Querying magazines via email--a format question

brendat15

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Hi! I am new here but have several non-fiction articles written that I'd like to send out to magazines for possible sale (of course!) In a class I took the instructor told us to write the article so that we could let the publisher/editor know that "I have a 650 word article on XYZ". She also told us that by doing this we would send a cover letter (vs. a query letter) because when trying to break in with new markets they need to learn who we are and see what we've published before just going on query.

But I am still confused. If I send the cover letter and article, what's to keep them from just taking the article and publishing it without paying me? I'm thinking I might have misunderstood her but I want to know how you all do it. Am I mixing up cover and query letters in terms of how to approach a publication?
 

Skyraven

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You should check out www.therenegadewriter.com for info as well as writing-world.com for info on mag writing. My experience is that for magazines you send in a query letter with info on your article - quotes, stats, etc. If they accept it, then you write the article in the tone of the magazine after negotiating rights and payment. You can also check out The Renegade Writer, Query Letters that Rock and Making a Living as a Freelance Writer - all great books to teach you about mag writing. You can also check out www.mridukhullar.com for more tips on query letters and mag writing. Good luck!
 

veinglory

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Generally you should be submitting to magazine who would not steal an article and would suffer serious damage to their reputation if they did. The bottom line is they have to see the article before they decide whether to buy it. And for an article so short I would think a query is unnecessary.
 
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Bushrat

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Generally, you would attach one or two published pieces as samples of your writing when you send out a query to a magazine you haven't worked with before. If you don't have any published pieces, it gets a lot harder to get a foot in the door.
I wouldn't send the whole article in since the magazine may not be interested in it and you'd be doing the work in vain. I'd send a query ("Dear XYZ, I am proposing "Swimming with dolphins", a 650-word article for your Lifestyle section." Then three snappy scentences in the tone you intend to use for the piece. Then a short outline of what the content will of your article will be, why you're qualified to write it, and some publishing credits if any.). With the query, I'd attach another piece of writing (unpublished, if you don't have anything published) that illustrates your style of writing.
If they are interested, they might ask you to write the article on spec (not guaranteeing they'll take it until they see it since you're an unknown entity). It's up to you if you go for it. Or they'll simply take it. Or refuse.