Addressing editors in queries - how do you do it?

I always keep it formal until they sign off informally. Sometimes this never happens, sometimes it happens rather quickly.

It's scary at first, I know. You're never quite sure what to do. Welcome to AW and good luck in your quests. You'll get some great advice here.

What KTC said. I keep it formal but follow their lead.

Also, if we moved right from a formal email to a phone call initiated by the editor, I usually send a follow-up email using their first name.

I'd stick to a formal approach for the query. Sometimes I drop the "Mr./Ms." when the name is ambiguous, and just call them by first and last name. When you start corresponding with an editor, you can follow their lead and use their first name when they do it first. I've got one editor I'm on a first name basis with, but he's bought a half dozen articles from me.

My Two Cents

Since I'm an editor let me give my own perspective...

I don't like "Mr." but formal is always better than too informal. "Dear Editor" is a bad move, and it's better to omit a salutation altogether in my opinion rather than be perceived as someone who didn't do the homework.

I had a noob writer address me as "guy" and "buddy" once upon a time. He annoyed me and didn't last very long because, frankly, he sucked. His manners weren't necessarily an indication of his lack of talent, but it was a good barometer of his experience in the freelance game as a young punk.

No offense to those of you who are new in freelance but are NOT punks, however young. Heh.

Did I just show my age? Tee hee.

J.
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I always keep a pitch formal, but may use more informal forms of address when communicating via follow-ups to clarify an assignment, or after a long history of working together. Editors with whom I've been working with frequently for years are always informal, sometimes even without any sort of salutation, but no one cares by that point as long as the assignments keep coming in good time and with good quality.

I always keep it formal until I develop a relationship with the individual and know it's alright to use their first name. I also do my research to try and find out the actual name of the editor who handles my type of work. I try my utmost to avoid addressing works to Acquisition or Submission Editor, in spite of what the guidelines may say.

Mayntz Has a Good Point

When I query, I too like to keep the tone formal even if I'm familiar with the publication. You never know who it's going to get forwarded to....

A fellow writer showed me her query once that I thought had a rather unconventional form of address. She wrote (for instance),

Dear Agent John Smith,

(or) Dear Editor Tony Whoever,

When I drew her attention to it she was very surprised. Maybe I don't know something, maybe it's okay? It definitely looked weird to me at the time. Do you think it's okay to use this form of address? Just being curious, because I always address people as Mr/Ms until they clearly ask me to use their first name.

One I am working with signs all her emails from the begining with her first and last name. So I just say "Dear First Last" and leave it at that. So far no trouble.

Even being female I can't understand that whole Ms. Mrs. and Miss thing. How could anyone be expected to decide which random combination the editor prefers.

I've never understood those who are anal retentitve about names or titles either. Although I prefer Ms. even tho' I am married, it doesn't affect me as to what someone uses when addressing me. I didn't bother to take my hubby's last name because I was almost 30 when I got married and too lazy to change things. He's as lax as I am...when we moved to FL, many people got to know me first and naturally assumed that my last name is his too, and he could care less when they call him by my name. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff!