You’ve finally got your book completed and it is terrific. Maybe it’s a short story you know will win you fame and fortune. Or you’ve got a perfect idea for a magazine article . . . or for a how-to book . . . Now, what next? You can do what I call the scattershot approach to publishing—where you send queries out everywhere you can think of. This approach is really easy now because of the Internet. However, because it’s easy for everyone, it means that editor who used to get 500 queries a month now probably gets 10,000.
I personally don’t think the scattershot approach is that appealing. For my freelance nonfiction writing, I use a focused approach that helps me target editors who are likely to be interested in what I’m trying to sell. I identify these people by familiarizing myself with their publication (whether print or online) and by studying their submission guidelines. Will they be interested in an article on the historic Mabel Tainter Theater? If so, should the article be more of a tourist piece? Or a scholarly discussion of the history? Or a detailed description of the renovation work? A focused approach is more likely to get results. When I’ve done a good job targeting a market for a freelance article, I always get a sale. I’m at a 100% success rate so far on my Tainter pieces, and I have one query still outstanding.
It’s not just nonfiction that can be targeted. At the Writers’ Guild last night, one of our members told us he has sent four short stories out to contests listed in The Money Corner (scroll down). He not only reviewed the sponsoring agencies, but he also read works written and judged by the contest judges. He then carefully identified the appropriate story to send for each. Again, it can’t hurt to do this level of research. It’s a waste of your time to send a humorous piece to an editor, judge or other literary decision-maker who has never liked a funny piece—how do you know this? By researching and targeting your market.
I personally don’t think the scattershot approach is that appealing. For my freelance nonfiction writing, I use a focused approach that helps me target editors who are likely to be interested in what I’m trying to sell. I identify these people by familiarizing myself with their publication (whether print or online) and by studying their submission guidelines. Will they be interested in an article on the historic Mabel Tainter Theater? If so, should the article be more of a tourist piece? Or a scholarly discussion of the history? Or a detailed description of the renovation work? A focused approach is more likely to get results. When I’ve done a good job targeting a market for a freelance article, I always get a sale. I’m at a 100% success rate so far on my Tainter pieces, and I have one query still outstanding.
It’s not just nonfiction that can be targeted. At the Writers’ Guild last night, one of our members told us he has sent four short stories out to contests listed in The Money Corner (scroll down). He not only reviewed the sponsoring agencies, but he also read works written and judged by the contest judges. He then carefully identified the appropriate story to send for each. Again, it can’t hurt to do this level of research. It’s a waste of your time to send a humorous piece to an editor, judge or other literary decision-maker who has never liked a funny piece—how do you know this? By researching and targeting your market.
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