queries – thomas farley's blog

A Plea to Magazine Publishers

I’d like commercial magazine publishers who don’t respond to e-mails to pull any submission guidelines from their websites. There’s no reason for that information to be there when the publisher has no intention of responding. Also, for those magazines that do solicit queries in good faith, let us do away with the page long query letter in favor of a one paragraph pitch. This would save both of us time.

And, if you really want to be helpful, consider using what the literary magazine world uses: Submittable. I used it at least ten times to submit my creative nonfiction piece to publishers. Their website tells the prospective writer when their work is under consideration and then if it has been accepted or not. You can charge a small fee to recover the cost of the program. Using a site like that would smooth out the submission process for both writer and publisher.

https://www.submittable.com/submission-management-software

Tracking Queries With Google’s Calendar

I’m now using Google’s Calendar feature (external link) to keep track of queries. I wish I used it before. It’s a free service with a Google account. You already have it if you use Gmail.

The calendar is pretty straight forward to use. I note each date I send in a query. I then schedule a query follow up in two weeks or two months, whatever is appropriate. I get an e-mail when this happens so I don’t have to keep checking the calendar. Setting up e-mail delivery is a little confusing. First the big picture, then the small. Here’s what part of a calendar page looks like. We’re on the left hand side.

On my Mac, using Chrome, everything happens on the left. There’s a “Settings” feature at the upper right corner of the browser window (not pictured), but that doesn’t control notifications, which is what you want. Instead, look to the left side for those choices. Notice that tiny downward symbol next to the “My Calendars” selection? Click that and you will get to the notification settings.

Here’s what the next window should look like. Make sure you select “email” when you choose your delivery method. Selecting the alternate, “notification”, will only give you a fleeting message on your computer screen. Which you will probably miss.

Google’s calendar feature is fairly simple and free. It keeps me aware of the book proposals, literary magazine submissions, and magazine article queries I make. It keeps past entries so I can always check back later on when I sent something in.