We've all been: precisely 2.5 seconds after you click "send" on your query email you wish you could take it all back and start over. Unfortunately, most email programs don't have this feature, so you'll have to get it right the first time. Here's a little check list to help.
- Find out if your idea has been done. Before you start searching for stats or crafting your query, check if the publication has covered the topic in the past year. Unless you have a really creative angle, I wouldn't bother pitching something that's been covered recently. Instead, focus on finding other ideas or creating new twists on those evergreen ideas.
- Write a strong subject line and opening paragraph. I generally use the formula "Query: Name of Proposed Article" as my subject. "Query Letter" or "Story Idea for X Magazine" is boring and tells the editor very little about your idea. Write a compelling subject line and an attention-catching opener so they'll want to read more.
- Check your spelling, but don't rely on spell check. Last Friday, Penelope Trunk blogged about why writing without typos is totally outdated. I agree with her point that good content is more important than good spelling, but that doesn't excuse laziness (especially if you're querying a major print pub that doesn't churn things out at the same pace as an online news source). If nothing else, be sure that you spell the editor's name and the name of the publication correctly!
- Remember to include writing samples. You'll look pretty silly if your query says "I've attached a few writing samples for your perusal" and you forget to upload the attachments. In fact, a lot of writing experts recommend that you use links to articles instead of attachments so you don't get caught in an editor's spam filter. Best to double-check the links first, though. If you don't have writing samples, then don't say "I don't have any samples." Just gloss over it and focus on why you can write this piece.
- Add the editor's email last. This tip is actually a cover letter tip from career expert Lindsey Pollak, but it holds true for query letters, too. Avoid embarrassment by composing your email first and reading it over before you add the email address.
- Don't obsess. We've all made email blunders, but it's best to let them go. And since there's no guarantee of an assignment based on a query, I try not to spend more than a few hours on each one. If you waste a whole evening searching for that perfect, poetic turn of phrase or the too-good-to-be-true stat, then you're missing out on personal time or time that could be spent developing other ideas. Get your ideas on paper, let them marinate overnight, and move onto the next one.
Anything I've missed? Leave a comment and let me know!