Writing an article query

Writing an Article Query: Copyright © 2011, R. Dodge Woodson.  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

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Writing an Article Query

 Writing a query to sell an article is about the same for a print magazine as it is for an online source. Potential authors have only moments to capture, and hold, the attention of decision makers. There is not a lot of time or room to make a long, slow pitch. You have to put all you have into the first paragraph. Many editors will not read much past this point.

The use of bullet lists that following your opening paragraph is a nice touch. This keeps the query open and easy to scan. Dense text with your excellent idea hidden in it is not as likely to sell.

A lot of rookie writes run out and join as many organizations as they can find. This may be helpful to you in some fashion, but it will mean little to a publisher. Unless you are in a “gated community”, like American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) or The Writer’s Guild.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to dress up your letterhead or correspondence with the word writer or author. This makes you appear inexperienced. Focus of what you want to sell, which is a terrific article that your audience will want to buy.

Online articles are often only 500 words in length. Magazine articles tend to run closer to 2,000 words. There are plenty of exceptions, but this is a good rule of thumb.

Open your query with the first paragraph coming from your story. Don’t brag about who you are or what you have done. Sell the article first. Use up to two paragraphs to lead into your bullet list.

The bullet list should outline key elements that will be covered in the complete article. Most magazine queries are only two pages long. You don’t have a lot of space or time to sell your idea, so sell it well and sell it fast.

Write a paragraph about yourself to follow the bullet lists. Play up your credentials for writing the article. For example, if you are writing an article on photography and happen to teach photography at a school, make this known. Now is the time to blow your own horn. Maybe the article is about making crafts and you have spent years making and selling crafts. This could be your strength as an author.

The next paragraph should provide specifications on the article. How many words will the article contain? Will you be providing photographs? What type of illustrations are needed and will you supply them? How much time do you need to deliver the work? What program will the article be written in? Flesh out as many details as an editor will need to make a decision.

If you have samples of your work, include them for editorial review. In the old days these were clippings or photocopies of published pages. In today’s world it can be an electronic file.

Don’t be afraid to present queries if you have not been published. Once you find the right idea to match your credentials and a suitable outlet for it, you will get published. Being able to provide your own high-quality photographs will give you a definite edge in many types of articles that range from how-to subjects to travel topics.

A lot of people are working hard to get published. Many of them will give up before they make it to the big leagues. Those who don’t quit always have a chance. Today’s online article could lead to a print article that will take you down the path to writing a complete book.

Try to pick topics that you enjoy writing about. The enthusiasm will show in your work. Keep the queries flowing and you will get published. Don’t write entire articles and then try to sell them to the print media. You will do far better with a quality query in that market. Now stop reading and start writing!

Dodge