One of
my favorite steps in getting published is writing a query letter. This is the
point at which you can put your story to the side and showcase who you are. I’ve often heard writers say
they agonize over queries, and to them I say: you’re overthinking it. Be
yourself. Have fun – but not too much fun; you must be respectful. Here’s a
step-by-step guideline:
Always, always, find out who the editor or submission
manager is and address him/her as Mr./Ms. I don’t care if you babysit his kids
or are related to her. Use Mr./Ms. No exceptions.
Next,
explain how you know the person, have heard of the person, or might have
something in common with the person. Do your research. Is the editor a huge
Yankees fan like you? Mention that. “As a fellow admirer of the Bronx Bombers,
I ‘m hoping you enjoy this tale of a boy, a dog, and a baseball.” Be honest. If
you’re a Red Sox fan, lead with something else.
“Dear
Mr. Deal,
After
hearing you speak at the October 31st event “Boo” at the Bushnell in Hartford,
CT, I was inspired to put pen to paper and get my embalming—oops!
Creative—juices flowing. The end result was the attached manuscript, a
2250-word short story entitled “Down the Pike”, which I am pleased to offer to
your magazine for publication.”
Describe
your story, as briefly and succinctly as possible. Any story should be able to
be reduced to a sentence or two. Gone With The Wind: “a Southern belle is
thrown into the harsh realities of life during and after the Civil War, evolving
into a cold, manipulative woman who survives and succeeds…but at what cost?”
Anything can be reduced to a sentence or two.
My
example: “This is a story of a 40-year-old woman trapped in an unhappy marriage
who discovers that sometimes, good things happen without the pesky aftermath of
a messy murder trial.”
Describe
yourself. Remember when I said this is a chance to be yourself? Give the editor
an idea of who you are, and where you’ve been published.
“I am
a horror enthusiast, comic book fan, wife, and writer whose work has been
published in The Works and The Litchfield Literary Review.”
If
you’ve never been published, that’s okay. Write a few words about why you’re
starting now – for instance, “it was my love of Mad Magazine that inspired me to write comedy.” A word of caution:
if you’ve been published in more than, say, six magazines or anthologies, don’t
list all of them. Summarize. “My stories have appeared in over twenty publications,
most recently in the January 2013 edition of Tin House, Issue #6 of Shock
Totem, and in Jeff Strand’s new horror anthology, Crazy Chili Dog Horrors.”
Explain
why your story is a good fit for the publication you are querying. It’s
important to know whom you are submitting to, so be sure to pick up copies of
the magazine or other books that the publisher has put out to get an idea of
what they prefer.
“I
feel that “Down the Pike”, with its desolate setting and carnivorous fish, is
well suited for Shroud Magazine.”
Close
with an interesting fact or tidbit about the story, and be sure to list your
contact information, including name, address, phone number, and email address.
You don’t want to miss an opportunity because you didn’t tell them how to reach
you!
“I can
only hope that you will find my story as horrifying as my ex will when he reads
it and realizes the grotesquely obese husband and his yappy little dog are
very, very familiar to him.
Thank
you for your time and consideration. You may reach me any time by email
at the address listed below. Sincerely…”
There
you have it. Easy-peasy, right? The query I used as an example in this entry is
actually one I sent to Tim Deal at Shroud
back in 2010. This was his response:
“Stacey,
BEST
query letter yet! We’re going to move this story forward in the process.
I’ll send out the generic email in a little while.
Tim”
Stacey Longo is a horror writer
and humor blogger. She won a Hiram Award in 2011 for one of her query letters.
Visit her website at www.staceylongo.com
for more information.
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