Why do you need to learn how to write a query letter? Why not just focus on writing articles instead?

Imagine: You’re crossing the street and you see the strangest, most exciting event of your life. In a flash of inspiration, you grab your notebook and jot down an idea for an article that will educate, inspire, and entertain readers of all ages. You’re sure it’s going to be a hit. But how do you convince an editor to publish it?

Novice writers may think that good ideas sell themselves. More experienced writers, however, know that all ideas have to be sold, and one way to do that is to write a great query letter.

Consider: For every query letter that an editor receives from you, he or she will receive hundreds from other writers. So there are many writers competing for limited space, and one very busy editor who wants to find the best 1%, which probably does not include query letters that begin with “Dear Sir/Madam.”

In fact, literary agent Stephen Barbara describes how his colleagues created a Query Letter Game involving lots of poorly written letters and copious amounts of alcohol. And while he is talking about query letters for literary works, the same concepts can be applied to queries for print and web periodicals.

Space in publications is limited and further categorized into thematic topics and categories that you may not write about. I, for example, enjoy writing about health and nutrition, but not cooking, which means I can target just about any parenting, general, health, and wellness publication, minus the cooking sections.

And every writer, myself included, is going to have more misses than hits. To balance this ratio of limited space versus articles published, it’s important to start at the beginning: submit a query letter that captivates, beguiles, and converts even the most harried editor into a believer.

Writing query letters

Think about writing a query letter as a project that’s as important as writing the article. And just as you have learn how to write an article and the criteria that make a good article, you have to learn how to write a query letter and the criteria it must follow.

General tips

• Ensure the query letter is targeted to the right publisher at a current address (email or snail mail).
• Address it to the editor by name (which is available on the publication’s masthead, website, or by calling them).
• Keep your opening salutations formal. “Hello Joe” will not work unless Joe is a good buddy of yours.
• Include your name and contact details at the bottom of the letter.
• Keep the tone professional at all times, and forget any notions of being overly personal or humorous.
• For snail mail:
  • Use a standard font and size on good quality (at least 20-lb. bond) white paper.
  • Include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for a reply.
  • Include copies (not originals) or published clips.
• Keep in mind that publications do differ in how they like to receive query letters (many only accept emails) so do some research using Writer’s Market before you send yours off.

Pitfalls to avoid

• Don’t use a sales pitch to sell your article. Instead rely on the idea, facts, and figures to do their job.
• Don’t keep salient points to yourself as a “surprise.” This is the time to pull out all the stops. If you have a shocking fact or a quote that rocks, use it to seal the deal.
• Don’t forget to check and double-check grammar and spelling. Instead of relying on a spell check tool, print out the letter and get someone to edit it for you.
• Don’t ramble. Keep your query letter short and to the point. Most professional writers suggest sticking to one page.

Letter structure

Your letter should be divided into a few paragraphs including an opening introduction with a “hook,” the body, credentials, and a closing paragraph.

Opening

The opening paragraph should grab the editor’s attention from the first line. This line in fact is often what makes or breaks a sale. It demonstrates not only that you can write well, but that you have something newsworthy to sell. If you are planning on using a personal anecdote to begin a query letter, ensure the publication in question accepts first person articles.

Avoid starting with an introduction (“Hi, my name is…”), flattery (“I’m a regular subscriber…”), self importance (“I know my article will be perfect for your magazine”), or sympathy (“Even though I’ve never been published before…”).

Remember, editors aren’t looking for great writers to pay; they’re looking for great articles to publish.

Body

Once you’ve got the editor’s attention, move on to the body. This is where you use a soft-sell approach to explain what it is you’re offering, or what your idea is all about. At this point, you may offer a tentative working title for your article, keeping in mind that editors do often like to change them.

Your “body” is usually two to four paragraphs and can include possible interviews you’ll be conducting, research study statistics you’ll incorporate, and any other points of interest your article will feature. Use bullet points if you feel it will read better.

Credentials

The last to final paragraph talks about your credentials. This is where you can afford to brag a little if you have relevant expertise, or sell your other strong features such as teaching experience, academic training, professional certification, etc.

Closing

And finally, close with an appropriate sentence or two, thank the editors for their time, and offer a deadline by which you can deliver.

Before you send your query letter, don’t forget to review this quick checklist:

• Have I read the publication?
• Have I double-checked its guidelines?
• Am I following the correct submission method?
• Have I included my contact details, in particular a phone number and email address?
• Have I spell-checked and edited it so that it reads clearly?
• Can I add further credentials to help sell the piece or myself?
• If I’m mailing it, have I included a SASE and copies of my published clips?

Good luck, and I look forward to seeing your published article soon!