The Art of the E-mail Query

by Sheryl Hardin

Like so many things, query letters have changed over the last few years since the Internet became the way to communicate. In the not so distant past, we were encouraged to keep letters to only one page. There were tricks to get more text on a page for sure. We could lower the font size to 10 pt and expand the margins to one inch. Those were the good old days.

Now most submissions are done by e-mail and the fewer the words the better. Back in the day when writers had to use postage, it could be expensive to send out multiple queries. Now with a click of the mouse you can send one query to as many editors or agents as you think might be interested. This means other writers can too.

Editors and agents who are our target are inundated with requests. Many hire assistants to screen their email and may not even look at what you have sent until it has gone through one or two other people. Today it is even more important to create interest with the first paragraph. Yes, I said paragraph. Many emails are written without paragraphs and that’s OK if you don’t have much to say. Here you do. Consider how you feel when you are working and you open an email with one huge long block of text you have to wade through; there is immediate resistance to going any further. You want to interest your target not club him or her over the head.. If you don’t, chances are good no one will ever go any further and your idea will be rejected no matter how good it is.

Preparation

Begin by doing your research. Most agents and all magazines have a website. Read their submission guidelines and follow them exactly. If the guidelines say no attachments and you send a submission with a proposal attached, your request will be deleted before anyone looks at it. If you are looking for an agent, make sure your target represents the type of work you do.

Now get in the mood. I know I sound like a frustrated spouse, but really, this is the most important step to success. Your mood shows through, whether you are writing a novel or a query letter. If you are tired, stressed, fearful, or down; your target will know. Take a moment and close your eyes. Imagine what it will feel like when you get your acceptance email, when you hold your contract in your hand, and when you go to cash that all important check.

Get excited about all the possibilities this project holds. Remember the feeling you had when you first came up with the idea. If you can’t get in the mood, do something else until you can. Write something else, read something funny, call a friend, do whatever it takes to get you into a place where you see yourself as the success you are, before you write the first word.

Salutation

E-mail is less formal. No longer do you have to include the name and title of the person to whom you are writing. A simple hi will do. Include the person’s first name if you know it and you should. If you don’t, do more research. “Hi Barney” goes over much better than “Dear Editor.”

First Paragraph

Begin with any relationship that might get you recognized. Writing like anything else is all about relationships. If you met your target at a conference and they asked you to send them something, you have worked with them in the past, or you have been recommended by someone they know be sure and let your target know right up front. It is the quickest way to bypass the screeners.

Next present any credentials you hold that are applicable in one or two lines. Leave off any that aren’t. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Business and an English minor. While I certainly find my degree invaluable, it isn’t applicable to most of what I write. I save that for my Author’s bio. Basically you want to include anything that suggests you are someone your target should consider further. Credentials might include a short list of the following:

1. Awards – If you have won multiple awards just say you are an award winning writer / poet / journalist and save the longer list for your bio.
2. Affiliations – List professional organizations that are applicable. Again leave of those that are not. For example, if you are a member of the National Bar Association and you are writing a children’s book about butterflies there is no need to mention the bar here. If you are however, a member of the Children’s Writers and Illustrators Association, by all means include that information.
3. Experience – Life experience counts. If you are writing a non-fiction piece on how to teach a child to read and you have been a teacher for 15-years or you are a mother of five remember to include your experience.

Now that you caught your target’s interest, tell your reader why you are proposing this project. This is your chance to flatter but don’t go overboard, be sincere. It is good to say, “I have been a subscriber for the past ten-years” if you actually do take the periodical. Do your research. You can find something good to say about anyone. “I would love to work with an agent who has seven years experience presenting successful projects”, works and tells the agent you didn’t just pick a name off a list.

Next, ask for what you want and be specific. If you are writing an article for a magazine, read the magazine. Know what department the article would fit in and why. If you are presenting a book proposal know what genre and sub-genre would be the best fit. Include the proposed number of words, so know your limit. You wouldn’t want to propose a 3000 word article for a segment of a magazine that never prints articles over a 1000 words or vice versa. Be to the point. For example, “I am working a 1700 word article detailing the specifics of how to write a successful query letter that I think would be perfect for your Business End department.”

Second Paragraph

If your target has gotten this far , congratulations you have caught his / her interest. Keep it by being brief and to the point. Include anything that will help make your case. For example, “I know that you include an article on query letter writing at least once a year and I haven’t seen one in the last eight issues”, suggests you really do read the magazine. If you are making a book proposal you want to know how your work is similar to successful authors and how it is different. Define your completion. Disclose any pertinent information. If the article has run before in another online or hard copy format or you are doing a simultaneous submission, let your target know. Include what makes your work special. You are the only person with your voice. Tell your reader why you are unique.

Let your personality show a little here. If you are proposing a humorous article or book you can be funny. If you aren’t, use humor with caution. Never whine or sound desperate. “I have been trying for three years to get an article in print and this is my last shot”, won’t win you any points. If you are feeling desperate, then go back to step one and get in the mood for success.

Third Paragraph

Describe anything you have included here, being sure you are accurately following submission guidelines. While some editors and agents only want to see a query first, others prefer to see your bio and a couple of clips. Some agents want your entire proposal while others do not. Some magazines will look at entire articles written on spec and other will not. If you are including documents, tell your target how and what. “ I have included my bio beneath my signature”, or, “for your convenience I have attached the three clips you requested in PDF format”, will do nicely.

Last tell your target how to reach you. List your most important contact information such as phone and e-mail. If you will be out of contact for any period of time, be sure and mention that here. End by thanking your target for their time.

Closing

Email etiquette says you don’t have to leave your name at the bottom like in a letter. It’s up to you. Most marketers will tell you that you have to present your name at least three times before your target is likely to remember it. I always leave my full name unless I have an established relationship with my target.

Signature

Beneath your closing add your electronic signature. Most e-mail programs will allow you to save a signature you can use over and over again. I like to insert a horizontal line so that the end of my email and the beginning of my signature are well defined. Many people include a brief proprietary statement. Often people include quotes as well. If you are going to include a quote, be sure it is short. One line is best. It is unlikely that anyone will read a paragraph anyway. At the very minimum, include the following:

Inclusions

I can’t stress enough to follow submission guidelines regarding inclusions. Many agents and editors prefer not to receive attachments. They prefer to have all the information requested included as links or imbedded text. If you are adding text such as your bio, do it after your electronic signature. I add another horizontal line to indicate the difference.

If you do include one or more attachments:

For example, if your bio is light, make it the last file your target is likely to open by listing it as far to the right as possible. If however, you have a long history of successful work, you might want to make it the left most file.

Review

The last step is to review your work. Hold onto it for a day and read it with fresh eyes before you send it out. Cut out any unnecessary words and when it is perfect, click send.