by Priscilla Y. HuffAs you cross off the items on your holiday “to-do” list of shopping, baking, and other related tasks, was “sending out a query” also checked-off? According to publishing insiders, the November-December holidays; and the summer vacation months are two of the best times of the year to approach editors about an article idea or a book proposal. The reason is obvious: writers are occupied with celebration preparations and/or traveling during these months, while editors are often left scrambling for new content ideas.
There is still time to send a query before the year’s end, but do not do it too hastily that you forget to include the query basics in your letters or e-mails:
*Attention-grabbing opening – “The Hook”
*Article summary details – “The Pitch”
*Why your article/book would interest the editor’s readers? - “The Reason”
*Why you are qualified and/or the best person to write this piece/book? - “Credentials”
If you really do not have the time now to write a well-written query, keep a paper and pen handy while wrapping presents to jot down proposal ideas for the New Year; and, of course, be thinking of queries for next year’s summer and holiday months.
Happy Holidays! Happy Writing!
Suggested Resources:
*E-book: QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments by Angela Hoy, WritersWeekly.com
*Print book: The Writers Digest Guide To Query Letters by Wendy Burt-Thomas
*Article: “How to Write a Successful Query by Moira Allen www.writing-world.com/basics/query.shtml
Flickr photo by One Pretty Thing
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