You've worked on an assignment or two with a certain editor and enjoyed the experience. However, because of time commitments or lack of constant pitch ideas, you don't send queries on a very regular basis. You do want to maintain your good contact, but you don't want to annoy the editor by sending too many non-assignment related communications. How do you professionally keep up relationships with editors who you don't talk to that often?

I posted this question on the MB boards and got some feedback from other writers and editors. Some gave tips on how they keep in touch:

"Sometimes I will send editors I've worked with things that might interest them...things that don't involve my asking for work. For example, once I sent a really good editor I'd worked with a copy of James Kilpatrick's ''Writer's Art'' column. The headline was something like, ''One Great Editor Is Worth a Thousand Writers,'' or something to that effect. The piece made me think of him, so I sent it. I wasn't trying to suck up or anything; the article gave examples of editing that reminded me of some of the things this editor had done for my work. I learned a lot from him and really appreciated him. Or if I see a news article that would interest an editor I know, I'll email it just because I think they'd be interested in it. But that's only with people I'd worked with enough to know what interests them outside of their job. I guess I just treat editors I know somewhat well the same way I would anyone else."

"My editors are all in a different country to me (I'll be migrating there soon and I've started writing for them already), so I've started up a weekly newsletter of news from my country that's specific to the music genre of magazines, and also aims to be useful to editors. It includes news of magazine launches, music press headlines, interesting websites, etc. So far only one person has unsubscribed, and I've had some great feedback, including an offer of a column. Wily, but it works... and it's interesting for me to do, too."

Some talked about what they would not do:

"I guess the line between pushy and non-pushy networking is different for everybody. I heard a speech once from a freelancer who spent something like $1000 a year on editor gifts. Like, for Halloween right now, I'm sure she's got little black and orange gift bags with sweets in them. Then she'll mail or (probably more effective) drop them off in person. This is never something I would do -- I'm not a craftsy person or giftsy person, and it would come across as completely fawning and inappropriate. But it worked for her."

And others don't feel it's necessary to keep in touch with editors unless you're actively working with them:

"I don't usually keep in touch unless it's to send a query pitch or inquire directly whether there is any work available. I figure clients/editors are busy and don't really want to hear from me in a non-assignment-related way. I feel very shy about it. If the client's organization is having some kind of event, I do try and attend and make a point of saying hi and chatting with my contact person. Even if it means a bit of travel (e.g. I live in Philadelphia and I will sometimes come to NYC for something...it's a must!). As a once and hopefully future editor, I don't need to be reminded that the good contributors still exist when we're not working together. They're in the Rolodex. If they have pitches, they can send 'em! If they want to send a Christmas card, that's nice gravy. But nothing more is necessary. To me, if a writer does good work and is reasonable to deal with, that is all that matters. Unless we have an outside-of-the-office friendship going, in which case calling just to say hi is nice. If someone has something important to let me know, such as a new phone number or they just got certified in some expertise that would make them a good go-to person for a story I might not have thought of them for earlier, I would appreciate being contacted."

"I'd rather get a pitch than a 'hey-how-are-ya' note. A pitch is always a good thing to receive; as long as it hits the target. Solid pitches help me move the train along. Loosey-goosey pitches, that are really topics and not story ideas, waste my time. As an editor, I will admit that those who pitch get assignments simply because they are top of mind. Those who don't get left at the end of my list. I wish I had the time and organizational skills to evaluate each assignment and each writer and make a perfect match. I do not."

And one thinks, appropriately, that it just depends on the editor and the relationship: "Like any type of relationship among peers, you'll know whether or not an editor wants to hear from you as you feel them out over time. Patience and understanding is very important. You'll build a rapport and find natural ways to keep in touch with editors who want to continue to hear from you. Alternately - and I'm sure this is the concern among many of you who find contact with editors intimidating, and rightly so - if someone's too busy or too self-important to keep in contact with you, then don't waste their time or your own with superfluous information. People who don't want to be contacted or cannot keep up communication shouldn't be contacted unless it's absolutely necessary. Send messages when you have something for them, and let their own inbox/organization/schedule/attitude be their problem. I'm not implying that editors are typically mean-spirited; they're really not, I assure you. As a freelance writer, as a staffer, and as a photographer, I know that even the nicest editors have so much stuff flying in front of them, work and personal, that it's easy to drop the ball with promising future opportunities. In that case, you're doing them no favors when you send something along that doesn't have practical value."