5 Ways to Make an Editor Delete Your Email
I’m not a huge magazine editor. In fact, I typically imagine myself on the other side of the fence – where I’m frantically trying to say something and be employable at the same time. However, from working as the editor of NETTUTS.com, I’ve learned a few things. I’ve realized that, out of the dozens of inquiries I receive in a given week, 80% of them are deleted (usually after a standard form rejection response). It all comes back to Pareto’s 80/20 principle, doesn’t it? In this article, I’ll list the top five mistakes you can make when “selling yourself” to an editor like me.
Number 1: Don’t Make Me Work
It sounds a bit harsh and lazy, but it’s the truth. If you are trying to sell yourself to me, I shouldn’t have to respond to your email with something along the lines of, “Do you have any samples of your work?”. It should have been in your first email, silly!
If I have to respond to you asking for more information, you’re doing something wrong.
Number 2: Don’t Send Me A Form Email
This is just insulting, though I completely understand where you might be coming from. It’s not fun to spend time working on a letter to an editor only to be ignored. Nevertheless, your inquiry must be tailored to me. Think of it this way: Why would I hire you when you won’t even take the time to write a personalized message? Such things reek of laziness and apathy. If you have the gall to approach an editor with a form letter, he’ll have the courtesy of responding to you with an equally insulting form rejection letter.
Number 3: More Than One Sentence, Please
Even worse than a recyclable form letter is the infamous “One Sentence Email”. Here is an example of emails that I receive on a daily basis over at NETTUTS.
“I’d like to write for you guys. Email me if that sounds cool.”
Let’s analyze this pathetic excuse for an inquiry.
- One sentence. Really?
- I’d surmise that a 15 year old wrote this.
- He’s making me work to hire him?
- Too informal for my taste.
- Who is this guy? 20 years experience or zero? Who knows.
Number 4: Too Much Information
On the flip side, don’t send an editor a novel. We simply don’t have time, or the desire, to read your life story. Keep it simple, stupid! As the editor for NETTUTS, I receive nearly two dozen submissions per week. Relatively speaking, that’s very little. However, it keeps me busy. Now, imagine a magazine that receives hundreds of submissions in that time frame! Keep your inquiries simple and to the point.
Number 5: Check Your Spelling
Personally, this one is a huge pet peeve of mine. Do yourself a favor and spend ten seconds pressing the “Spell Check” button. Nothing screams, “I’m lazy” more than a person who refuses to take the time to read over his letter. It’s one thing to write casually to a friend. It’s quite another to do the same to a potential employer. This is just a given, right? Maybe not.
What You Should Include in Your Email
- Introduce yourself. Don’t send me a novel, but at least give me a few sentences detailing who you are.
- What experience do you have?
This is important to me. Keep in mind that it’s perfectly okay if you have zero experience. But, let me know that. We’re always looking for the next new “guy”. Consequently, let me know where you’ve worked in the past. Have you been published? These are things that I shouldn’t have to ask you. Tell me up front. If you’re fresh out of school, use it to your advantage. Tell me that you’re willing to work harder than any other. Tell me that you WANT IT more than any other. Find a way to get an editor’s attention by using weaknesses to your advantage. - We all love samples. If you’ve had your work published, send me links to those articles. If you’re a designer, link to your website. I need to know what you’re capable of. You’d be surprised how many people skip this step.
- Eye Of The Tiger. Okay, it’s corny to reference Rocky movies. But thirty years later, it’s still true. You have to “want” in this business. You have to be willing to work harder than any other. You have to be willing to sacrifice more than any other. You have to be willing to STAND OUT more than any other….
- Stand Out In this industry, you’ll forever be in a state of competition. Find ways to separate yourself from the rest of the pack. I’m reminded of being a child and having my mother tell me, “If you want to win that coloring contest, be different!” Ask yourself, what makes me unique? How can you approach a task from a different perspective? Whatever that method is, show it to the editor. I can’t emphasize this point any more.
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Really interesting article, I’m not a magazine editor so far, nor a writer, but in fact there are many aspects here that can be used in general. Thumbs Up !
Thanks for the interesting and useful information. Written well worth waiting for the next record. Read with interest. For the most part agree with the author, but some of the allegations are questionable ..
Nice tips, it’s very true – more time You spend creating good e-mail, better will be response. Thanks!
You said it best, my friend – if people followed this advice I’d have to send far less rejection letters!
Some really simple advice here, it surprises me that people need it though. Surprises and scares me.
Maybe we need an article on: “How to use spell check.” Seriously, it’s not that hard to write a couple hundred words and make sure it hasn’t got any grammar or spelling errors.
Great read mate
Really useful advise there, thanks! I never used to send my work samples in the first e-mail to editors. Perhaps I should now. And yeah, I’ve had friends who tried the “One sentence” approach trying to be all cool and low profile in their mails. Totally does not work and you said it!
Good article and simple points to live by.
I agree this article has some good basic tips. It is unfortunate that the headline does not make any sense in reference to the sub-heads. For an article about gaining an editors trust, coming from an editor, I would expect more. It kind of places all of the quality information this post contains into question.
Here’s another: Editors detest it when writers send in ideas that were JUST DONE! It also says LAZY when you can’t take two seconds to look through the blog, site, magazine, etc.
Great list, I’m going to send over my About.com readers.
I agree with all of this advice except the part about telling an editor you have zero experience. If you don’t mention “I’ve written for X, Y, and Z magazines,” editors may assume that you have no experience, but I wouldn’t use that as a selling point. Instead, you can play up your expertise in your proposed topic. If you’re pitching an article on sibling rivalry, maybe you can mention how your three kids have given you plenty of first-hand knowledge on this topic, but you also plan to interview experts X and Y. If you have a degree in computer science, then that might be something to play up in your pitch to a tech website. Whatever you do, I wouldn’t emphasize any experiential shortcomings, just as you wouldn’t write in a cover letter “this is the first job I’m applying for” or “I’ve never worked in human resources, but…”
Susan, I agree 100%. I get letters all the time that say “I’ve never written before, but I’m really, really, really determined!” and sadly, they go straight to the trash. If I can have my pick of experienced writers (or ones who can fake it), why would I bother with anyone else?
Jeffrey
As bad as it can get … you should see some of the resumes I’ve received over the years!
Good article which outlines just what we need to know, whether it be for other Envato sites, or completely different sites.
@Susan – I disagree somewhat. There is so much bs when it comes to this industry. It would be nice to have someone level with you and say, “Listen. I don’t have much experience. But, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to gain some!”
Oliver, shouldn’t that read… “doesn’t have any grammar or spelling errors”?
Fun article.
Here’s my advice – stand out quickly. I like to to be sold to concisely. I edit graphic design sites, like PSDTUTS, so I’d like to see a great example of design, a professional 2 sentences to one paragraph explanation of what your proposing and links to your portfolio. That’s it. Quick and professional. If you write articles, then link to a couple samples.
Also, try not to regurtitate design. Stand out with unique concepts, approaches, and in the case of deisgn the images your proposing. Top design sites and magazines want fresh tutorials written by people that can explain their process and impart some relevant knowledge to the audience.
My pet peeve is recieving poorly formatted submissions. Meaning the writer doesn’t know html syntax. If you plan to write for the web, it’s worth investing 4 hours in learning the basic syntax of html.
Thx for the post.
I think it’s “new guy”, not “guy” in quotes.
Really interesting article. Thanks for the tips
Good advice. If you’re paid $500 for a successful article, you should invest an appropriate amount of time in the pitch that will make that happen. You can’t half-ass a writing pitch any more than a job interview, if you expect to succeed.
Nice advice now we finally know how to not put some unwanted content on our email and what is should be put
This is a keeper. Thanks for the great reminders in a tight format, easy to remember.
This article is a time saver and will help in securing our hard work.
Thank you Jeffrey Way.
enjoy
Hopefully I’ll get the job after following this. I think I’ve made one of the mistakes already, but I know better now.