The Question Letter: Advice For The Aspiring Author

Freelance writing tin travel an exciting career pick or a creative agency to brand extra coin on the side. The daily project of freelancing involves seeking out novel editorial markets, whether impress magazines, online ezines, intelligence journals, etc. If you lot conduct keep an thought for an article, the most mutual method to procure a writing assignment is amongst a well-written, compelling, together with persuasive query letter.

Typically, you lot volition come across submission guidelines that acre the following:

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 query missive of the alphabet is a brief synopsis of the article that you lot invention to write or conduct keep already written. Ideally, you lot should arts and crafts your query missive of the alphabet to bring the premise of your article together with explicate why you lot are the most qualified mortal to write it. While to a greater extent than or less editors withal inquire to submit query letters via snail mail, most editors select e-mail pitches. The correct query missive of the alphabet tin catch the editor's attending together with convince him or her to reveal your article.

Study the Publication for Editorial Style together with Direction

You've likely heard this advice many times before: read at to the lowest degree i termination of the mag or peruse its website. Most publications showcase a few characteristic articles together with columns at their websites. If the publication has a website accessible entirely to subscribers or charges a fee, thus see your local library or mass store. Most populace or academy libraries subscribe to mainstream, trade, together with peer review journals together with magazines. When I see my local B&N store, I tin query magazines that specialize inward my niche area. Read at to the lowest degree ii or 3 issues of the mag together with competing magazines if you lot can. Here's why, according to these magazines:

Study the mode of writing every bit good every bit the subjects covered. If a like article has been published recently, consider pitching to a competing publication. If the publication has non published an article on a like dependent plain inward at to the lowest degree a year, the editor may travel receptive to your slant on the subject.

Pitch Your Letter to the Right Person

You already know this because it's mutual sense: ship your query missive of the alphabet to the correct editor. Look at the masthead of the magazine. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 website volition besides conduct keep a listing of editors amongst their contact information. This editor is responsible for the overall editorial direction of the magazine. If you lot don't consider the editor listed, contact the publication direct together with asking the elevate of the mortal inward accuse of editorial. Most guidelines volition say you:

 Keep Your Query Letter Short 

The suggested length of a query missive of the alphabet is i page. Start amongst a potent opening paragraph discussing or illustrating the basic thought of the article. Then travel specific nearly why you lot intend the article is perfect for the publication. Maybe your article is a seasonal piece, perfect for the vacation season. Maybe your article provides solutions to an immediate work that readers are experiencing. More common-sense advice from these magazines:

What makes your article thus special, timely, together with in-demand? The editor wants to know. Then complete amongst a listing of your credentials.

Don't Fail at Proofreading or You'll Look Stupid

Most submission guidelines don't offering this advice because it's thus basic: proofread your query letter. Every author knows to proofread—except the lazy ones. Read over the query at to the lowest degree twice earlier submitting it. If possible, conduct keep someone else read it every bit well. An extra laid of eyeballs may location extra spaces betwixt words, a dangling comma, or a misspelled word. I brand mistakes all the fourth dimension during the get-go together with minute drafts. Before I e-mail a query letter, I relieve it every bit a in conclusion draft together with re-read it a few hours later. Then I ship it. This helps me read my query missive of the alphabet amongst a clear mind.

I promise these incredibly elementary tips volition aid you lot write a amend query letter. If not, read my other articles:

• The Basic Structure of an Article Query Letter, 
• How to Pitch Story Ideas to Online Magazine Editors Without Annoying Them!, and 
• Sample Query Letters for Writers.

—101writer101,
101Writer101.blogspot.com

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