| My first non-newspaper sale was to be to a | | | | an outline. |
| religious magazine. Iwrote a query letter about | | | | For your outline, think in short, salient points. If |
| how I wanted to write about new ways tohonor | | | | you are pitchingan article on healthful eating in the |
| the Sabbath in our busy lives. I planned to write | | | | summer time, you will want toinclude: |
| aboutfamilies who refused to join sports teams | | | | Resources for your nutrition information |
| that practiced and playedon Sundays, modern | | | | Nutritionists, doctors, chefs you will interview |
| people looking to the traditions of generationspast | | | | Names and brief descriptions of recipes that will |
| of doing no cooking or housework on that day, | | | | be included |
| and ways to find aday of rest in the middle of | | | | If you are pitching an article on 25 tips on growing |
| the week for those in professions thatrequired | | | | roses, include: |
| them to work Sundays. | | | | All 25 tips in their short form: |
| Instead of giving a list of points I wished to | | | | Best protection in winter, |
| cover, I wrote aboutthe Bible study class I taught | | | | Trimming tips, |
| for years and how we learned new waysto honor | | | | When to fertilize |
| the Sabbath during the course's 34 weeks of | | | | Experts you'll quote |
| meetings as away of selling myself to the editor. I | | | | How you'll break down the quotes: into seasonal |
| added in something about myown busy life, and | | | | tasks, regionalrequirements, for beginners |
| that I wrote for a few newspapers. I did | | | | If you are writing a query for creating a |
| notmention that I had pulled the magazine's name | | | | playgroup, your outlinecould take the form of: |
| out of a book onmarkets and never heard of it | | | | Getting started - classified ads, news releases, |
| before then. | | | | flyers |
| I received a letter that asked me to write the | | | | First meeting - choose time, places, snacks or no |
| piece on spec. | | | | snacks, parentsnight out |
| What I turned in and what they expected were | | | | Sample activities - fingerpainting, making snacks, |
| two different things. Iwrote about new ways to | | | | outdoor games,music |
| feel the Sabbath in your heart, and toincorporate | | | | Sample snacks - cheese and crackers, fruits and |
| that feeling through the week. I encouraged | | | | dips, English muffinpizzas |
| embracing newways to include old ways of | | | | What not to do - Avoid foods that can choke, |
| worshipping. The editor's response was aform | | | | sugary snacks, leavingchildren alone, meeting in |
| letter stating that my piece was inappropriate for | | | | homes that are not childproofed. |
| theirmagazine. Only later when I read a copy of | | | | In all cases, the outline will be a part of the query. |
| the magazine did I realizethat it was quite | | | | You will stillintroduce your topic, why this particular |
| conservative in its approach to religion. | | | | magazine's readers willswoon over your article, |
| All this could have been averted if I had read the | | | | and why you are the person to write it. |
| magazine and notjust the magazine's guidelines, | | | | Theoutline adds depth to your query and allows |
| and if I had included an outline inmy query letter. | | | | you to avoid anymisunderstandings that will get |
| The query letter is your sales tool. What you | | | | your article dropped. And adding anoutline to the |
| include in the lettershould only be your best so | | | | body of your pitch letter when the guidelines do |
| that editors cannot turn down you or youridea. | | | | notspecifically request one will show the editor |
| You know your own writing successes and | | | | that you are going tobe one of those blessed |
| professional backgroundas it suits your pitch, but | | | | writers that makes life easier for editors. |
| how much other information should youinclude in | | | | |