Free Infographic: Query Letter Template for Freelance Writers

I have designed the following template to show you the basic elements of an email query letter that you would send to an editor of a magazine or website. Click on the image to view the full-size.








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Feel free to use my graphic as you wish, as long as you do not alter it. Resizing is okay. You can view more of my designs at Pinterest.



I welcome your comments,

The Basic Structure of an Article Query Letter

To sell any type of article as a freelance writer, it is important to know the basics of writing a query letter. Most editors do not want to receive full articles from unknown writers. Instead, editors prefer a proposal that will show them:


your ability to write well;
your qualifications to write on the topic; and 
your ideas/story angles for their publications or websites. 


Knowing the

Guilty of Plagiarism? 5 Popular Plagiarism Scandals and Accusations

The old adage says, "There are no new ideas, only new ways of expressing them." What happens when a writer copies those expressions and passes them off as his or her own? Here are five well-known plagiarism scandals. What can you learn from each of them?



Stephen E. Ambrose (Jan. 1936 - Oct. 2002) was an American historian and biographer implicated of plagiarism, falsification, and

Free Infographic: Writing Quote

I have designed this (info)graphic based on an inspirational quote by famous fantasy writer Delia Sherman (bio at wikipedia).

I have released it under Creative Commons License. You may download the full-size and use it "as your own," provided that you do not alter the design or my byline. Resizing is okay.

I have provided a blank graphical element at the bottom where you can insert your own

Writing Religion Articles? A Quick Intro to Capitalizing Words

When quoting a sentence or passage from the Bible, you must type the words exactly, adhering to capitalization, spacing, sentence or paragraph indentions, and punctuation. Here is a quick style guide on when to capitalize specific words, especially if you are writing articles for faith-focused magazines or websites.


RULE # 1: CHURCH

Capitalize the word "church" when it refers to:

1) A

Writing a Biography: 6 Things I Learned about the Pre-Planning Phase

If you have the urge to write a biography of a famous or not-so-famous person, your first task is to choose the ideal subject who will interest you and your readers. If you have chosen to write on an individual who is not classified as a "celebrity," then see if you can dig up some general background information on the subject. Don't worry if not much information exists. As a biographer it

A Screenwriting Tip: How a Well-Written Story Unfolds

Thumbing quickly through the pages of my Fantastic Four comic books  (sample page below) created the feeling of editing a film. As a sequence of visually stimulating scenes with characters speaking and doing things in each box, a film editor could splice together these comic book scenes to produce a visual storyline that viewers could watch on screen.



Unlike novels that showcase more