Writing a successful query is perhaps one of the most important parts of being in freelance writing. Without it, we won’t be able to score jobs except for job ads and you know what that means.

Here is an excerpt of what The Free Dictionary has to say about queries:

que·ry (kwîr)

n. pl. que·ries

1. A question; an inquiry.

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[Alteration of obsolete quaere, quere, from Latin quaere, imperative of quaerere, to ask, to seek.]

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Why a query?

As you probably already gather, a freelance writer writes queries to find new work. In most cases queries are emails or letters you will send out without knowing whether the publication you target has a job offering.

You might come across a great site you feel would benefit from your written content and by sending them a query letter you will let them know that you are available for hire.

A query in effect is an idea for an article for any publication, whether online or offline.

In the age of modern technology, queries are often sent by email and whether you prefer this method or feel better by typing up a letter and licking a stamp doesn’t really matter.

The five essential query ingredients

Since most queries will land on the desk of an editor, you’ll need to aim at the highest chances of success to be even seen and read. In today’s world we are always in a rush and the worst thing you can do is write a boring long query that will only end up in the rubbish bin because the editor hasn’t got the time to wade through thousands of words.

Most queries are a one page submission only. They should be interesting, bold, snazzy and entertaining without going over the top.

Your main purpose is to arouse the interest of the editor so that they want to find out more about you or outright hire you on the spot.

Much like a press release, a query should be structured for optimum performance. You’ll need:

A hook:

The idea of the hook is to grab the editor within the first paragraph. You’ll need to demonstrate your ability to write well and that you are familiar with the industry in which you apply for.

You might find that you can offer a solution to the readers of the publication by writing a piece on topic that informs.

Or else you might have a great story to share. A story that is written to grab the attention of the reader and takes them on an emotional roller coaster.

Be entertaining, try to suss out the site before you write your query and follow along the lines of existing published content to fit in.

Hook pitfalls: Don’t bore the editor with a bid for sympathy. They are not interested whether you were able to pay your bills last week or that you just got divorced. You also don’t want to come across as a snotty stuck up writer who thinks he/she is the next best thing since sliced bread.

There is nothing wrong with being confident, but humbleness is often more effective than arrogance.

Avoid to introduce yourself upfront. Start off with the story/article idea right away.

Never, ever let on that you are just starting out as a writer if you are relatively new.

A pitch:

After you grabbed the editor with a riveting intro, you can move in for the kill. The pitch is like grabbing hold of the animal with your teeth and not letting go until you actually kill it.

Now is the time to pitch your greatness. Try to incorporate a working title for your article/story. This will help the editor to visualize the actual publication.

Also use a well written excerpt about your article and inform how long it is. Something like:

I propose to offer you a 700 word article titled “The Importance Of Fresh Fruit And Vegetables In Your Bird’s Diet.” The article informs about the dangers of feeding pet birds a strict seed diet and further explains how they can benefit in several ways from great nutrition.

Upon reading this, the editor will quickly see whether your article/story is a match for their publication.

A body:

Ok, now it’s time for the kill. You managed to grab the attention of the editor and already bit into their flesh. This is your time to shine. Use a short three to four paragraphs and further list excerpts of your proposed article.

Bullet form works a treat as well as blocks. Either way is fine as long as you use some sub topics to further explain your piece.

A portfolio:

If you successfully manage to impress the editor with your query, you’ll have one more hurdle to jump. Now is a good time to list your achievements in the field as a writer in a short paragraph.

Kind of like an overview of how you’d write an about you page with enough relevant information thrown in. List your experiences, your credentials and show that you are the right person for the job.

Sell yourself without selling.

An end:

To finish off your query, take the time to thank the editor for taking the time and reviewing your query letter. Also, don’t forget to mention how long it will take for you to have the finished product on their desk if need be.

“I would like to thank you for taking the time to review my proposal. I hope you find my article’s topic of interest for your publication and look forward to your response. If you are interested I can deliver my article within 3 days.”

Conclusion

Proposing for an advertised job contains some of the above guidelines, but is different from writing a query and therefore I will write a separate blog post about this.

I hope this was helpful enough to get you going in submitting your own queries now. If you wonder how many of these should be written, I’ll have to say that this is entirely up to you and your needs as a freelance writer.

If you find that work has dried up, then by all means send them out but don’t make the mistake of submitting the same query to two publications at the same time.

What if they both come back and book you?

Some writers have ten queries floating around at any given time while others go as they please.

That was the third installment in my Freelance Writing Guide For New Freelancers. Follow the links below to see part one and two.

Monika

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