Vanessa writes: “I have been freelance writing for almost a year now. I have finally accumulated some strong pieces for my portfolio. I would like to break into bigger magazines. Is it okay if I send intro letters to some of the magazines with some clips? And follow-up with a pitch at a later date? Or should I always send a pitch. It’s tough because I don’t always have a idea I think is appropriate to the magazine but I would like to to get my name out there.”

You’re in luck, Vanessa! We addressed this very question in The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock, which was published just this week. Here’s the excerpt:

QUESTION: Forget writing query letters – can I get an assignment by sending a letter of introduction, clips, and a resume to an editor?

ANSWER: Maybe if you’re a world-famous magazine writer it pays, but if you’re a regular schlumpf like the rest of us, sending introductory packets to magazine editors will probably net you a lot of copying and postage costs for little return – with a few notable exceptions.

Consumer and regional magazines already have stables of strong writers in place. It’s really, really hard to convince an editor through an introduction letter and résumé that you should become their new go-to guy or gal. The best way to convince them of this is by building a relationship with them — one query letter at a time.

When asked about receiving a introduction package from a new-to-her writer, Kristin Godsey, editor of Writer’s Digest, said this: “Personally, I don’t like this at all. It strikes me as kind of lazy, as in, ‘Here I am! I have nothing specific to offer you, but call me with an assignment anytime!’ The exceptions are if (a) you’ve got some absolutely outstanding credentials in terms of freelance clips, like The New York Times or several major national magazines and you’re willing to work for our pay rate; (b) you’ve got celebrity status in my magazine’s field (in other words, Stephen King, feel free to send me a letter of intro and clips), or (c) you’re willing to write for free (and even in this case, you should still have solid credentials and good clips). But otherwise, I’m going to toss your letter unless you’ve got a strong, thought-out idea tailored to my magazine. I’m very unlikely to assign a feature idea I have (or someone on my staff has) to someone I’ve never worked with. I’ll go to someone I know for a fact can do the job.” Sarah Smith, articles editor at Parenting, has a similar viewpoint. She says, “Just because you’re available isn’t enough for me. I need to know you understand us and have good ideas.”

Trade magazines, custom publications, or regional magazines or newspapers, on the other hand, may welcome an introduction letter, résumé, and clips from a writer. Many of these magazines, especially the trade publications, generate their story ideas in-house and some of them struggle to find writers who understand the magazine’s demographic. If you worked for ten years in wastewater management, then editors at magazines covering this industry will probably fall over themselves getting back to you, especially if you’re articulate and can demonstrate a basic understanding of their magazine. Many writers pooh-pooh trades — they’re not always as glamorous as the magazines on your local newsstand. But if you don’t want to query but do want to eat, adding trade magazines to your mix of clients is a good way to go. Similarly, Cara McDonald, deputy editor of 5280, recalls that a senior editor from a national magazine moved to Denver and contacted her about writing for the magazine: “We got them right in here and gave them a job,” she says. That kind of experience at the national level can be irresistible for regional magazines, which often win as many top magazine awards as the big boys (and girls) on Madison Avenue.

But if you’re starting out, or you’re building your career as, say, a health writer for national women’s magazines, pitching strong, well-written ideas will be your best way to assignments.

Have a question for the Renegade Writers? Send it to questions[at] therenegadewriter [dot] com.

And on a totally unrelated note, please keep visiting, posting to, and telling all your friends about our new free service: Sourcery Central. The more people who see it and the more writers who use it, the better a resource it will be. [lf]

If you liked that post, you might also like:

• Customizing Your Queries and LOIs
• You Ask, We Answer: How Can I Maximize a One-on-One Pitch Session?
• Are Queries Dead?
• Tools That Should Be in Your Marketing Toolbox
• Breaking a Broken Rule