Query letter for submitting poetry

Marilyn Braun

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I'm planning to submit 2 poems to a magazine and I'm just wondering if I need to write a query letter for it. If so I'm not sure what to write. All I have is

Dear ________

Please find attached two poems for your consideration.

Thanks, Marilyn

Is this enough? Does anyone have any suggestions?
 

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Marilyn Braun said:
I'm planning to submit 2 poems to a magazine and I'm just wondering if I need to write a query letter for it. If so I'm not sure what to write. All I have is

Dear ________

Please find attached two poems for your consideration.

Thanks, Marilyn

Is this enough? Does anyone have any suggestions?


Maybe say also where you've got their address and that you thought that they might be interested etc. blah! Keep in mind that many of these magazines have got spam killers and get millions of this kind of approaches. Your mail might not even get through. Whatever you do, be weary as hell of any content that might look as spam. I wish you good luck, ok?
 

Marilyn Braun

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This publication does accept poems and the ones I'm submitting would be appropriate for their mag. I guess that's a good starter for the letter isn't it?

I just found the publication by searching for 'writer submission guidelines' on the internet. I'd never heard of them before - but I can't say that now can I?

I was going to attach the poems as separate word files. I thought I'd read that they accept attachments but I should double-check on that. To be on the safe side I may just paste the poems into the email.

It doesn't sound like a very long letter though. I guess I don't need to tell them my life story but I'd rather not just say - "here are my poems. I look forward to hearing from you".
 

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I like to be a little warmer with my query letters; use the editors name--find it if you don't know. I like to say something about their publication also that lets them know I know what they print, that I have an interest in it. I always say something like: Please consider this submission for your next edition or April's edition. Thank them and give them a lot of information about you and how to reach you. By all means look up how they want it submitted, attachment or pasted. Some of them are very fussy. I have gotten nice letters telling me my submissions are high quality. So be as professional as possible.
I learned everything I know from Jenna and this forum...
Good luck!