A query letter is the tool that opens doors at your dream magazines, both online and off. It shows an editor not only that you have a great idea, but also that you know how to organize your thoughts, that you can write in a clear and engaging way, that you have research and interviewing skills, and that you act like a professional. A simple letter shows a lot!

Due to demand from my e-course students and mentoring clients, I’m now offering query critiquing via e-mail. A query critique is something that I always offered as part of my 8-week e-course on breaking into magazines, but now you can get just the critique without having to go through (and pay for) all the lessons.

Here’s how it works: You send me a query letter you’ve completed before sending it to your target markets. I’ll read it over carefully and use the Track Changes function in Microsoft Word to make suggested changes and comment on everything from your organization to your word choice. I may suggest, for example, that you find stronger sources, structure your query differently, or tweak your title. I may also recommend that you play with your idea to make it more salable. And even more, if I happen to know of a good market for your idea that you hadn’t thought of, I’ll be sure to let you know. (In fact, just today an editorial director I’ve worked with gave me some names and e-mail addresses for one of my students’ pitches.)

I’m not afraid to give thorough critiques — and to let you know when something is simply not working.

So what makes me a query letter expert? First of all, I’m the co-author of The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock, in which I talk to dozens of editors about queries that knocked the editors’ socks off. I’ve also written for more than 130 magazines, many of which I broke in to with query letters — from Family Circle to USA Weekend to Health. You can see one of my successful queries here on the blog, and you can see several more by sending a blank e-mail to queries@renegadewriter.com. I’ll have another query, which sold to Woman’s Day, on the blog on Monday.

In addition, I’ve taught more than 300 students through my popular Write for Magazines e-course, so I have a handle on common query problems and how to solve them. Students whose queries I’ve critiqued as part of my Write for Magazines e-course have broken into Woman’s Day, Writer’s Digest, Cottage Living, Black Health, and other top-notch titles.

How much does a query critique cost? It’s just $49 to have your query thoroughly checked over by a successful freelance writer and query letter expert.

Want to tell a friend about my query letter critiques? Send them to my critique page at http://writeformagazines.com/query-critiques/. Thanks!

For more information on how to sign up for a query critique, please e-mail me at lindaformichelli@gmail.com. I look forward to helping you break into your dream markets!

If you liked that post, you might also like:

• Is Your Query Ready to Send?
• How to Earn More as a Freelance Writer
• Want to Learn from a Veteran Freelancer? Monday’s Your Chance
• 3 Spaces Left in My Write for Magazines E-Course
• Pay What You Want for My Write for Magazines Basic E-Course!*