NSA teleseminar queries
If you were listening in on the National Speakers Association freelance writing teleseminar this afternoon, I gave out an e-mail address for our free packet of 12 queries that sold. The address is queries [at] renegadewriter [dot] com . (I’m spelling it out to avoid the charms of evil spambots.) I just tested the address and it’s working on my end. If you have any problems, post in the comments section and I’ll figure out what’s going on.
You do not need to write anything in the e-mail; an autoresponder will send you the letters. Nor do we collect e-mail addresses. I promise!
I really enjoyed speaking with you this afternoon. I have to admit, I felt a little nervous about speaking to *speakers*, but it ended up being a lot of fun, especially since Liz was such a good guest speaker and Pam was terrific at moderating. Thank you to all!
If you liked that post, you might also like:
Oct 19, 2006 Query letters, Speaking engagements
Hi,
I have been reading your blog’s feed for a little while now. I have a good day job, but office culture is not for me, so I am determined to finally build a freelancing career. I have wanted to do this for years, but it always felt impossible to break in. I’m not afraid of that anymore, and I’m in a position where I can support myself until I start making the big bucks:) Finally, my question is about getting those first clips. I’ve read a lot about how to freelance, but everyone glosses over how to really start from nothing. I write a food blog, but I don’t have anything actually published. I don’t even care about getting paid; I just want to know how to approach those little local papers and small publications that might hire me. I get the impression that many newspapers don’t even use freelancers, due to budget constraints and news services like Cox. Where else can I start? I’m not afraid of writing queries or coming up with good ideas, I just want to know where I can pitch them that might say yes, and how to best go about it when I have no clips. I couldn’t find an email address on the site, so I wrote this question in your comments. Sorry about that! Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the 12 query letters — it really helps see behind the curtain.
A couple of questions:
How do you approach sources when getting quotes for a query, especially on profnet? That you’re researching an article, that you’re working for Redbook (or whatever) even if you haven’t had the article accepted? I don’t want to mislead them, but am concerned that they won’t reply for a “possible” article.
How much would you say these big-sale articles are dependent on such detailed queries?
Tx
Cal
Julie, our book, The Renegade Writer, answers all these questions and more. I know the book has been very helpful to a lot of writers just starting out, people who had zero clips and had no idea where to start or who to pitch. You can order it by clicking the cover down at the bottom of the front page of the blog. Or you can check your local library. If they don’t have it, ask them to order it for you (most libraries are excellent about honoring patron requests like this). HTH!
Cal, I’m going to take your question(s) and answer them as a Q&A feature on our blog. Stay tuned!
Looking forward to reading your answers — these are the kind of niggling questions that drive me crazy! One of the hardest things about freelancing is working alone and not having experienced people to ask dumb questions to — you guys are like substitutes for the newsroom I never had!
Once again you gals have outdone yourselves. Thank you for the free queries. I believe they will be extremely helpful. Can’t wait to get a copy of the new book. Thanks.
OK I tried the autoresponder and yes it worked. And thank you for publishing that again. I emailed for your 12 query letters about a year and a half ago and occasionally used them for inspiration. Last Christmas my wonderful husband bought me a new lap top – a scheme so he could take over my old lap top. He transferred all my files/emails over to the new lap top and then he reformatted the old lap top so he could load up his own files. Unfortunately somewhere in the transfer your email with the 12 query letters went missing, so I’m happy to have them back! Thanks again for everything you do for us.
fyi, I tried the autoresponder yesterday and today, and assuming it is supposed to respond more or less immediately, it seems not to be working at the moment. (I have checked my spam filters.)