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[GWL]: Sheri's Queries

Sheri, I think your letter is actually a query for a query letter 
instead of an actual query letter itself.  I would expect a query letter 
to propose a specific story, give an opening sentence or paragraph, tell 
a bit about how the story would be developed, and tell why the story is 
relevant to the readers of the specific publication (if it is not 
obvious).  The writer would prove she has something new and original to 
offer in the proposal itself.  I would also get to see how she writes.

The rest of the letter would give biographical info, experience, 
specific credits, and anything else relevant.  It would guide me towards 
the prospective author's concept of her best work so I can go take a 
look.  When it comes to the bio and credits, I would be looking for 
easily verifiable facts.  If a degree is listed and matters at all, for 
example, I would like to know the institution, the field, and the date.  
(An astonishing number of degrees get made up.) Three specific 
references to articles or web pages where I can go to read some of the 
writer's best work would be more useful than any amount of 
generalizations.     

Your letter doesn't propose any specific story or story idea.  It gives 
your background and credits only in generalities.  And it includes 
nothing specific to specific publications, and, in fact, is being sent 
to many publications.

I think some editors would take your letter as simply a generic query as 
to whether they are interested in any freelance work.  If they generally 
are, they might send you a letter that basically says, "Send the real 
query."  Some editors might have little interest in freelance work, or 
might only use freelancers under certain circumstances.  They might 
simply toss your letter in the trash.  However, if approached with a 
query for a specific, original, exciting story, the same editor might 
respond positively.  Some editors would probably even be insulted at the 
generic approach.    

I wonder whether you actually accomplish anything with this extra query 
step.  Furthermore, I wonder whether generic queries are very useful.  I 
think anyone who wants your work will respond faster to a specific 
targeted query with a specific story idea.  Furthermore, some of those 
who don't bother responding to the generic approach might have responded 
to something specific.  

Much depends upon the $ situation, though.  If you are expecting major 
money from the magazine, you're going to need to prove yourself in a 
serious way in your query if the editor doesn't already know your work.  
If the magazine or publication doesn't pay major money, they might be 
much more mellow and less demanding.  After all.  Under these 
conditions, the writers are basically volunteers.

Your query seems to be inviting the editors to agree to work with you on 
a number of stories and accept you as a regular.  That isn't practical.  
I think just about any editor would want to start with ONE story.  If he 
likes that one and you are easy to work with, then it's time to talk 
about the second story.  A first story with any publication is always a 
gamble for them.  Even if they like your clips, for all they know, some 
editor totally rewrote all your stories.  They can't tell.  Many editors 
get burned that way.  Or you might be really arrogant, not want a single 
word of your priceless prose edited or changed, fail to meet deadlines, 
or be otherwise less than delightful to work with.  They really have no 
way of knowing other than to talk with other editors you've worked with. 
 That is practical at the book level, but isn't usual for articles.   

Why might an editor take longer to respond?  Different editors have 
different backlogs.  Writing jobs underway take precedent.  An author 
who is already working with them takes precedent.  Queries from authors 
they have worked with before take precedent.  Unsolicited queries are 
the slush pile.  They are, quite reasonably and necessarily, absolutely 
the bottom priority.  A response on unsolicited queries within a month 
is good.  Within two months is reasonable.  Some magazines have first 
readers to screen unsolicited queries.  The slush pile has to go through 
a process before it even gets to the relevant editor.  

Did your letter go to the appropriate editor by name?  That can mean 
bypassing the slush pile in many cases.  Or did you address your letter 
to "the editor?"  (Go directly to Slush Pile; Do not Pass Editor.  Do 
not get fast response.)  Or did it go to the wrong editor?  Or to the 
nonexistent editor or secretary some magazines list on their pages or in 
Writer's Market so as to be able to distinguish unsolicited queries from 
the priority stuff?  It's best to avoid the slush pile when you can.    

For GWL, in general, I'll mention that you can always call the magazine 
and find out which editor would be interested in a query on a particular 
subject.  That's all the more useful, since, these days, half the 
editors have turned over during the six months between now and when the 
last masthead came out.  Or the whole magazine has folded.


Carol Deppe
Author of BREED YOUR OWN VEGETABLE VARIETIES:  THE GARDENER'S AND 
FARMER'S GUIDE TO PLANT BREEDING AND SEED SAVING (See table of contents, 
excerpts, & reviews at http://www.chelseagreen.com.)  

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