For New Freelancers: What's Lead Time? And a Compelling Query

You have an idea. Now it’s time to write a query letter, or query. (Remember that query’s a verb, too. You can write a query, or you can query a publication. Both are legit uses of the word.) The query is the way you introduce yourself to an editor. This one-page letter is likely your only opportunity to make a positive first impression, capture her attention with an idea that will work for her readers, and convince her or him to give you your first assignment. It’s important.

I’ve been using the same basic structure for queries for years, and I know it works. Each query includes four elements:

*The lead. This first paragraph or two should capture the reader’s attention. You don’t need to start your query with an introduction; instead, jump right into your story and write the lead of the article you intend to write. You may use a first-person or third-person anecdote; a recent research breakthrough; a surprising fact; or any other introduction that makes your editor keep reading.

*The why-write-it section. This paragraph gives more detail about the article you’re pitching so that the editor can decide whether it’s right for her readers.

*The nuts-and-bolts section. This paragraph describes how you’ll approach the article. Who do you plan to interview? How long will the article be? What angle will you use? What’s the working title? I always like to suggest the section of the publication I believe the story belongs here. It shows I’m familiar with the market I’m pitching, which helps set me apart from other writers.

*The ISG (for “I’m-So-Great”) paragraph. This is arguably the most important section of the query for an unpublished writer. You’re unknown and unproven, so you want to demonstrate that you’re the perfect person to write this particular story.

So when do you send a query? That depends on the publication's “lead time.” Lead time is the amount of time between when a publication assigns stories and when they actually run. Typically, national consumer magazines have the longest lead times—on average, about six months. Smaller magazines and trade publications tend to have shorter lead times, and online publications have the shortest, which may be only a week or two.

You want to think about lead time when you’re pitching an idea that has some kind of “time peg,” or reason to run the story at a particular time. For example, you’d probably pitch a holiday-themed story to a national woman’s magazine in early summer, and a “get ready for the beach” workout for a spring issue of a men’s fitness magazine in fall or early winter. The publication’s writers’ guidelines may tell you what its lead time is; if there’s any doubt, it’s always better to pitch a story a little early than too late.

In fact, I suggest you always review the market’s writers’ guidelines before you write a query. The guidelines may specify what editors like to see in pitches, and tell you which sections of the publication are written in-house or are otherwise unavailable to freelancers. The guidelines will also tell how to send your query (i.e., via email or regular mail) and may also give you a suggested response time.

Here’s an example of a straightforward query using the above template. I’ve included my comments in blue.

  

Dear Kristin: 

When I launched my fulltime freelance business on January 1, 1997, I did so without any help. I had no journalism background, no clients, no connections in the publishing world, and a portfolio that contained only two clips. I made every mistake possible along the way. I wrote articles and sent them to markets instead of sending queries. I took what editors offered without asking for more money. I signed all-rights contracts without negotiating to make them more writer-friendly. I wrote for markets once instead of trying to develop long-term relationships. The list goes on…and on…and on.

But over time, I started to learn from my mistakes. I looked for ways to work more efficiently. I focused on building relationships with editors, experts, and other writers. I cut back on the amount of time I spent researching stories, which boosted my bottom line. And I discovered ways to set myself apart from all the other writers out there clamoring for editors’ attention. It paid off—along the way, I’ve written hundreds of articles, two novels, three nonfiction books, and hit the six-figure mark as a freelancer. [This is a first-person lead. Do you see how I’m catching the editor’s attention with a “true-life” story and demonstrating that I’m uniquely positioned to write this article?]

Yet I see many writers making the same kinds of mistakes I did early on, which prevent them from reaching their monetary and personal goals. “The Biggest Mistakes Even Smart Writers Make” will describe these kinds of errors, how they affect your productivity, and show ways to overcome them. I’m thinking of breaking the article into five to eight sections (depending on how many mistakes you want me to cover), with practical, doable advice for each type of error. [This paragraph explains how I’ll approach the story, and shows the editor how her readers will benefit from the piece. In retrospect, I could have included a couple of examples of these types of mistakes to further strengthen this section.]

Kristin, are you interested in this topic for your “Work Smarter” section? I estimate 1,500 words for this piece, but that’s flexible depending on your needs. About me: I’ve been a fulltime freelancer for seven years, and wrote an article on reprints for Writer’s Digest last year. My work has also appeared in more than 50 national magazines including Self, Shape, Health, Redbook, Woman’s Day, Continental, The Writer, and Marie Claire, and I’m the author of four books including Ready, Aim, Specialize! Create your own Writing Specialty and Make More Money (The Writer Books, 2003) and the upcoming Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money (Random House, February, 2005.) If you like, I’ll be happy to send you clips via fax or snail mail. [Note that I’ve suggested the section of the magazine where I think the story belongs. I’ve also given her a word estimate that is consistent with the writers’ guidelines, and told her a little bit about my background.]

Please let me know if you have any questions about this idea. I believe readers will appreciate and benefit from this story. [Oops! I forgot to thank her for her time. Otherwise, I think this is a great query, and it sold.]

Sincerely,

Kelly James-Enger

Feel free to use this template and my four-paragraph structure to create your own queries. A model will help you create a compelling, professional query that will help you nab assignments. 

**Looking to launch your freelance writing career--or make more money for your words? Check out Improvise Press' first two books: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. You can order them through any bricks-and-mortar or online bookstore, or directly through www.improvisepress.com. Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps, no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order. 

Can't afford to buy the books right now? Then request them from your local library! And thank you for supporting Improvise Press, and this blog. 

Long-time Freelancer? Then it May be Time to Shake Things Up

I'm thrilled to write a guest post for The Renegade Writer today, on a topic of interest to anyone who's been freelancing longer than a year or two. How do you know if it's time to add something new to your work mix--and how do you do it? Check it out!

When Do You Contact a Source? The McCaughey Septuplets Rule, Revisited

New writers often ask me how to make their queries stand out from the pack, especially when they lack clips. The best way to do so is to craft a compelling query that shows you've already down researched the topic you're pitching. 

Depending on the topic, this may mean including statistics, recent research, or "live" quotes from an expert or another source. So how much time and effort do you put into the query itself? Do you interview a source before you get the go-ahead to do the actual article? Or do you wait until after you get the assignment? The answer depends on what I call the McCaughey Septuplets Rule.

Let me explain. If the story I'm pitching turns on someone's participation (such as with a true-life feature or a profile), I contact the person ahead of time to make sure he or she is willing to do the story if (and hopefully when) I get the assignment. I may also use this opportunity to do a brief interview with my source and include some "live" quotes into the query, demonstrating that I've already done my homework. 

I call this this "The McCaughey Septuplet Rule." Long before 19 Kids and Counting aired, the McCaughey Septuplets, born in November, 1997, were big, big news. Every few months, their beaming faces would grace a women's magazine.

So let's say you wanted to write a profile on the McCaughey septuplets or interview one or more of them for an article. Sure, you can pitch the piece, but if it gets assigned, well, you need the septuplets. No one else will do. 

Same goes for pitching an article about a particular celebrity. If you want to write about Matt Damon, you'd better confirm with his publicist he's willing to talk to you for the story. And if you plan to write about a researcher's ground-breaking discovery, you want to be sure she's willing to be interviewed for your story. Otherwise you'll be unable to write the promised piece. 

That's why I confirm that any critical story source is willing to talk to me before I pitch the story—I don't want to be stuck with an assignment I can't deliver. Otherwise, I note a couple of people who I "plan to interview" (note my phrasing--these are the types of sources I plan to talk to--if one isn't available, I'll get someone similar), and contact them once I get the assignment.

Get the idea? If the story turns on someone's participation, I get their OK before I pitch it. Otherwise I pitch it and contact my sources afterwards. That's the McCaughey Septuplets Rule, in short. Follow this strategy and you'll write stronger queries--and never be in the position of being unable to deliver a story you pitched. 

**Want to launch your freelance career--or make more money as a freelancer? Check out Improvise Press' first two books: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. You can order them through any bricks-and-mortar or online bookstore, or directly through www.improvisepress.com.

Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps, no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order--and please let your friends who would like to make money writing know about Improvise Press and our new line of books. 

5 Tips for Writing for Online Markets--and 8 Sources of Markets

When I surveyed freelancers last year about the types of work they were doing, more than three in four said they write for online markets. Yet some writers mistakenly think that there's no money to made writing for the Web, assuming that most online work is for “content mills” that pay a pittance (say, $5 for an article or blog post). 

Actually there are thousands of online writing opportunities for freelancers, many of which pay well. Want proof? More than half of the six-figure freelancers I recently interviewed for Six-Figure Freelancing said that the majority of the work now comes from online markets instead of print. If you want to add online writing to your freelance mix or want to do more of it, follow these five simple steps: 

Step 1: Locate Markets

Looking for online markets? Look for the electronic versions of your favorite print magazines, and check out company's websites, which often use freelance work. And check out free websites including: 

•   www.gorkanajobs.com;

•   www.journalismjobs.com;

•   www.online-writing-jobs.com;

•   www.freelancewritinggigs.com; and

•   www.mediabistro.com.

Fee-based websites that provide online market information include: 

•   www.freelancesuccess.com; 

•   www.freelanceswitch.com; and

•   www.writers-editors.com. 

      Step 2: Analyze your Target 

      Just as you would with a print magazine, analyze your potential market before you query. What types of subject does the site cover? How long are the articles or blog posts? How often are different sections of the site updated? Which sections seem to use the most freelance material? And of course, read the writers' guidelines if they're available online. 

    Rates vary widely, but promising online markets pay anywhere from $50 to about $500 for a blog post of 500-800 words and $0.25 to $1-2/word for articles. If you can't tell what a market pays, don't hesitate to email and ask. 

      Step 3: Pitch the Market 

     Next up, send a query letter or LOI to pitch the online market. Make sure you play up your online writing experience in your pitch. If you have zero e-clips, consider creating a blog to get some practice with the online form as it's a bit different than writing for print.  

     Step 4: Write your Piece  

    Researching an online piece is no different than researching one for a print market, but there are some significant differences between writing for online versus an online market. In general, online articles tend to be shorter, more timely, and more "chunky" than print stories on the same topic. Online stories tend to include more subheads, bullets, and numbered lists than print articles might, and their visual impact (how they'll appear on the page) should always be kept in mind. Another critical factor is a compelling headline, which draws readers--make it as attention-getting as possible. The same goes with the lead--it should grab readers and make them want to stay on the page.

    As you’re writing, model your work after the site's style and tone. You may also want to consider including certain SEO, or search engine optimization, words as you're writing. Not every editor expects this, but offering to include SEO keywords in your piece, if desired, may endear you to yours.  

     Step 5: Turn the Piece in--and Pitch Again 

    Just as you would with a print story, turn the piece in on time and with any necessary backup, or fact-checking information. Offer to promote the story through social media when it appears, and answer your editor's questions promptly. And be sure to pitch another idea when your editor lets you know he has approved your piece--it will help you create an ongoing relationship with him.  

    ***Want to launch your freelance career--or make more money as a freelancer? Check out Improvise Press' first two books: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. You can order them through any bricks-and-mortar or online bookstore, or directly through www.improvisepress.com. 

          Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps, no breaks) for 20 percent off of your order--and please let your friends who would like to make money writing know about Improvise Press and our new line of books. 

Introducing Improvise Press--and the Return of Six-Figure Freelancing

I've been a self-employed writer for 16+ years, so I'm excited to announce that I've added a new business to my freelancing umbrella. I am now the owner of Improvise Press, a company that publishes books for creative people who want to profit from their passions. While our first books focus on making money as freelance writers, we plan to add more books aimed at hobbyists in other fields in the next two years. 

Improvise is entering the publishing field with its first two titles, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets and Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money, second edition. I'm especially excited about Six-Figure Freelancing, a book that has been out of print for years, and has been revised and updated for its second edition. 

Six-Figure Freelancing will show you how to:

• Take a business-like approach to your freelance career;
• Negotiate more writer-friendly contracts with editors and clients;
• Identify lucrative freelance markets;
• Pursue book projects;
• Create your own writing templates;
• Work more efficiently;
• Create and maintain relationships with clients and colleagues;
• Set short- and long-term goals for your writing career;
• Branch into lucrative new freelance areas; and
• Sustain a successful long-term career.

Now, in 2013, even while the publishing world has undergone dramatic change, there are plenty of promising opportunities for freelancers. This updated, expanded version of Six-Figure Freelancing includes an entirely new section on markets; advice about using social media and blogging to build your career: more than two dozen templates including query letters, letters of introduction, and contracts; and the latest advice from successful six-figure freelancers you can use to sustain a long-term freelance career. 

Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps) for 20 percent off of your order at ImprovisePress.com. And please let your friends who would like to make money writing know about Improvise Press and our new line of books. 

The Sell-Your-First-Article Series: The Final Steps

Welcome back to the Sell-your-First-Article series. (You'll find step 1, steps 2 through 5, step 6  and steps 7 and 8 here. At this stage, you've done most of the heavy lifting--the article has been pitched, sold, researched, and written. So what happens next?

Step 8: Turn the story in.
I turned in the story along with Dr. Jensen’s contact information and a copy of the study itself. This is called “backup,” or “fact-checking” material. Some publications don’t require backup, but I suggest you always have it on hand just in case. That will include the names and contact information of anyone you interview; copies of journal articles; Websites that you pulled information from (e.g., a page from the Centers for Disease Control that you cite in the article.) For longer stories that include more than one source, you typically turn in an additional, annotated copy of the story that indicates which sources provided the information in the story. 

Step 9: Get paid!
In this case, my editor was happy with the piece, so I didn’t need to do any revisions, which eliminated the need to rewrite/rework the piece (normally step #10). She put payment through without needing an invoice (normally step #11), and I received my check for $225 (normally step #13) four weeks later.

Step 10: The final step. Get the clip and notify my sources.
Five months later, the piece ran in Fitness. I made a copy for my portfolio, and notified Dr. Jensen about the piece, thanking him again for his help. If it would have appeared in a trade or custom publication that’s hard to locate, I would have sent him a copy of the article, but in this case, I simply told him the name and issue of the magazine, and the page number of the story (and his quote). Usually this will be step #14, but every story is different, and some require fewer steps to complete. 

Get the idea? A short piece like this isn’t complicated to pitch, research, and write—once you understand the steps to take. 
***Have you found this series of posts helpful? They were drawn from Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets. You'll find real-life examples of another eleven articles pitched, researched, and written for markets to make it easy for you to launch your own article-writing career as well.