How To Write A Great Query Letter

A well written query letter hooks an editor and invites her to find out more about a writer’s proposal. While there is a train of thought that formal query letters have gone the way of eight track tape players, a solid argument can be made in their favor.

Target the Market

Most writers realize that writing is much more than the act of sitting down to the computer and putting words together. Before he can begin to market his work, the writer must know his target. He can pin point this by studying market guides, networking with other writers, reading past issues of the publications he is interested in and approaching and being clear on their writer’s guidelines.

Seasoned writers know there is no point is approaching market A with an article on how to compost kitchen waste when they are looking for pieces on decorating the perfect cake. Yes, the two have in common the kitchen but that’s it. Sending off a query letter to the wrong publication indicates to the editor that the writer knows next to nothing about her magazine and hasn’t done the homework a professional writer knows is necessary.

Writer a Professional Query Letter

A query letter is like a handshake. A strong one makes a good first impression. A weak one fails to impact the recipient. A good query letter is written in business letter style. It is typed on standard 81/2”x11” white paper, the paragraphs are single spaced with a double space between them and no indentations. The writer’s name, address, phone number and email address appear in the upper right corner while the date, the publication’s name, editor’s name and address appear in the upper left. A brief closing, such as Yours Truly will suffice. It goes without saying there will be no spelling or grammatical errors.

What an Effective Query Letter Should Include

The writer should take the time to construct a strong opening paragraph, one that will hook the editor. A query letter should give examples of the article’s content, any primary sources, research, and sidebar material, the proposed length and if there are photographs or art work available. He should mention the age of the intended audience and why the article might be a good fit for the editor’s publication. A writer will also want to make the editor aware of his publishing credits but if he is unpublished he should not make a point of sharing that with the editor. The writer should be sure to thank the editor for her time and include an SASE for her reply.

Email Queries

In this age of instant gratification, many publications are open to or even prefer to communicate with writers via email. There are two school of thoughts regarding the form email queries should take. Some writers feel they can be more casual when writing an email query while others think the writer’s first contact with an editor should be more formal. But there is one thing all writers can agree on; if their first contact with an editor is strong it could lead to publication. If it is weak, it will be a quick trip to the rejection pile.