Marketing to Editors

How are you marketing your articles? As a writer prospecting potential clients, your query letter is your marketing tool. What does it tell the editor about you?

Show me... the Market

Show the editor that you know his magazine. Jeff Peck, the editor of Insider's Journal, recently wrote, "...I end up rejecting fully 90 percent or more of the submissions because would-be authors simply don't take the time to understand what our publication is about." Are you sending out random queries shotgun style or are you using laser targeting to pinpoint your target magazine? As published authors, it should be the latter. Most editors recommend reading several back issues. Sending an article on living like a tightwad to an affluent parenting magazine won't work. If you think a few hours learning about your market is a waste of time, then sending out queries wastes both the editor's time and your time.

Show me... the Readers

Show the editor that you know who her readers are. Your query needs to show that you understand who will be reading your article. The Christian Librarian caters to librarians at Christian academic centers. Christian Library Journal meets the needs of academic librarians, but is also read by homeschooling parents, church librarians, school librarians, and public librarians. These two magazines have similar topics, but address very different needs. Be specific when stating the planned content of your article. When the information in your article matches the interests of the readers, the editor will give you a "go".

Show me... the Perspective

Show the editor that you know his magazine's perspective. This is similar to understanding the readership. Focus on the Family provides articles to help families live out their Christian faith. Many other Christian magazines publish similar articles. What makes this magazine unique is their focus on offering only this type of article. From interviews to humorous anecdotes to serious topics, Focus on the Family only publishes articles that provide distinct methods families can follow to grow closer to Christ together. Every magazine has a unique perspective and focus. Many publications place mission statements on their website on the "About Us" page. Some even include it in the writer's guidelines. Make sure that your query reflects the fact that your article will mesh with the editor's goals.

Show me... the Theology

Show the editor that you understand the theology of her magazine, whether or not you are a member of her denomination. Joan Alexander, an editor at Regular Baptist Press, states, "We hear from many writers who are not appropriate for our readership. We prefer that our contributors be well acquainted with our church customers and their theological and cultural perspective." If you are a member of an affiliated church, be sure to let the editor know. If not, you can find the information about the denomination's theology on the internet, books, or people you know in that denomination. In your query, give the editor specific examples of what you intend to put into the article that show her that you understand the unique religious views of her readers.

Show me... the Style

Show the editor that you can write in his magazine's style. Whether scholarly, educated, or conversational, your introductory paragraph (which should be vivid enough to be the first paragraph of your article) should be written in the magazine's style. Scholarly articles offer research driven theses and specialized vocabulary. Conversational pieces often begin with anecdotes or questions and continue in a chatty way. Other stylistic items are more specific. Living Light News always includes the ages of interviewees, contains locations specific to where an edition appears, and almost every news story begins with a testimony of God's goodness. Reading and analyzing back issues reveals these nuggets of information. Show the editor that you understand the style and make a sale.

As an experienced, professional writer, you analyze back issues of the magazines you want to write for. You know their readers and their perspectives. You write in the correct style. Does your query letter show your competence?

Terri Pilcher is the author of MONEY Markets 101: 101 Markets That Pay Writers in 6 Weeks or Less and the editor of a searchable online database of writer's guidelines and theme lists (2-day FREE trial). Both are available at http://www.powerpenmarketsearch.com.

She also publishes a FREE weekly markets e-zine for writers; sign up at http://www.powerpenmarketsearch.com.

high-end home cleaning Morton Grove ..
In The News:

Aigen's Element robot uses solar power and AI to provide farmers with a sustainable alternative to herbicides, working efficiently in cotton and soy fields.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Cybercriminals accessed Medicare data of more than 100,000 Americans by creating fraudulent accounts, prompting CMS to deactivate accounts and issue new Medicare cards.
China's battery swap technology from CATL lets electric vehicle owners exchange batteries in under two minutes, with plans to expand to 1,000 stations across 31 Chinese cities by 2025.
Analysts at Silent Push have uncovered a widespread scam that uses counterfeit retail websites to steal the credit card information of online shoppers.
Chrome users need to update their browsers immediately as Google addresses a critical vulnerability that hackers are actively exploiting. Additional security measures are recommended.
A study found teens glance at phones for dangerous two-second intervals while driving, using devices primarily for entertainment, texting and navigation despite crash risks.
Security researchers uncovered a flaw in Windows 11 that allows attackers to disable Secure Boot using Microsoft-signed tools, requiring manual updates to protect against bootkits.
Carnegie Mellon's noninvasive brain technology allows users to move robotic fingers by thinking about the motion, offering new possibilities for people with motor impairments.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts. Instead of relying only on a password, MFA requires you to verify your identity using two or more methods.
Scientists from Duke, Harvard, and the University of Otago have unveiled a game-changing tool called DunedinPACNI. It uses a single AI brain scan to reveal how fast a person is biologically aging.
A disturbing wave of fake agent phone scams is sweeping across the United States, catching people off guard and draining their savings.
Emojis aren't just playful add-ons; they're powerful tools for building stronger connections in our increasingly digital world.
Google has taken a major step toward the future of clean energy by partnering with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), an MIT spin-out working to build one of the world’s first commercial fusion reactors.
If you create and share art online, you might have seen messages warning that Facebook's parent company, Meta, claims the right to use or even sell anything you post, whether it's pictures, poems, or artwork.
Cybercriminals hit Qantas in a major data breach that exposed information from up to six million customers.
Having reliable, loud, and timely emergency alerts on your phone or device is important because when severe weather strikes, every second counts.
Here's how your daily brew is becoming the foundation for greener buildings.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, are transforming how we learn. But what does this mean for AI and learning retention?
Modern AI data centers use much more electricity than traditional cloud servers. In many cases, the existing power grid cannot keep up. One innovative solution is gaining traction: repurposed EV batteries for AI data centers.
Microsoft 365 and Outlook users are being targeted by a tactic that injects fake billing alerts directly into their calendars.
Researchers are now showing us that old smartphones as data centers could be the next big thing in sustainable tech.
Scientists have created micro-robots for sinus infection treatment that can enter the nasal cavity, eliminate bacteria directly at the source, and exit without harming surrounding tissue.
Let's examine how your data is collected in everyday life, who is buying and selling it, what happens to it afterward, and, most importantly, what you can do to protect yourself.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the U.K. developed small robots called "Pipebots" that can travel inside water pipes to find and potentially repair leaks, all without any excavation.

How Webmasters Can Become Experts and Write Expert Articles!

Write articles, be recognized as an expert, drive a surge... Read More

The Benefits of Publishing Articles to Build Big Ticket Marketing Relationships

Ok, today we are going to talk about one of... Read More

Put Your Recruiting on Auto Pilot

Getting people to join your company can be hard work.... Read More

Writing Articles to Improve Link Popularity

There are many different ways to improve link popularity for... Read More

How To Edit Your Articles As You Write

Increase your ezine subscribers by submitting articles once or twice... Read More

Publishing: Changing realities (II)

There is some wisdom in saying that when you are... Read More

You Should Seriously Consider Making Money With Your Words

Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More

Using Anchor Text Optimization In Your Article Viral Marketing Campaign

What is Anchor Text Optimization?Anchor text optimization consists of the... Read More

Handling Rejection

Rejection is part of a writer's life. You must cope... Read More

Article Queries That Sell

Queries are not written like business letters or emails; they... Read More

How I Write Articles For Profit

Most Internet marketers worth their salt know how effective articles... Read More

Using Anecdotes - Remember, People Like to Read About People

Okay, I admit it: I'm a keen people-watcher. (Most writers... Read More

Promote Easily With The Two-Step

Here's a really simple way... to promote your online business... Read More

Create An Article Reference Box That Calls To Readers

There are two primary factors in creating a successful reference... Read More

Publishing: Changing realities (I)

When you frequently post articles on ezines, you might be... Read More

7 Steps To Writing Articles That People Just Have To Read

This may come as a surprise... to you, but writing... Read More

Writing Articles Can Improve Your Online Marketing and Sales

Many people which in online business world find difficulties in... Read More

Articles: How To Turbo Charge Traffic When Your Promotion Budget Is Tiny

Writing articles for your site and for the use of... Read More

Increase Site Page Rank By Writing Free Articles

Are you looking for a better way to promote your... Read More

5 Powerful Article Writing Tips

Writing articles is one of the most powerful, if not... Read More

Crafting Your Optimized Author Bio

Your author bio is a vital part of your article... Read More

Content and Articles to Improve Revenue

It is important for all webmasters to realize that if... Read More

Writing Articles - Two Aspects Of The Surge

Writing articles for publication on the Internet is, at the... Read More

Ezine Article Writing In 10 Easy Steps

1. Choose A Topic.You need to choose either a hot... Read More

Incredibly Bad Articles Will Kill Your Credibility

I've noticed a disturbing trend recently of articles suggesting that... Read More

spring cleaning service Buffalo Grove ..