Today we're joined by Jim Casada. He has some tips on how to MAXIMIZE your conference experience.
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TIPS ON WORKING A CONVENTION
Over the years I’ve attended close to a hundred state, regional, or national gatherings of writers in my field of interest—the outdoors. That attendance has come from both sides of the fence—as a speaker and as someone anxious to improve my craft—and perhaps sharing some tips on what I have learned about how best to benefit from conference attendance will be helpful. Here are some thoughts in that regard.
*Go prepared. That means having an ample supply of business cards, some means of taking notes (tape recorder, note pad, laptop, or the like), and a “game plan” focused on the agenda.
*If there are simultaneous sessions which interest you, see if the convention offers tapes or if you can get a friend to tape for you.
*Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Often the give-and-take at the end will be the most productive part of a seminar.
*Keep the fact that some of the most beneficial aspects of attending a convention take place outside of seminars or programs. Social settings, whether meals, social hours, or just elbow-rubbing during breaks, offer marvelous opportunities.
*Be persistent but don’t be pushy. In other words, leave no doubt about your eagerness but don’t be a pest. If you have any feel at all for social interaction you will be able to tell the difference.
*Try to establish contact with people who are successful writers, and that doesn’t always mean just the speakers. Ask others how they work, what has worked best for them, and the like. Then you can pick and choose from what you hear in a fashion which suits you personally.
*When talking to editors, agents, or someone you hope can help you, do all you can to exude professionalism. The writing life is, by its very nature, a lonely life. Yet at conferences it is important to shake off tendencies towards being reclusive or a misanthrope. Professionalism involves a lot of things—personal appearance, demeanor, politeness, and even obvious (yet often overlooked) things such as a business card or vita. Think about how you want to present yourself, look folks in the eyes, respect their time, and be ready to cut to the chase without wasting a lot of time. Conventions are meant to be educational, not entertaining, although the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
*Once you return home from a convention, act on opportunities, notes, contacts, and the like promptly. You want to follow up while things are fresh in mind.
*Finally, and I’ve seen enough of this to know it can be a problem, don’t make a fool of yourself by drinking too much, boorish behavior, or, to put it bluntly, being an ass.
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Jim Casada is a son of the Smokies, and the region has figured prominently in his work as a freelance writer. He grew up in Bryson City, N. C. and says “a corner of my soul still belongs to the high country. His formal education includes a B. A. in history from King College (Bristol, TN), an M. A. in British history from Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA), and a Ph. D. in British imperial history from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN). He taught at Winthrop University from 1971-1996 before taking early retirement to devote all his energies to writing. While at Winthrop he rose to the rank of full professor, served two terms as chair of the graduate faculty, was recognized as the institution’s Distinguished Professor in 1983, and won numerous excellence in teaching award.
He is a long-time member of a number of outdoor writers’ groups and has served as president of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, and the South Carolina Outdoor Press Association. Casada has been honored by all three organizations as recipient of their top service awards. He has won upwards of 150 awards from regional and national organizations for his writing and photography, and has been the recipient of a number of honors including the Federation of Fly Fishers’ Arnold Gingrich Memorial Award for contributions to angling literature, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Harry Hampton Memorial Award, and the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 2007 Communicator of the Year.
Casada is the author of more than a dozen books, the editor of dozens more, and has written forewords, contributed chapters, or provided introductions to more than 100 books. He writes weekly columns for three newspapers and holds masthead positions with several magazines including being Editor-at-Large for Sporting Classics and Turkey & Turkey Hunting. His work has appeared in virtually every major outdoor-related publication and over the course of his career he has had more than 4000 articles published.
His current major projects include completion of A Pursuit of Passion: An Insider’s Guide to Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, editing and compiling a collection of Archibald Rutledge’s stories relating to the Christmas holidays, and research for a biography of Rutledge.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Blinded by Your Own Brilliance or Why You Should Edit with Fresh Eyes
It's hard to know when you're really finished with a manuscript. After all the writing, editing, polishing, rewriting, and re-editing, it's easy to feel finished too soon.
The first ten pages of your manuscript are pivotal. They tell an agent or editor a lot about you as a writer. You don't want ANY mistakes on these first pages.
I was recently judging a contest and I was shocked at how many minor mistakes were in the first few pages of many of the entries. I could tell, by the writing, these aspiring authors knew better. I'm talking about things like "to" instead of "too", a minor change in a character's name, inconsistencies with attire or setting.
Here's what I think the problem was:
The author thought he/she was finished and neglected to do a thorough edit with fresh eyes. After looking over the first few pages dozens of times, the author decided it was finished, done, finito, and sent the manuscript in to be judged. If, with fresh eyes, the author had gone over the pages again, I think all these mistakes would have been corrected, thereby increasing the chances of doing well in the contest.
Sometimes, in order to complete a productive edit of your manuscript, you need to put it down for a while. A couple of weeks, a month---a significant period of time. This way you pay more attention. You haven't JUST read it and your eye doesn't fill in nearly as much.
The first ten pages of your manuscript may be BRILLIANT but if they're riddled with errors, most agents and editors will likely pass. They want to make sure you're precise and capable of editing your own work. Sure, they'll have changes and edits to add to yours, but you don't want a stupid mistake to ruin your chances.
Be sure to join me tomorrow. We've got another guest blogger!
The first ten pages of your manuscript are pivotal. They tell an agent or editor a lot about you as a writer. You don't want ANY mistakes on these first pages.
I was recently judging a contest and I was shocked at how many minor mistakes were in the first few pages of many of the entries. I could tell, by the writing, these aspiring authors knew better. I'm talking about things like "to" instead of "too", a minor change in a character's name, inconsistencies with attire or setting.
Here's what I think the problem was:
The author thought he/she was finished and neglected to do a thorough edit with fresh eyes. After looking over the first few pages dozens of times, the author decided it was finished, done, finito, and sent the manuscript in to be judged. If, with fresh eyes, the author had gone over the pages again, I think all these mistakes would have been corrected, thereby increasing the chances of doing well in the contest.
Sometimes, in order to complete a productive edit of your manuscript, you need to put it down for a while. A couple of weeks, a month---a significant period of time. This way you pay more attention. You haven't JUST read it and your eye doesn't fill in nearly as much.
The first ten pages of your manuscript may be BRILLIANT but if they're riddled with errors, most agents and editors will likely pass. They want to make sure you're precise and capable of editing your own work. Sure, they'll have changes and edits to add to yours, but you don't want a stupid mistake to ruin your chances.
Be sure to join me tomorrow. We've got another guest blogger!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Guest Blogger: Jackie K. Cooper
Today, we're joined by Jackie K. Cooper. He will be on faculty at the 2009 South Carolina Writers' Workshop Conference.
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WHY I WRITE
Over the past few years I have been asked over and over again as to why I write. Well the answer is that I write with the hope someone will read what I have written and will get something from it – be it a laugh, a tear, or a thought. Now how do people get the books I write? Hopefully some people will go to their local book store and purchase copies. Others may just go to their local libraries and check them out.
If they do go to their libraries they had better check the hours of operation because most of them in my state, Georgia, have changed. It is called economics, or more specifically a money shortfall. There is not enough money to keep the libraries open the regular hours so they are being cut back.
The libraries are also having to cut back on staff. Some of have gotten rid of people manning the desks while others have gotten rid of those people who shelve the books. And there may be worse cuts to come.
I love libraries, always have and always will. When I was growing up in Clinton, South Carolina the children’s librarian was Miss Gray. She was really Mrs. Gray in her everyday life but in the library she was Miss Gray.Miss Gray had a wonderfully lyrical voice and when she read us stories the world came alive to us. She did this every Wednesday afternoon and all of us kids looked forward to it. After she read she would spend time with each child finding him/her a special book to check out. She was amazing in knowing what each of us wanted to read.
Years later when I joined the Air Force I was assigned to Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. One of the first places I looked up was the Base Library. There I met the librarian, Mrs. Jarman, and we became great friends. Mrs. Jarman was a voracious reader and she and I could discuss books until the cows came home.
After I married and moved to Perry, Georgia I met Alice Gilbert, the local librarian. Alice knew more about books and authors than I could imagine. She was a walking encyclopedia about them. If you mentioned an author you liked, well she could mention five more that you might be interested in reading. And if you didn’t like those five, then she could add another five to your list.
Recently I heard from a friend of mine who works for the library system in Gwinnett County. I was supposed to teach a writing class as part of the adult programming at the library. He said that due to a lack of funds the adult programming he had planned was cancelled. Then he added that the Gwinnett Reading Festival was also canceled.
The Gwinnett County Reading Festival had been in existence for two years and was getting better each year. The authors who attended got a chance to meet and mingle with the people of Gwinnett County who love to read. I had been both years and had a great time. It also gave me a chance to meet Carmen Deedy, Rick Bragg and other authors I admire.
Why is it when money gets tight the Arts are the first to suffer? It seems this world is considered the most expendable. It isn’t right. It just isn’t right.
I dreamed one day of writing books that people would read. The dream came true but now it is in danger. Authors need libraries; kids need libraries; the world needs libraries.
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Jackie K. Cooper was born in South Carolina and now lives in Georgia. He is the married father of two sons and the proud grandparent of a boy and two girlsHe is familiar to people living in the middle Georgia area as the "entertainment man" since his entertainment reviews run in newspapers and are shown on television there. His short stories have been used as commentary on Georgia Public Radio. He also keeps active appearing as an after dinner speaker for various events.Cooper has lived an exceptionally interesting life and portions of it were contained in his first book "JOURNEY OF A GENTLE SOUTHERN MAN". The journey continued in "CHANCES AND CHOICES". His third book "HALFWAY HOME" was published by Mercer University Press in October 2004. His fourth book THE BOOK BINDER was published in the fall of 2006. His latest collection of stories is titled THE SUNRISE REMEMBERS which was also published by Mercer University Press. Check out his website at www.jackiekcooper.com.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Harping: Not the Celestial Kind
At the risk of sounding like your mother, or worse a screeching harpy, I cannot impress upon you the importance of knowing your genre and selecting an appropriate faculty member for your critique.
There are several reasons this is VERY IMPORTANT.
1. Someone who does not know your genre cannot give you the best feedback. Translation: You are wasting your money if you select a faculty member who doesn't want to read, represent or publish your type of manuscript.
2. If you select an inappropriate faculty member, you run the risk of really ticking them off. Why does it matter? Say you're writing romance now and you select someone who represents mostly non-fiction. In two or three years, you may write a book that's non-fiction. And guess what? You've burned that bridge. Translation: People in this business have long memories. If you tick someone off by forcing them to read something they don't want to read, they won't look favorably on subsequent submissions.
3. The myth that if the writing is good enough ANYONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would kill for the chance to represent or publish it is exactly that: A MYTH. Even if you're the next Hemingway or Faulkner, you shouldn't bank on the strength of your writing to persuade someone to ADORE your genre. Translation: Your book has to be well-written and well-represented. You want the agent you sign with to be ga-ga over your work. Forcing them to like it is not an option.
4. Publishing is a business. You want someone who's a good fit for your work to read, represent or publish it. Translation: You will be more successful if you don't try to cut corners, get an agent, editor and publisher who's right for your work. You will make more money and get more exposure this way.
In summary, do your homework. Make sure the person(s) you select for critique are appropriate and willing to read your genre.
There are several reasons this is VERY IMPORTANT.
1. Someone who does not know your genre cannot give you the best feedback. Translation: You are wasting your money if you select a faculty member who doesn't want to read, represent or publish your type of manuscript.
2. If you select an inappropriate faculty member, you run the risk of really ticking them off. Why does it matter? Say you're writing romance now and you select someone who represents mostly non-fiction. In two or three years, you may write a book that's non-fiction. And guess what? You've burned that bridge. Translation: People in this business have long memories. If you tick someone off by forcing them to read something they don't want to read, they won't look favorably on subsequent submissions.
3. The myth that if the writing is good enough ANYONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would kill for the chance to represent or publish it is exactly that: A MYTH. Even if you're the next Hemingway or Faulkner, you shouldn't bank on the strength of your writing to persuade someone to ADORE your genre. Translation: Your book has to be well-written and well-represented. You want the agent you sign with to be ga-ga over your work. Forcing them to like it is not an option.
4. Publishing is a business. You want someone who's a good fit for your work to read, represent or publish it. Translation: You will be more successful if you don't try to cut corners, get an agent, editor and publisher who's right for your work. You will make more money and get more exposure this way.
In summary, do your homework. Make sure the person(s) you select for critique are appropriate and willing to read your genre.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
You Wouldn't forget to Feed the Dog . . . Would You?
I'm sure most of us have busy, wonderful, fulfilling lives, but sometimes that life gets overwhelming. Yet in the midst of that whirlwind, we wouldn't forget to feed the dog, would we? I didn't think so.
'I want to write but life is getting in the way right now.' This is different than the over-scheduled lives of folks who can't say 'no.' I'm talking about those chunks of time, whether it's a few weeks, a few months or a year when all the various parts of our existence conspire against us and demand extra attention . . . all at the same time. It's those periods when no matter how we try to protect our physical and mental writing space, life encroaches. Just like we wouldn't forget to feed our dog, we can't forget to feed our Muse.
I know it's a challenge. Part of my spring and summer included preparing for a son's wedding which meant three showers, two planned/hosted by me, tucked in were two trips to Ohio - one a three day jaunt from Lancaster, SC to Cleveland to tend an ailing mom-in-law, the other a five day trip visiting five different cities between the Ohio River and Lake Erie book-ended with ten hour road trips, then the shopping and cleaning for the out-of-state wedding company coming and staying for two weeks in various family and number combinations but never fewer than two and one night we had ten extra bodies, then came the rehearsal dinner and wedding and while we still had company, the first medical emergency requiring a daily drive to the hospital, forty-five minutes away, for six days, then the second, luckily, was local and took up only two half days and while neither ended in death, I did have a wake and a funeral to attend and our two dogs were late with their shots so they HAD to have them and all this is going on as workers decide to finally start siding the house . . .
And I wouldn't change any of it for more writing time. Well, maybe the hospital stuff. That wasn't fun for any of us. But even that is the mix of life which makes my writing fuller. And I knew most of it was going to happen and be temporary. Though our dogs' feeding schedules were a bit off and they didn't get the attention they were used to, they weren't forgotten. Neither was my Muse.
Here are a few 1 to 5 minute 'snacks' you can feed your Muse when you can't give her a full-course meal. Some are suggestions we've heard before but we sometimes need a reminder.
1. Give yourself permission to let the Muse nibble. This isn't a steady diet, it's temporary. When life gets back to normal, she'll be waiting for you.
2. Stay connected to your writing community as best you can. I still attended my poetry group and SCWW chapter meetings, even when I had nothing of my own to share. I contributed to the critiquing of the other members' work and in that I was energized. Our chapter hosted its annual workshop, the morning after we had ten extra people spend the night, and I made sure I was there.
3. Edit. Even when my creative brain was numb or I couldn't squeeze in enough time to really write, my editing brain still functioned. In 5 minutes I was able to edit a few pages or look over a poem.
4. Stash index cards all over the house. While you are waiting for water to boil or just before you turn off the bedroom lamp . . . take a minute or two and jot down something. Anything. Describe what the water looks like while it boils. Describe what it feels like to be tired and overwhelmed. Write your 'to do' list. After all, you never know when your character will need to watch a pot of water boil or a list of errands holds clues to a murder.
5. Journal. At one point in my life that's all I could manage. Those journals have contributed to a book of poetry, several essays and my fiction.
6. Have fun with word games. I love words. I love the way they feel in my mouth as they roll around my tongue, click against my teeth and slip through my lips. So I love doing crossword puzzles. I'm re-introduced to words I've forgotten. I discover interesting words rarely used anymore. I learn new and quirky definitions for words I already know.
7. Read. Keep copies of Writer, The Writer's Digest, a book of poetry, an anthology of short stories, anything, in all the rooms you use. You'll be surprised what you can read in 5 minutes.
8. Most of all, enjoy the ebb and flow of your busy, wonderful, fulfilling life. It is the stuff of your writing.
'I want to write but life is getting in the way right now.' This is different than the over-scheduled lives of folks who can't say 'no.' I'm talking about those chunks of time, whether it's a few weeks, a few months or a year when all the various parts of our existence conspire against us and demand extra attention . . . all at the same time. It's those periods when no matter how we try to protect our physical and mental writing space, life encroaches. Just like we wouldn't forget to feed our dog, we can't forget to feed our Muse.
I know it's a challenge. Part of my spring and summer included preparing for a son's wedding which meant three showers, two planned/hosted by me, tucked in were two trips to Ohio - one a three day jaunt from Lancaster, SC to Cleveland to tend an ailing mom-in-law, the other a five day trip visiting five different cities between the Ohio River and Lake Erie book-ended with ten hour road trips, then the shopping and cleaning for the out-of-state wedding company coming and staying for two weeks in various family and number combinations but never fewer than two and one night we had ten extra bodies, then came the rehearsal dinner and wedding and while we still had company, the first medical emergency requiring a daily drive to the hospital, forty-five minutes away, for six days, then the second, luckily, was local and took up only two half days and while neither ended in death, I did have a wake and a funeral to attend and our two dogs were late with their shots so they HAD to have them and all this is going on as workers decide to finally start siding the house . . .
And I wouldn't change any of it for more writing time. Well, maybe the hospital stuff. That wasn't fun for any of us. But even that is the mix of life which makes my writing fuller. And I knew most of it was going to happen and be temporary. Though our dogs' feeding schedules were a bit off and they didn't get the attention they were used to, they weren't forgotten. Neither was my Muse.
Here are a few 1 to 5 minute 'snacks' you can feed your Muse when you can't give her a full-course meal. Some are suggestions we've heard before but we sometimes need a reminder.
1. Give yourself permission to let the Muse nibble. This isn't a steady diet, it's temporary. When life gets back to normal, she'll be waiting for you.
2. Stay connected to your writing community as best you can. I still attended my poetry group and SCWW chapter meetings, even when I had nothing of my own to share. I contributed to the critiquing of the other members' work and in that I was energized. Our chapter hosted its annual workshop, the morning after we had ten extra people spend the night, and I made sure I was there.
3. Edit. Even when my creative brain was numb or I couldn't squeeze in enough time to really write, my editing brain still functioned. In 5 minutes I was able to edit a few pages or look over a poem.
4. Stash index cards all over the house. While you are waiting for water to boil or just before you turn off the bedroom lamp . . . take a minute or two and jot down something. Anything. Describe what the water looks like while it boils. Describe what it feels like to be tired and overwhelmed. Write your 'to do' list. After all, you never know when your character will need to watch a pot of water boil or a list of errands holds clues to a murder.
5. Journal. At one point in my life that's all I could manage. Those journals have contributed to a book of poetry, several essays and my fiction.
6. Have fun with word games. I love words. I love the way they feel in my mouth as they roll around my tongue, click against my teeth and slip through my lips. So I love doing crossword puzzles. I'm re-introduced to words I've forgotten. I discover interesting words rarely used anymore. I learn new and quirky definitions for words I already know.
7. Read. Keep copies of Writer, The Writer's Digest, a book of poetry, an anthology of short stories, anything, in all the rooms you use. You'll be surprised what you can read in 5 minutes.
8. Most of all, enjoy the ebb and flow of your busy, wonderful, fulfilling life. It is the stuff of your writing.
Guest Blogger: Chuck Sambuchino, Part II
Here's the second part of Chuck's blog. Check out yesterday's blog if you missed it. Chuck will be on the faculty of the 2009 SCWW Conference in October. Check out his blog at www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog.
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Santa Fe, NM 87501
Ms. Smith:
According to the Bible, it took two days for God to create all living creatures. The way New Mexican Regina Gordon sees it, the 48-Hour Film Project involves the same amount of time—with only a slightly less complicated task. “Every second counts, when you have 48 hours to make a film.” That’s the motto of the 48-Hour Film Project (www.48hourfilm.com), a nationwide event that challenges local filmmakers to form teams and create four-minute movies—from script to set design to finished product—in 48 hours or less. Albuquerque is no stranger to the fray, and will again participate in the competition in 2009. Also returning in 2009 is the city’s area producer, Gordon. More than 20 area teams competed in 2008—with all of these guerilla filmmakers reporting to one woman—Gordon—who must substitute passion, adrenaline, and insane amounts of coffee for sleep she certainly won’t get.
So what drives her and other participants to exhaust themselves like they do? I propose a 400-word short profile on Gordon and, with it, New Mexico’s involvement in the project for New Mexico Magazine. (I’ve already touched based with Gordon.) I believe that a Gordon feature would be a great fit for the “Introducing” section of your magazine. To give readers a feel for what a kinetic, exciting, shoot-from-the-hip experience this is, I would interview Langston to hear anecdotes from last year and discover what lies in store for this year—as a sense of community for the project continues to build in the area.
In 2003, I covered Philadelphia’s involvement in the project for Artspike magazine. Thank you for considering this piece. My résumé is attached. Clips are enclosed.Respectfully,
John Q. Writer
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ARTICLE QUERY LETTER SAMPLE
John Q. Writer (7)
123 Author LaneWriterville,
John Q. Writer (7)
123 Author LaneWriterville,
Date
Jane Smith, managing editorNew Mexico Magazine
4200 Magazine Blvd.Santa Fe, NM 87501
Ms. Smith:
According to the Bible, it took two days for God to create all living creatures. The way New Mexican Regina Gordon sees it, the 48-Hour Film Project involves the same amount of time—with only a slightly less complicated task. “Every second counts, when you have 48 hours to make a film.” That’s the motto of the 48-Hour Film Project (www.48hourfilm.com), a nationwide event that challenges local filmmakers to form teams and create four-minute movies—from script to set design to finished product—in 48 hours or less. Albuquerque is no stranger to the fray, and will again participate in the competition in 2009. Also returning in 2009 is the city’s area producer, Gordon. More than 20 area teams competed in 2008—with all of these guerilla filmmakers reporting to one woman—Gordon—who must substitute passion, adrenaline, and insane amounts of coffee for sleep she certainly won’t get.
So what drives her and other participants to exhaust themselves like they do? I propose a 400-word short profile on Gordon and, with it, New Mexico’s involvement in the project for New Mexico Magazine. (I’ve already touched based with Gordon.) I believe that a Gordon feature would be a great fit for the “Introducing” section of your magazine. To give readers a feel for what a kinetic, exciting, shoot-from-the-hip experience this is, I would interview Langston to hear anecdotes from last year and discover what lies in store for this year—as a sense of community for the project continues to build in the area.
In 2003, I covered Philadelphia’s involvement in the project for Artspike magazine. Thank you for considering this piece. My résumé is attached. Clips are enclosed.Respectfully,
John Q. Writer
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Guest Blogger: Chuck Sambuchino
We're pleased to have Chuck Sambuchino joining us today. He is a freelancer as well as the editor of Guide to Literary Agents. He will be presenting at the South Carolina Writers’ Workshop Conference in October. Visit his blog at www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog.
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Freelance Article Writing:
The Query in 3 Parts
Freelance Article Writing:
The Query in 3 Parts
If you want to write freelance articles, you’ll be sending plenty of queries out to editors. Although there is no “perfect” or “surefire” way to structure a query, I have adopted and slowly tried to refine a three-part approach that seems to work pretty well.
No matter if you’re contacting an editor about writing for their magazine, newspaper or website, your number one tool is the query letter. You have one page to explain to editors what the idea is, why it will be a good fit for their publication, and why you’re a good writer for the assignment. Let’s dig deeper.
Paragraph 1
Hook an editor right away with the idea. You can do this several ways:
You can start off with an amazing fact. “Not only does Alaska have the country’s highest percentage of low birth weight babies, the percentage is actually going up yearly.” You’re trying to tell the editor This is news. This is important.
No matter if you’re contacting an editor about writing for their magazine, newspaper or website, your number one tool is the query letter. You have one page to explain to editors what the idea is, why it will be a good fit for their publication, and why you’re a good writer for the assignment. Let’s dig deeper.
Paragraph 1
Hook an editor right away with the idea. You can do this several ways:
You can start off with an amazing fact. “Not only does Alaska have the country’s highest percentage of low birth weight babies, the percentage is actually going up yearly.” You’re trying to tell the editor This is news. This is important.
It might not have to be an amazing fact, but rather just an interesting tidbit. “There are 87 varieties of organic crops grown in the United States, but there’s only one farm producing 12 of these—Morganic Corporation.
You can start in media res—in the middle of a story. “It was 2:14 a.m. when a drunk driver smashed into the bedroom of Mike Edson’s condo and took the life of his wife.”
Just grab our attention however you can. Consider this example. “Last year’s dreaded recession brought countless white wedding plans to a screeching halt. According to David Bridal’s recent national survey, 75% of American brides-to-be are searching high and low for a way to still have the wedding of their dreams – without spending a fortune.”
Paragraph 2
This is where you take a step back and start to talk about the specs of the article itself. I typically start this paragraph with “I propose an article on …”
Here are things you want to address/include:
· Estimated length (word count)
· Targeted section of the magazine. Where will this article appear in the magazine?
· What kind of story is it? Feature? Profile? Column?
· The slant, if it needs explaining. For example, let’s say you hear about a local woman who’s planting a rose in town for every soldier that dies fighting the war on terror. You could pitch an article about her to a gardening magazine, a military/patriotic magazine, and a local interest magazine. But each one with one, you will have a different focus—a different slant.
· Do you have access to people you will interview? If you are proposing to profile famous screenwriter Charlie Kaufman for Creative Screenwriting, you will need to say that you have access to him somehow. Do you want to sit down with Kevin Garnett? How can you secure an interview?
· Do you have access to or will you provide art/pictures? If you’re writing for Popular Woodworking or Ohio Game and Fish, will you be taking your own photos to provide with the piece? You increase your chances of success, if so.
· Any quotes—or at least the names of whom you would interview. If you are writing a piece on low birth weight, to continue that example, you should quickly list the names of people you will consult and interview for the piece. With luck, you’ve already spoken with one and have a quote you can include in the query.
Paragraph 3
Explain why you are an ideal writer to compose this piece.
Do you have any qualifications of relevance? For example, if you’re writing for Men’s Fitness, do you hold any degrees or certifications in the health field?
Have you written about this subject before?
What publications have you written for, if any?
If you have enclosed or attached clips (previously published samples of your writing), say so. You can attach PDF scans of a piece, or simply paste a link to an online article. Ideally, you want to show them clips that have some comparison to what you want to write about. For instance, if you want to do a profile of gymnast who is considered the most promising eight-year-old in the world in her field, then do you have any sample profiles for the editor to see?
Keep in mind that if you have no clips to include, don’t embellish or exaggerate. Just skip the clips part. Finally, thank the editor for considering the submission and wrap up with “Sincerely, (Name).” If you’ve pasted links to your articles online, you should past the links under your name.
Paragraph 2
This is where you take a step back and start to talk about the specs of the article itself. I typically start this paragraph with “I propose an article on …”
Here are things you want to address/include:
· Estimated length (word count)
· Targeted section of the magazine. Where will this article appear in the magazine?
· What kind of story is it? Feature? Profile? Column?
· The slant, if it needs explaining. For example, let’s say you hear about a local woman who’s planting a rose in town for every soldier that dies fighting the war on terror. You could pitch an article about her to a gardening magazine, a military/patriotic magazine, and a local interest magazine. But each one with one, you will have a different focus—a different slant.
· Do you have access to people you will interview? If you are proposing to profile famous screenwriter Charlie Kaufman for Creative Screenwriting, you will need to say that you have access to him somehow. Do you want to sit down with Kevin Garnett? How can you secure an interview?
· Do you have access to or will you provide art/pictures? If you’re writing for Popular Woodworking or Ohio Game and Fish, will you be taking your own photos to provide with the piece? You increase your chances of success, if so.
· Any quotes—or at least the names of whom you would interview. If you are writing a piece on low birth weight, to continue that example, you should quickly list the names of people you will consult and interview for the piece. With luck, you’ve already spoken with one and have a quote you can include in the query.
Paragraph 3
Explain why you are an ideal writer to compose this piece.
Do you have any qualifications of relevance? For example, if you’re writing for Men’s Fitness, do you hold any degrees or certifications in the health field?
Have you written about this subject before?
What publications have you written for, if any?
If you have enclosed or attached clips (previously published samples of your writing), say so. You can attach PDF scans of a piece, or simply paste a link to an online article. Ideally, you want to show them clips that have some comparison to what you want to write about. For instance, if you want to do a profile of gymnast who is considered the most promising eight-year-old in the world in her field, then do you have any sample profiles for the editor to see?
Keep in mind that if you have no clips to include, don’t embellish or exaggerate. Just skip the clips part. Finally, thank the editor for considering the submission and wrap up with “Sincerely, (Name).” If you’ve pasted links to your articles online, you should past the links under your name.
by Chuck Sambuchino
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Chuck will be joining us again tomorrow when he will share a sample query letter.
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