Home
>
Article Writing
>
Article Queries That Sell

Article Queries That Sell

Queries are not written like business letters or emails; they are specifically designed to sell your articles.

Every query should be:

Written for the appropriate market
A fresh idea
Skilfully presented
Written in a competent style, and
A good example of the writer's research skills.

If your query starts with: ...Please find enclosed an idea that I hope you'll consider is suitable for your magazine...

What reaction do you think this will generate? Yes, a rejection slip. Why? Your letter was boring and didn't grab the editor's attention.

What I usually suggest to new writers is to write the article and then write the query. This has a twofold effect. First, you will know you can write the article, and second you can take information from the article to compile the query. When you become more experienced you can simply write the query and when it is accepted, write the whole article.

Here is a simple formula:

Dear (get the person's name right)

Great Headline (Title)

First paragraph is the hook to get the editor interested. There is no "warm-up" paragraph. In fact, this first paragraph could be the lead of your article. For example: When Adam White bought his first block of land in (name of town) almost ten years ago, he had no idea his investment portfolio would reach nearly $2 million.

The second paragraph should include some good facts and figures.

Third paragraph confirm that the person is willing to share his strategies for wealth.

Fourth paragraph lets the editor know you can provide some excellent photographs.

Fifth paragraph state when you can have the article ready and the word count plus number of images. If you have special qualifications in the subject/topic, let the editor know plus your experience.

Please don't finish your query with... Thank you for your consideration. Just get in and give the editor a great idea and then get out.

Make sure all your contact details are on the top of the letter. If you are sending the query by email you can still use this formula, but your details could appear at the bottom of your email.

Sell the editor with the first paragraph of the query and he/she will commission you and offer a good rate of pay.

barb clews is an award winning journalist with nearly 1,000 published articles to her credit. She has been a writer and editor for 15 years and is the author of "Article Writing for Freelancers" and "20 Tips to Increase Writing Skills" Visit barb clews to subscribe to "Words that Work", Barb's monthly ezine packed with tips for writers.

affordable house cleaning Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.