You Ask, We Answer: How often can I query an editor?
Lisa asks: “How often is ‘too often’ to contact a new contact? I submitted an essay to a mag I’d really like to break into. The editor got back to me pretty quickly, said the writing was good but subject matter too light, and to try again if I came up with other ideas. So of course, I’ve got 50 ideas for their magazine now. Please help me pace myself! How frequently can I be sending this editor queries and essays?”
I know what you mean: You want to send all your great ideas now, now, now, but you also don’t want to come off as a query stalker. I would wait until I hear back on each query before sending a new one. The good news is that if you hit the editor with a new idea as soon as she gets back to you on a previous idea, you’ll stay fresh in her mind and look like an idea generating machine without being annoying. However, take hints from the editor’s rejection notes: If you keep getting generic “not right for us” notes, you may want to rethink your ideas or how you’re pitching them. But if you get nice rejections like the one you got on your essay, that means you’re on the right track and should keep trying.
Also, you can sneak in more of your ideas by pitching a few at once. Some of the editors we interviewed in The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock said they don’t mind it when a writer sends in two or three ideas at once; in fact, an experienced Smithsonian writer we interviewed sent his editor three very long, fleshed-out queries at once. I usually reserve this tactic for editors I’ve worked with before, but I’m all about breaking rules — so if you think you can get away with sending two or three ideas at once, go for it!
Got a question for the Renegade Writers? Send it to questions [at] therenegadewriter [dot] com. [lf]
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Jan 24, 2007 Advice, Query letters, You Ask, We Answer
Thanks for the tip! I’ve often wondered the same thing. There’s a fine between being eager and pushy.
Don’t you think some, perhaps even many editors only respond when interested? I think so. In that case, wouldn’t you have to take your best guess on when to query again?
Good point, David. Man, I hate it when editors don’t respond — it makes my job so much harder. I guess I’d first rethink whether I’d want to keep pitching an editor who never responds. If so, I’d probably follow up on the first query, wait a couple of weeks, and then send the second one.
That sounds about right. I agree that it doesn’t motivate one to send more queries if there has been no response. Of course, if you know they use freelancers then you know they are responding to someone. Maybe then it’s time to find out who those writers are and go introduce yourself.