One Woman's Writing Retreat: Alison Lake

Query Letter Consultations for Nonfiction Articles

Photo of Alison Burke. Do you need help writing query letters? Do you need basic strategies for approaching magazine and newspaper editors? I am happy to assist you in the evaluation of your completed query letters and article proposals for nonfiction.

Writing queries will quickly become second nature if you write them consistently. Before that time comes, every query letter can use a second set of eyes. This one-page tool is your only sales aid for approaching editors. Thus, the amount of time you expend will ensure or prevent your success in freelancing. The query helps you sell both your article idea and your ability to deliver on the idea for a particular publication.

Here is what you can expect:

A personalized critique of your query letter or article proposal.
A line-by-line discussion of all aspects of the query letter, from format to construction to what is actually being said.
A short discussion of the goals and themes of the story proposal.
Editorial guidance on grammar, sentence structure, and language clarity.
An overall objective view of the proposal's strengths and areas of possible improvement.
A quick turnaround time of several days.

Along with the critique, I am happy to correspond by e-mail if you have further questions or would like suggestions.

Rather than help you flesh out an article idea, I prefer to work with completed first drafts of queries and proposals.

I am out there right along with you, trying to discover the best way to approach each editor and magazine. For even established freelancers, the journey to published status is more likely a series of small breakthroughs rather than one big 'break'. Rejections are much more frequent than assignments. Well-executed queries unfortunately do not always guarantee instant work, or even interest. However, be assured you can continue to pursue different angles and markets to place your polished query.

I started submitting my work in January of 2002. In this short time, I have been able to break through some of the tough markets and endless slush piles. I have published feature articles in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Memphis Commercial Appeal, Transitions Abroad Magazine, Home Cooking, Big Apple Parent, and various smaller newspapers nationwide. I have upcoming articles in The Christian Science Monitor, Dolls Magazine, Antique & Collectables Newsmagazine, Country Collectibles, Rural Heritage, The Social Justice Review, Washington Woman, and Back Home Magazine. I am a book reviewer for BookPage Magazine (which is distributed by booksellers and libraries), and I am a regular columnist at One Woman's Writing Retreat and Aspire2Write.com. See my full publication list.

I look forward to working with you.

Are you interested in a Query Letter Consultation with Alison? Please contact us.

One Woman's Writing Retreat: Alison Burke

Alison Lake writes for magazines and newspapers. Her second book, Living Off Balance, is due out in fall 2005.

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