- Joined
- Jul 26, 2012
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About me: hobby writer w/ pro aspirations. never been published. my main project is a memoir i've been working on for a year. out of the blue, i found a paper i wrote in college a couple years ago and randomly decided to adapt it into what could be a magazine article. i have never sent a freelance query before.
About the manuscript: 1,650 words about issues facing black women in sports. (the original paper was maybe 5,000 words).
About the query: 650 words total. the magazine atop my wish list that i am focusing on first accepts its queries via email.
Subject: Writer Query: "Title of Piece" - My Name
Dear Mr. John Doe,
I begin my query as I begin my article—by explaining my title. my title is VERY provocative, possibly even controversial. so I explain that it is a reference to the title of a seminal book on this subject. i am a bit worried that i feel my title is so provocative that it necessitates immediate explanation. might this turn off the editor/reader? or will this be a grabber? by now i am sort of wed to the title because it is a clever play on the reference, and has additional tie-ins to some of my other talking points.
Using the title as a point of departure, I rattle off a few facts about the injustices faced by black women in sports. due to the framework set up by the title thing, the facts don't come across as a dry list but rather smoothly flow with nice transitions from fact to fact.
Next I bring up a couple specific stories that i talk about in my article. basically, i give condensed versions of what i write about them in my article. At the end of my second specific story, i raise a question that could be interpreted as the main ....thesis? or argument? or consideration of the article. At this point in my query I am at 390 words.
Next i talk more....logistically about the article. i say i use historical and contemporary examples. insist i am balanced in my approach to the issues and give an example. i insist that while my title may be radical/liberal sounding, i also offer more conservative perspectives and give an example.
I mention that the article includes fun facts, some humor, and pop culture references. i say how the article flows well b/c of common threads i found in the subject matter.
I say I have a finished manuscript of 1,650 words that i would love to send them. i insist my knowledge and research makes me capable of producing a longer piece, or even a shorter piece if desired.
I thank the editor and say i hope to hear back soon.
sincerely,
my name
email
phone
home address
***notice i completely avoid talking about my credentials since i have none that are relevant (no publications, my BA is not in journalism or english but psychology). i worry my query my be a tad too long(?) also, since it's an email, do i still need to put the editor's name, title, magazine name, address/contact info at the top?
am i missing anything?
About the manuscript: 1,650 words about issues facing black women in sports. (the original paper was maybe 5,000 words).
About the query: 650 words total. the magazine atop my wish list that i am focusing on first accepts its queries via email.
Subject: Writer Query: "Title of Piece" - My Name
Dear Mr. John Doe,
I begin my query as I begin my article—by explaining my title. my title is VERY provocative, possibly even controversial. so I explain that it is a reference to the title of a seminal book on this subject. i am a bit worried that i feel my title is so provocative that it necessitates immediate explanation. might this turn off the editor/reader? or will this be a grabber? by now i am sort of wed to the title because it is a clever play on the reference, and has additional tie-ins to some of my other talking points.
Using the title as a point of departure, I rattle off a few facts about the injustices faced by black women in sports. due to the framework set up by the title thing, the facts don't come across as a dry list but rather smoothly flow with nice transitions from fact to fact.
Next I bring up a couple specific stories that i talk about in my article. basically, i give condensed versions of what i write about them in my article. At the end of my second specific story, i raise a question that could be interpreted as the main ....thesis? or argument? or consideration of the article. At this point in my query I am at 390 words.
Next i talk more....logistically about the article. i say i use historical and contemporary examples. insist i am balanced in my approach to the issues and give an example. i insist that while my title may be radical/liberal sounding, i also offer more conservative perspectives and give an example.
I mention that the article includes fun facts, some humor, and pop culture references. i say how the article flows well b/c of common threads i found in the subject matter.
I say I have a finished manuscript of 1,650 words that i would love to send them. i insist my knowledge and research makes me capable of producing a longer piece, or even a shorter piece if desired.
I thank the editor and say i hope to hear back soon.
sincerely,
my name
phone
home address
***notice i completely avoid talking about my credentials since i have none that are relevant (no publications, my BA is not in journalism or english but psychology). i worry my query my be a tad too long(?) also, since it's an email, do i still need to put the editor's name, title, magazine name, address/contact info at the top?
am i missing anything?
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