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Topic: 2 ideas, 1 query letter?
| Author | Message |
| GGG | Posted – 4/10/2008 11:19:57 AM | show profile Two ideas, one query letter: yes or no? There are pros and cons for both approaches, so I wonder if someone could tell me what's appropriate. |
| write2rachel | Posted – 4/10/2008 1:54:07 PM | show profile I am not sure what's appropriate, but I probably would not send two pitches in one email... As an editor, I appreciate when people are quick and get to the point. I think two pitches might be slightly too much for my short-attention span. As a freelance writer, I would be nervous that if they didn't like the first idea, they might stop reading! Good luck! ------ www.rachelcericola.com |
| 1978 | Posted – 4/10/2008 8:33:11 PM | show profile This is interesting because I have found that if I send, say, 2-3 (concise!) pitches in query, one will be selected. Or, if I initially start with one and it's rejected, I'll follow up with two more. It has worked in the past, which is why I'm sharing it! But I suppose the best strategy is to follow your gut, and only pitch if you're strong on the idea, or, ideas. |
| Thabit | Posted – 4/11/2008 3:43:28 AM | show profile I like 1978's tactic of trios of pitches, or quick follow-ups, but have had had more luck pitching one idea at a time. I tend to send pitches that don't require even a scroll down on email -- so something like 150-200 words max -- two would be too long for that. I've ditched that format when pitching ideas with editors I've worked with frequently for stories that need to be done together, so I'd like you to send me to x conference, while I'm there I could also do y and z. |
| snappiness | Posted – 4/11/2008 9:54:26 AM | show profile Hmmm, maybe I should rethink my strategy. I do some single-story pitches, but I also often do three ideas at once, each a paragraph. I haven't noticed one being more successful than the other. I tend to favor the three pitches because I don't have to research them as deeply! |
| JimmyG | Posted – 4/11/2008 4:26:26 PM | show profile I usually send multiple queries unless I'm requested to pitch an article on a given general topic by an editor. And it's inevitable that when send out multiples that the editor picks the one I could care less about that I literally threw in at the last minute to fill up the page. I'm not being negative about this, it's just that sometimes you can never tell upon which bait an editor will bite. |
