Comments on: Query Don’ts

By: If at First Your Query Letter Doesn’t Succeed | Make A Living Writing

If at First Your Query Letter Doesn’t Succeed | Make A Living Writing — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:56:35 +0000

[...] build up your self-esteem. Then, query some more!If you’re not having success with querying, learn more about it. Querying is its own art form. Getting the hang of it can open a lot of lucrative doors.This post [...]

By: david deangelo

david deangelo — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:11:26 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing a lot of this excellent content! Looking forward to reading more.

By: craig ballantyne

craig ballantyne — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:08:58 +0000

Informative write up, saved the site in hopes to read more!

By: Carol Tice

Carol Tice — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:05:22 +0000

Hi Paul —

I did hear from several people about this word-count issue. All I can say is I've never proposed a word length for a story…but it can be a way to show you've read their guidelines — as in "I think this would be a fit for your 800-word 'Hot button' column…"

Ultimately, every writer has to decide what they feel shows their strengths in a query letter and what they feel comfortable saying…above is an outline of what's worked for me. Meanwhile, my friend Robert Howells of Surefire Writing I know has a totally different approach and starts his pitches like he's shooting the breeze in person with the editor, as in, "I'd like to pitch you a story about…" Which I gather works for him, but which I think seems forced and goofy! I prefer plunging in to grab them by the lapels with how amazing my story concept is. I think each writer has to experiment a bit and see what gets results for them.

Thanks for commenting!

Carol

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:20:17 +0000

Agreed… except I wonder about not stating a word length, particularly if one is spelled out in market guidelines. It can be just one more way to assure the editor you're paying attention to what they say they want.

I'll have to think about this a bit more.

By: Carol Tice

Carol Tice — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:39:30 +0000

Hi Michelle –

It's true, sometimes guidelines will say, X department is 800 words long or whatever. But what if you pitch your idea for X department, but the editor might have thought hey, this could be a 2,000-word feature? I guess I think it comes off as bossy. But maybe that's because I just had a PR source command me to write a 2,000-word profile of their client, when I don't really know many publications that commission anything that length right now…but if you link it to a particular column or department in the publication, maybe it comes off more like 'I've read you' instead of 'I know better than you what your magazine should be doing,' which is what I fear it usually comes off sounding like.

Thanks for your comment!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:21:19 +0000

I'll have to think about this a bit more.

By: Nawko

Nawko — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:12:46 +0000

Thank you for sharing this information

Hope to see more update from you next time with more tips and techniques.

By: Anne Wayman - About

Anne Wayman - About — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:55:57 +0000

I'll have to think about this a bit more.

By: Alice Knisley Matthi

Alice Knisley Matthi — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:14:32 +0000

Oh it is the end of the day for my brain. Keep up the great work for those of us who learn so much from you.