Query That Rocked for Writer’s Digest
This is the query I used to break into Writer’s Digest in 1999. (I started writing for magazines and doing corporate writing in mid-1997.) I’ve been writing for them ever since, and am now a columnist. Notice how I end with a statement that shows that I understand the magazine’s market and explains how my article will fit into the magazine.
If I were writing the query now, I would offer quick answers to a few of the bullet-pointed questions (since now, 11 years later, I have the knowledge to do so!).
Living a Double Life
Can you be a magazine writer AND a copywriter?
When I was a fledgling freelance writer, the money I was earning from magazines was not enough to make ends meet. So like many other writers, I turned to copywriting to boost my writing income…
…and soon discovered that mixing magazine writing with copywriting creates a minefield of ethical hazards for the freelance writer. Just a few of the questions I’ve had to grapple with are:
- Is it unethical to write for both magazines and corporations?
- Why do some editors object to their freelancers working on corporate projects when their own magazines are so dependent on advertising dollars?
- Should you tell an editor that you’re also a copywriter…or should you adopt a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy?
- What should you do if a conflict of interest arises…say, if a source you interviewed for an article asks you to write their product brochure?
- Is it permissible to write for magazines and corporate clients in the same industry?
- Should the freelance magazine writer turn down corporate assignments for “advertorials”–advertisements disguised as magazine articles?
As someone who’s successfully combined magazine writing and copywriting for the past two years, I’ll tackle this touchy topic for Writer’s Digest’s readers in “Living a Double Life.” I’ll use examples from my own career and interview magazine editors to tell your readers how to succeed in conflicting callings while avoiding ethical pitfalls.
I’ve written for more than forty-five magazines, including Walking, Nation’s Business, GAMES, Cats and Zillions. One recent article was so well-received that I was interviewed on a national radio program and invited to speak on the topic at a Chamber of Commerce. Currently, I’m contributing to three books to be published by Rodale Press in the year 2000. I’ve also written for such prominent companies as Pizzeria Uno, Bay State Gas and Performance Printing.
Writer’s Digest has run articles catering to magazine writers and to corporate writers. “Living a Double Life” will help your readers ethically bridge the gap between the two–and make more money in the process.
Best regards,
Linda Formichelli
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Feb 5, 2010 Advice, Query letters
Linda, you’ve hooked me! I’d love to read the full piece. I know you sometimes post articles as blog posts if you’ve retained the rights to do, and if that’s the case with this one, then please, pretty please, share it with us!
This is only the second post i’ve read on your blog (sorry – I’ve only just discovered your blog!), yet it is the second one to also have helped me.
It is only within the past few weeks that I have begun to look into magazine writing and so this, as basic as it may be to some, has give me a good idea of what I should be including in or how I should be laying out the initial query.
On something a little more humorous, did anyone else notice the phrase “in the year 2000?”.
I remember prior to 2000, no one really had any idea what to call it and “the year 2000″ was used quite a lot.
I know it makes sense, but it sounds a bit too formal for every day use (or at least for me it does!).
The year 2010, darling?
I’d love to read this one too! If you can’t post it in full, could you let us know which issue it appeared in?
Thanks for all your comments! Okay, I’ll see if I can dig out that article and post it on the blog, though it might be out of date.
Rebecca, have you followed up? I usually follow up on queries after 2-3 weeks no matter what their guidelines or Writer’s Digest say their response time is.
Dan, glad to be of help in the year 2010…thanks for your note!
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