witty, that’s intriguing, that will convince your reader that they have to keep going to learn more? Is there a turn of phrase or an aside you can insert into your second paragraph to give the person you’re writing to a glimpse of what you’re like or what you’re capable of? How will you close your letter to leave the reader wanting more?

This isn’t to say you should go over the top. But a well-crafted letter should leave a lasting (positive) impression on the reader. When you read back over your letter, does it bore you? Does your attention wander? Then odds are, it’s going to bore the person you’re sending it to too.

Customize it. Sending the same form letter to everyone on your LOI list might seem like a great time-saving move, but it’s not going to yield results. When I was an editor for a custom-publishing company, I could spot canned letters a mile away—and didn’t give them the time of day. Why would I consider hiring a writer who doesn’t even bother to demonstrate they know my company and what we do?

This doesn’t mean you have to write every LOI from scratch. I created a basic template that goes into a lot of detail on who I am and what I do. Then I customize that template depending on where I am sending it. If I’m introducing myself to a “green” magazine, for instance, I’ll pen a new introduction about my passion for the environment. Then I’ll move up my experience working on other green publications, my educational background in environmental studies, and any other relevant info. Other experience that isn’t as relevant in this instance—such as small business writing—is barely mentioned or removed altogether.

Finally, I add a couple of sentences here and there to make it clear I am familiar with who they are and what they do. (This means, of course, that I make certain I truly am up to speed on who they are and what they do.)

Include an offer. An LOI won’t do much good if it isn’t actionable. Close your letter by stating that you’d love to discuss possibilities with the editor or business owner you are writing to. Or say that you’d be happy to send story ideas their way or provide additional information about yourself if they’d like to learn more. Then be prepared to do exactly that.

Proofread. Then proofread again. You’ve heard me say this before, but I can’t repeat it enough. Once you’ve penned that letter, set it aside for a while—a day or two is ideal. Then come back to it with fresh eyes and read it closely. Set it aside. Repeat. Have a friend proofread it too if possible to catch errors you might have missed. That attention to detail matters, because rest assured that if you let a typo sneak in, it will jump out at the person reading your letter immediately.

Be smart about sending. Root around online, place a call to an editorial assistant. Do what you have to in order to find out how your letter would best be received. Some folks still like a snail mail introduction with clips. But most prefer an email message, with a link to your work online. (Watch out for sending clips attached as large digital files—they might not make it to the person you’re emailing, and they may be a nuisance if they do.)

If you send by email, paste the LOI in the body of the email. Proofread it again. Check formatting.

And don’t forget to write an engaging subject line. Make clear why you’re emailing or what you're offering. “Introduction” or “(No Subject)” won’t cut it. But something like “Looking for a stellar writer?” may be enough to compel the editor to read your email before deleting.

Follow up. Your job isn’t finished just because you hit send or slapped a stamp on the envelope. Keep track of your queries, and when a reasonable amount of time has passed—say, a month—be prepared to follow up with a brief email or phone call. That follow up works—really, it does. I’ll explain just how well soon.

In the meantime, start researching companies and publications you’re interested in writing for and get to work on those letters. The best way to drum up business is to be proactive.

Learn More
Introduce Yourself to Land Work: Why Freelance LOIs Matter (WordCount)
You Ask, We Answer: LOI or Query Letter? (The Renegade Writer)
Letter of Introduction: A Profitable Alternative to Queries (WritersWeekly)

Photo: Miky Jpeg

Freelance Resource Monday: Grammar and Usage Gurus

Grammar is incredibly important for any professional writer (or anyone who communicates, for that matter). Even copy editors and proofreaders occasionally are faced with grammar conundrums or need to brush up on the basics (a fact I personally can attest to).

For these reasons, it's always good to have a set of resources on hand to help you work around a tricky sentence construction or confirm that the way you hope to use a word or phrase is correct. Here are some of my favorites:

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary 11th Edition: It seems obvious, but it's worth reminding you: When it comes to usage questions, one of the easiest places to look up a word and determine its proper use is in the dictionary.
  
  
• The Elements of Style: This classic by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White clearly lays out the fundamentals. I reference it often, but even if you don't, it's worth having in your library.
  
  
• Style Guides: Depending on what you're writing for, referencing the appropriate style guide—whether it's Chicago, APA, MLA, or AP—is a smart place to look for grammar and usage guidelines that vary from style to style.
  
  
• The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): Originally designed for student writers, this website also holds a wealth of information for pros who are stuck on a grammar or usage question. The newly updated site even includes a selection of resources for professional writers (although it's more for professionals who write in their jobs—aka workplace writers—than it is for pro writers).
  
  
• Grammar Girl: Grammar Girl provides podcasts and daily emails with short, friendly tips to improve your writing. Sign up for one or the other (or both!) to get a daily dose of grammar and usage, or search the archives to find pointers on a specific topic.

What resources do you turn to first when you're on the hunt for a grammar or usage answer? Share here!