| The first thing I did wrong when I started writing | | | | discussed here. Editors need articles that give the |
| was submitting poor query letters. They contained | | | | readers something they want. |
| generic article ideas and boring sentences. | | | | Here's the second paragraph of the query: |
| Everything said, "blah, blah, blah." | | | | "Joyful Christian Apoptosis" is a 1,000-word article |
| Twenty query letters and no responses. Even my | | | | about my painful start in the medical wolrd and |
| SASEs weren't returned. | | | | how, like an unborn child, God killed part of me to |
| I bought a great book called How to Write | | | | make me a useful vessel for him. This is not a |
| Attention Getting Query and Cover Letters by | | | | negative article. Far from it. God sometimes allows |
| John Wood. Merging its advice with my style, I | | | | difficult things to happen in our lives to make us |
| sent off queries that editors responded to. | | | | more flexible in our ability to serve Him. Rather |
| Let me tell you what I do. If you follow these | | | | than asking God, "Why me?", we can ask, "What |
| guidelines, I'm willing to be that you'll increase your | | | | for?" and say, "Thank you for carrying me |
| response rate too. | | | | through." Because of my difficult start, I became |
| The basics of good letter writing are essential. | | | | a stay-at-home mother of four, a professional |
| Get the editor's name correct, use good | | | | writer, and a college professor of nursing students |
| grammar, and double-check your spelling. Editors | | | | (all at the same time). I thank God for the |
| WILL throw out good ideas if the writer's work is | | | | difficulties in my life that have brought me to a |
| amateurish. | | | | place where I am learning to serve Him more |
| The first paragraph of my query is always a | | | | each day. |
| catchy paragraph similar to what I'd use as the | | | | The third paragraph of my query tells the editor |
| opening for an article. It usually contains a quote | | | | why I'm the one to write the article. It lists |
| or an anecdote, the idea of the article, and a lead | | | | related magazines I've been published in and any |
| that makes the reader want more. A paragraph | | | | important personal training or experiences that |
| written in a style similar to that in the magazine I | | | | make me an expert on the topic. When I first |
| submit to always receives good responses. | | | | started writing, I didn't have anything to list here, |
| Here's an example: | | | | so I skipped this paragraph. If you can't make it |
| "The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat," says a | | | | look good, wow the editor with your first two |
| popoular television sports announcement about | | | | paragraphs and you'll still get a "yes" response. |
| the excitement of watching athletic events. That's | | | | I have published articles in On Mission, Men of |
| how we tend to see loss. Loss is defeat, failure, | | | | Integrity, Spirit Led Writer, Physician Assistant |
| and death. When I graduated with a physician | | | | Journal, Advance for Physician Assistants, and |
| assistant license, I experienced both of those | | | | many more. |
| things - the thrill of graduation and the agony of | | | | I always add a "thank you for considering this |
| not getting a job. I was pregnant and considered | | | | article" comment just before closing the query. It |
| unemployable. Like the small child in my womb | | | | shows respect for the editor's time. Too many |
| who underwent apoptosis to change a paddle into | | | | writers don't act professionally, so when you do, |
| a hand, I went through a painful spiritual apoptosis | | | | you'll get a second look. |
| that made me more useful to God. | | | | Thank you for considering "Joyful Christian |
| The second paragraph of my query tells the | | | | Apoptosis". |
| editor what I'll do for him. It gives the length of | | | | Editors don't always buy the resulting articles, but |
| the article (which always matches the magazine's | | | | they almost always ask to see them after |
| preferred length for similar articles), the title, what | | | | reading my query letters. Follow these tips, and |
| the article will do for the reader, and experts I | | | | you'll find the same is true for you. |
| plan to interview. The benefits of the article for | | | | Good luck! I'll see you in print. |
| the reader are the most important thing | | | | |