When Editors Behave Badly…

Editors and editorial assistants hold a lot of power. They have the power to say yes to your query or they can stab your carefully crafted piece in the heart with a kill fee. This power can sometimes have the ability to corrupt even the nicest, most well-behaved editor, but what can a lowly writer do when faced with an editor whose behavior rivals a 5 year old’s?

First of all, stop thinking of yourself as lowly. Writers are an essential part of a magazine/publication/web site. The editors and editorial assistants can’t write the entire publication on their own and need writers to help come up with ideas and obviously, write pieces.

Next, try to define the behavior. Is the editor really bad at communicating in a quick and clear way? They may be busy and distracted which could explain why your email query or question hasn’t been answered. A quick and polite email saying, “Hey, I know you’re busy. I just wanted to check to see if you received my email, etc,” might help out the situation.

If it’s more serious - rude behavior, demeaning behavior or just plain old nastiness, then you need to decide if it’s something you can put up with or not. Honestly, sometimes you have to cut a publication loose. It takes a lot of gump sometimes to say enough, but when trouble is  outpacing the paycheck….

I write a lot here about what writers can do to become more professional, how they can make themselves indispensable to editors, but I would be remiss in not talking about times when there’s really nothing you can do with someone who is on a power trip.

Late pays, no pays, a billion rewrites, dismissive or rude comments…it all happens and the best thing you can do is remain professional and make a break for the hills.

So now it’s your turn - dish! What’s your favorite story of bad editor behavior?

Writing Tip of the Day: Simultaneous Query Submissions

Every so often I’ll get a timeless writing question: What about simultaneous queries?

Old school rules dictated that unless the magazine indicated, you never submitted the same query to anyone else until you received a rejection from the first publication. This is a oft grumbled rule with writers because it could take months to receive a rejection for a piece and then after waiting those months you have to start the process all over again.

Editors cite concerns over their processes and the time it takes to approve an article, place it, pay for it, publish it only to see the same article in a competitor’s magazine.

Over time, the lag time between article submission and approval or rejection has been cut dramatically with the use of email submissions. Now a writer can receive a yay or nay almost as soon as they send it out, which can be a bit disconcerting when it’s a nay, for some reason fast rejection stings a little bit more.

Alternatively, editors have begun to understand and receive more pushback from writers who don’t want to wait on a long approval process. So they have begun to accept simultaneous submissions as long as the piece hasn’t been submitted to a competing publication. So what should you do?

Ask.

I personally like to wait on acceptance or rejection when the publication explicitly requests no simultaneous submissions. However, I’ve talked with writers who incorporate their simultaneous submission request in their query letter. There are others still who just take a chance and submit regardless of publication preference or notification.

I don’t recommend the last course of action because should you happen to get accepted at competing publications you’ll have some awkward explaining to do.

Got an opinion or tip on simultaneous submissions? Tell us below!

Are you thinking about Christmas yet? You should be…

If  you are thinking about pitches for magazines you need to be several months ahead of the curve. I know the last thing anyone wants to think about right now is snow, cold weather and roasting chestnuts, but thinking ahead is a great way to get your pitch approved.

When everyone else is thinking about decking the halls, editors are looking to spring fashions and top summer vacation spots. Thinking and working on magazine editors’ schedules will help in getting your work to the top of the heap.

When thinking ahead, writers need to balance general with specific. Editors take risks looking to trends and future happenings and if you think you have a good beeline on a trend, go ahead and pitch it. Be prepared with great sources or a record of being an expert in the field to back up your pitch.

When pitching the general, look back at the last two years or more of seasonal information. This is a lot easier now with magazines putting much of their information online. A magazine isn’t going to put out the same topics every year at every holiday season. Even if summer articles always talk about sun safety, there’s something new offered each time, new products, latest research, etc. Think about a new angle, perspective or product debut you can add to your pitch.

Baby Talk magazine had a great article this month on sun safety for moms and talked to several moms who found out they had skin cancer. They talked to one mother about how she didn’t think she could get it because of her olive skin tone. The stories took a tried and true topic and made it interesting again.

There are many components to be a great freelance writer. Being able to anticipate is one of them. What trends are you recognizing in your niche or in an area you’re interested? What magazines would be receptive and why? How timely will the information be in six months? Answer these questions in your pitch and you may have yourself a winner!

Query Challenge Update: Where are you now?

It’s late Tuesday evening and you are checking your feedreader, email and social networking sites one more time before you disappear into a mound of wrapping paper, yummy meals and family fun. You know there’s something you forgot to do. What is it? Write an article? Nope. Follow up on a source? Nope.

The query challenge! That’s it!

Where are you on the query challenge? Have you pitched a publication yet? Remember we wanted to do this by Christmas so we’d start the New Year off right with either a great or an encouraging response or heck, let’s be honest - any response.

If you haven’t pitched yet, don’t feel guilty, let’s focus on making progress. I’m not letting you off the hook, mind you. You made a commitment people and I expect a progress report!

What are some of the barriers to pitching a publication or company?

• Ego or lack thereof. Stop telling yourself you have no right to pitch, beware of short-changing yourself.
• Writer’s block. Are you really out of ideas or using that as an excuse? Do whatever it takes to get the juices flowing and get back to work.
• Lack of info. Who’s the right editor? Is this section written by freelancers or staff? Check out this post to get yourself going in the right direction: “Query Challenge: Dear Random Editor:“
• Waiting. On what may I ask? More time? Good luck with that one. Stop with the excuses and take steps to get your career going to the next level.

How’s the challenge coming? Details! Details!

Query Challenge - Dear Random Editor:

by Terreece M. Clarke

“Dear Editor: This is a fantastic query. It’s a hot topic and perfect for your biggest issue of the year. It’s well-researched and has a fantastic expert on board for an interview. Unfortunately, I didn’t take the time to find out which editor I should send it to. Sure I could have sent a quick email or picked up the phone to be sure that the person on the masthead is still there and in the department, but I decided to go generic. Just any random editor at the publication. So now my query is stuck being passed around. Maybe it’ll find it’s way to the right spot. Maybe it’ll end up in the spam folder or under a pile of to-do’s on someone’s desk. By the time it reaches you though, you would have already assigned out the articles for that issue. Or when it does reach you, you’ll be annoyed by the “Dear Editor” and question my dedication to research. Sincerely, Freelance Writer”

One of the most important parts of a query is the editor’s name. Spell it wrong and you’re toast. Don’t bother to find it out and you’re lazy. Address it to the old editor or wrong section and you’re sloppy. It’s like the SATs, you get points just for getting the name correct.

Finding out which editor you should send a query to is as simple as picking up the phone or sending a short email. Checking the masthead is the first step, but think about when the magazine was sent to the publisher, a lot of things can change when you have such a long lead time. Suzy P. Editor or Dan Q. Writesalot may not be with the magazine may have been promoted or moved to a different area of the magazine.

It doesn’t have to be a long conversation or email. “I’m sending in a query on [subject] and I want to be sure I’m sending it to the correct person. I have [name & email addy or mailing add] is that correct? The person on the phone will be glad you checked and will give you the info you need. You may even get lucky enough to get the actual editor and they may ask for more info right then and there. Hello! Foot in the door!

Double check the spelling. Allyson, Allison, Alleson? If you can’t get their name right when asking for a job, an editor immediately wonders about what will be wrong with your article.

So what’s in a name? Everything. Get it right for query success!

How’s that query challenge coming? Anyone send out their queries? Any responses yet? Keep us in the loop!

Caller You Say What? Questions About Queries

By Terreece M. Clarke

I always wanted my own talk show :0) Today I’m going to answer a few of the great questions I’ve received:

Rupa Says:

Hi Terreece,
Off topic - but I wanted to return to the query challenge. (Yes, I am working on it!)
I have spent some time studying query letter tips and sample queries online. I have never done this before and want to learn to do it right.
I have a few questions -
Is it absolutely necessary to mention in the query some of the names of the people I will be talking to and the quotes I will be using in the article? I guess names and quotes do add some personality and interest and convince the editor that I actually am capable of doing the research…But currently I don’t have the sources or quotes, although I will be getting them before starting the article (If I get chosen to write!) So, is it ok to leave that part out in the query or should I first work on the sources and quotes?

Hi Rupa, thanks for the question. It’s not necessary to include exactly who you will interview. While yes, it does give the query an extra kick to list a respected expert or someone who’s recently published a book on the subject, it is also okay to list a general roster. “I will interview an expert in the field of origami as well as a member of the National Origami Organization,” one way to leave yourself open to some wiggle room.

Nina Says:

Hi Terreece,

This may be off topic. But I am looking for some answers. I am starting my query process, I have never been published in a print magazine. I have read that a great way to break into a magazine, would be to interview an expert. My issue is, how do you come up with questions that are news worthy? For example I want to query a magazine about a natural health supplement. How can I construct a solid interview? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Nina! A great place to start would be to research current news on the health supplement. What do proponents of the supplement say about it? What about those who dispute its use? You can also think about it in terms of the magazine’s focus. For a parenting magazine you could interview an expert in natural medicine and its affects on pregnancy or use while breastfeeding, for a male fitness magazine the emphasis could be on performance enhancement - and I mean athletic, not the other kind, though if you find information on that it would be a good angle! Find an angle that appeals to your publication and construct an interview around the angle. Remember to be flexible during the interview because there are times you never know where the interview will take you.

Got a question about writing? Working on the query challenge & need some help? Email me or post your questions below!

Query Tip: Date Your Publication

By Terreece M. Clarke

There are a variety of things a writer must take into account when making a pitch to a publication. A writer must meet and get to know the publication. So I’m advising writers to take it out on a date.

Make an appointment, clear out the distractions and ask the publication about itself:

• Are you printed often?
• Who’s your audience?
• What’s your tone? Are you authoritative? Cheeky? Friendly?
• How much of you is written by freelancers? Any specific sections?
• What have you talked about in the past year?
• Are there certain topics you just love to have?
• What’s your editorial calendar like?
• How much do you pay?
• Do you offer kill fees?
• What about rights? Are you naughty - taking all rights or do you like first serial North American rights?
• Who edits each section?

After a lovely date in which you two had so much to talk about you should go home and decide if you think there’s a future there. Are you two compatible? Would the publication be interested in what you have to offer? Are you willing to take the next step and make your intentions know through a promise ring (query) in front of the folks (editors)?

Getting a good feel for the publication is one of the most important things a writer can do because editors can tell when a writer is comfortable with its audience. Nothing will sour the relationship more than a pitch that is completely out of sync with the audience and tone. It signals sloppy research and less than noble ideals. It’s like using your ex’s ring to propose to a new love - not cool.

How is the query challenge coming along? What steps have you taken to get started?

Query Challenge!

By Terreece M. Clarke

Think about the top three publications where you’d like to be published. Got ‘em? Now take the FWJ query challenge.

Between now and Christmas, research, develop and submit a stunning query for those three publications. If you are a business writer, do the challenge with three clients you’d like to land.

I’m talking about serious work - going to the library to look through back issues, zoning in on a section, finding the correct editor to pitch to and carefully crafting a spectacular query.

We sometime underestimate ourselves. I hear writers say all the time they don’t have this or that to approach a publication or client. So ask yourself these things: “Do you have clips?”, “Do you have a great idea?” if no to those two, “Do you have the capacity to get those things?” Then do it.

Create writing samples, troll for great angles that fits your desired publication, eliminate excuses - which is what this is all about anyway. The holiday season is a great time to do this because many writers are slacking off, indeed many editors are too which means your query may sit longer, but that’s fine because you’ve got the holiday hubbub to distract you!

The query challenge is also designed to set you up for the upcoming year. You may not land all of three pubs, but it gives you a jumping off point and a place to refocus your energy.

So are you ready to take the challenge? Then publicly declare yourself. In the comments below, state you’re taking the challenge and if you’re comfortable telling us - declare the publications. Between now and Christmas we’re going to talk more about crafting queries, etc. and checking progress so sign up now!

Best Query Advice

By Terreece M. Clarke

One of the first things people ask me after “How do I get started with freelance writing,” and “Is there any money in that?” is how to write a great query letter.

A query letter is what’s going to get you into the door - wait, scratch that. A great email subject line is what’s going to get you into the door. The query letter is going to get you invited in for a moment, and that’s all you have - one moment to land that writing job.

Your query letter is like anything else you write. It has to grab the editor’s attention and make them want to read on. The very best advice I have I didn’t come up with on my own. My writing mentor hipped me to it: write your query letter exactly like you would write the article.

Start off with your anecdote, eye-catching statistic or quote: Read more