Article Queries That Sell

Queries are not written like business letters or emails; they are specifically designed to sell your articles.

Every query should be:

• Written for the appropriate market
• A fresh idea
• Skilfully presented
• Written in a competent style, and
• A good example of the writer's research skills.

If your query starts with: ...Please find enclosed an idea that I hope you'll consider is suitable for your magazine...

What reaction do you think this will generate? Yes, a rejection slip. Why? Your letter was boring and didn't grab the editor's attention.

What I usually suggest to new writers is to write the article and then write the query. This has a twofold effect. First, you will know you can write the article, and second you can take information from the article to compile the query. When you become more experienced you can simply write the query and when it is accepted, write the whole article.

Here is a simple formula:

Dear (get the person's name right)

Great Headline (Title)

First paragraph is the hook to get the editor interested. There is no "warm-up" paragraph. In fact, this first paragraph could be the lead of your article. For example: When Adam White bought his first block of land in (name of town) almost ten years ago, he had no idea his investment portfolio would reach nearly $2 million.

The second paragraph should include some good facts and figures.

Third paragraph confirm that the person is willing to share his strategies for wealth.

Fourth paragraph lets the editor know you can provide some excellent photographs.

Fifth paragraph state when you can have the article ready and the word count plus number of images. If you have special qualifications in the subject/topic, let the editor know plus your experience.

Please don't finish your query with... Thank you for your consideration. Just get in and give the editor a great idea and then get out.

Make sure all your contact details are on the top of the letter. If you are sending the query by email you can still use this formula, but your details could appear at the bottom of your email.

Sell the editor with the first paragraph of the query and he/she will commission you and offer a good rate of pay.

Barb Clews is an award winning journalist with nearly 1,000 published articles to her credit. She has been a writer and editor for 15 years and is the author of "Article Writing for Freelancers" and "20 Tips to Increase Writing Skills" Visit http://www.bcabooks.com/ to subscribe to "Words that Work", Barb's monthly ezine packed with tips for writers.

---

8 Surefire Methods to Create an Article Title That Will Get Your Article Read More Often

Often all the Web Surfer will see is your title,... Read More

Thinking in Articles

I have a confession to make.I think in "articles."As a... Read More

Giving Yourself the Right to Write

"But I've only been on the Internet 3 months! How... Read More

Using Anecdotes - Remember, People Like to Read About People

Okay, I admit it: I'm a keen people-watcher. (Most writers... Read More

How to Create a Viral Lead-Generating Machine

Whether you own your own affiliate website, or subscription website,... Read More

Sticky Leads

The first twenty-five words of your article are the most... Read More

SureFire Ways To Get Free Publicity Using Articles

Free publicity can help to spread the word about your... Read More

Article Publishing Is A Key Component Of Internet Marketing

Frequently when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More

Article Marketing: Why 2 URLs Equal Pure Champagne

If you are using articles to promote your business then... Read More

Write Articles Geared to Your Local Market to Bolster Your Local Search Visibility

The Shortest Distance to Your Home Town Enterprise is Over... Read More

Jump From Unknown to Widely Quoted in One Week

Start by Being QuotableIt's tough to stand out online. With... Read More

5 Plus One Internet Marketing Strategies to Improve Article Quality to Increase WebTraffic

Writing quality articles is time consuming for the very best... Read More

A Writers Glossary (Part One)

Find definitions from A to G! A About... Read More

What Can a 13-Year-Old Kid Teach Us About Article Marketing?

Yesterday I met a 13-year old boy with a devilish... Read More

Dont Buy Your On-Line Marketing Articles From Article Factories

I was busiy submitting some articles I ghost wrote for... Read More

20 Ways Posting Unique Articles Online will Bring You Fame and Fortune

You're Invited... Visualize your article going out like a party... Read More

Top Seven Tips for Writing Articles on the Internet

Online readers love information, but be sure your information is... Read More

50,000 Articles Indeed

How is it possible to turn an idea into the... Read More

Theres More Than One Way To Carve This Turkey

Although this may sound like a funny metaphor, if you... Read More

Recycle Your Work

Recycling your work is a lot like doing your part... Read More

Writing Articles - Six Mistakes To Avoid

Not writing articles yet? You really should try it, if... Read More

Article Queries That Sell

Queries are not written like business letters or emails; they... Read More

Reaping The Amazing Benefits of Writing E-zine Articles

Marketing on a budget is tough. This is a universal... Read More

Article Marketing: the BETTER Offpage SEO Solution

Been reading up on SEO? If so, you know that... Read More

Finding Experts, Sources and Contacts

I was asked to write an article on a short... Read More

How to Write a Short Article Under 500 Words

Online publishers, ezine subscribers, and Web visitors want short, useful... Read More

Top Ten Checklist to Edit Your Articles

Submitting articles once or twice a week can yield 15... Read More

What Posting Articles Online Did For My Google Page Rank In 90 Days

Article Marketing Builds Momentum and TrafficWhen I started submitting articles... Read More

Build Links and Your Brand: Article Marketing Delivers

Many online marketers have crowed about the value of writing... Read More

Do You Know the 7 Essential Parts that Make Up a Resource Box

The Whole reason you write those articles is so you... Read More

There is an Article Deep Down Inside of You Just Looking to Bust Out

The Most Economical Way to Advertise online is to Submit... Read More

Writing an Interview Script

Gathering information from interviews is really simple. You ask the... Read More

Thought Leaders - Using Article Marketing To Entrench Yourself and Your Personal Brand

A "Thought Leader" is someone recognized as an authority in... Read More