I have only written one magazine query. It was a good one, it elicited a call from the editor of the trade magazine–but really, how much advice can I reasonably give with just one query written?
So again I resort to the words of real industry experts.
Former magazine editor J.C. Hewitt–How to Write a Query Letter
Anne Wayman, ghostwriter and editor–Magazine Query Letter Sample
As for my experience, let me tell you what I did to get my query accepted:
1. I had a fully formed idea. I did not have a mushy thought, I pretty much had an article already written.
2. I had a topic that was important and hadn’t been very well covered in the industry.
3. I had several “angles” that made the story interesting. My story wasn’t just about saving money on marketing tactics–it was about making more money, saving time, and accessing a whole new breed of client with this marketing tactic.
4. I quoted some numbers. I did research before submitting the query and was able to give the editor some numbers to show her how important the topic was.
5. I found the editor’s name and addressed the email to her.
6. I had a well-organized, clear, easy to read letter.
See, it isn’t that hard… good job… and to those who have yet to write their first query I’d point out that query writing is not a skill we’re born with… and every one of us had to write our first…
Thanks for the link
Thanks Anne–and you’re right, I did a ton of research before I wrote the query