Lining up Sources for Queries

Fatal Serenity

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Hello fellow writers,
After years of tinkering with content provider websites and low-pay publishers, I am ready to leap into writing as a serious full-time career. I have some great ideas for a few magazines that I have researched as ideal targets. The issue that continues to hold me back is sources.

I would like to know what other writers do when they compose a killer query. To assure the article is everything it promises to be, do you contact sources before sending a query? I'm assuming that writers win big kudos when they can say that so-and-so expert from big-name-organization will be quoted within the article.

How do potential sources respond when writers contact them with requests to be quoted in an article that has a better chance of being a rejected query than a published article? And if so, where (other than individual and business websites) can I find sources who may be contacted?

Thank you and Merry Christmas!
 

Filigree

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I am a little confused by your post, Fatal Serenity.

I don't write much non fiction anymore, but when I did, I always lined up sources before bothering to send a query or proposal to a publisher. Ideally, I'd have the whole thing written up before even submitting a query or proposal. I was never expert or known well enough to sell an unfinished article. It was up to me to be professional enough for the source to trust me with their information.

As for finding sources, that's going to involve research and some detective work. Look for business journals in the target field, awards notices, professional associations, even the public parts of court records (experts are sometimes cited as having filed amicus briefs in support of a plaintiff or defendant.)

Good luck - making a living at this kind of writing is possible, but it takes a lot of work.
 

Fatal Serenity

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Thank you, Filigree, for your response. It sounds like you always wrote articles "on spec" for nonfiction markets. This may be a good thing for me to consider to get my foot in the door with some magazines/online publications. But I've read a lot of mixed opinions about this method because of the time required to write a full article versus a query, and a lot of the magazines I would like to target also say that they don't accept unsolicited articles or "on spec" articles.

I apologize for not being very clear. My question was specific to non-fiction (particularly magazine/periodical) queries. I love writing fiction! However, I didn't think most people in the fiction genre usually make a full-time income every month on their fiction writing alone. I've read many books on freelance writing including How to Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer by Jenna Glatzer and The Renegade Writer by Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell.

For fiction, you write the story, find a market, and send the whole submission (query/synopsis only if it is a novella or novel length). Right?

What about for nonfiction, though?

For example: Let's say I want to write about Unusual Caroling Traditions of New Englanders for New England Culture Magazine (which is a made-up magazine as far as I know). Since New England Culture Magazine uses at least two good sources in each article, my sources have to be solid. Let's pretend that after hours of research I locate contact information for the Director of Seasonal Entertainment for the city of Boston. I also locate a phone number for the church with the largest group of carolers in the country.

How does a writer go about contacting these people to see if they would be willing to be interviewed if I land the article? I'm assuming it looks a lot better to an editor if you can say "I have these two expert sources lined up for interviews if you assign me the article" than "If you assign me the article, I will find at least two people who you can trust to be quoted in your magazine."

Maybe I am looking into this dilemma too much. I just wondered how other nonfiction magazine writers contact potential sources for an article they do not yet have assigned to them. Or do most editors not worry about the sources until after the article is assigned?

Thank you
 

cornflake

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I wouldn't go looking for quotes before you write the piece - I'd presume that an editor would presume that you'd get people once you had the assignment. Most I'd say would be like 'mixing expert opinions and statistics to ... whatever the hell.'

I've never really heard of writing freelance on spec, besides perhaps offering an evergreen piece you've already got, but even that I'd make sound like you'd do it for them.
 

Fatal Serenity

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Thanks, Cornflake. I'm sure experts are much more willing to talk with writers if they have the assignment. It would make sense that editors allow some slack with having sources beforehand. Of course, National Geographic or Woman's Day (the big boys) probably wouldn't be likely to work with a writer they are unfamiliar with unless they can prove they've got all aspects of the article covered. (Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to jump right to the big boys.)
 

Bushrat

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For me, it depends on the article I'm pitching. If I want to do a feature on somebody, I obviously need to know if that person is willing to give me an interview and have a feature written about them.
If the article can be based on a variety of resources, I don't bother asking people for interviews first.
 

Fatal Serenity

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Thank you. I'm currently working on a pitch for a feature-length article. Since the article isn't focusing on a person (rather a place), I could use a variety of sources as experts.

It is relieving that I am overlooking the issue of finding experts. From what I'm hearing, it seems like finding sources doesn't become too big of a problem if you've been assigned an article.

Has anyone ever had a disaster with sources (finding, contacting, etc)? Do experts typically embrace the opportunity for publicity?
 

Bushrat

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A couple times, I had a hard time getting the promised photos from a source that were crucial to the glossy magazine article. I like to sub my own photos because articles pay a lot more that way, but in this case, I couldn't.
After a flurry of frantic emails and hunting around for substitutes, I finally got the pictures. Now I'm even more set on always supplying my own photos.
 

freelancemomma

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I've never contacted sources at the query stage but I have quoted from their books or websites. I don't think sources want to be bothered unless they know there's an assignment in the bag.

Last year I mentored a new writer who (against my and my colleagues' advice) insisted on interviewing sources for her queries. It took her hours and hours to find sources willing to bite. She spent up to 30 hours per query, which needless to say is not compatible with making a living as a freelancer.


F.
 

gettingby

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I freelanced and worked as a staff writer for many years, and I always lined up interviews before pitching. I would often do mini interviews with sources to get some quotes for the query and make sure I was on the right track with the story. Often interviews dictate how the story will go. Then I would go back to the source after my editor wanted the story and do a full interview. Also, having worked as an editor, I would not give someone the green light without knowing they had things lined up.
 

freelancemomma

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I freelanced and worked as a staff writer for many years, and I always lined up interviews before pitching. I would often do mini interviews with sources to get some quotes for the query and make sure I was on the right track with the story. Often interviews dictate how the story will go. Then I would go back to the source after my editor wanted the story and do a full interview. Also, having worked as an editor, I would not give someone the green light without knowing they had things lined up.

Sounds very laborious -- and from where I'm sitting, not compatible with making a good living as a freelancer. In my case, my family depends on my income (as well as my husband's), so I have to be business-minded. I won't spend more than an hour or two on a pitch. It's true that I have a good resume at this point, but even when I was starting out I followed this rule.

F.
 

rhymegirl

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A couple times, I had a hard time getting the promised photos from a source that were crucial to the glossy magazine article. I like to sub my own photos because articles pay a lot more that way, but in this case, I couldn't.
After a flurry of frantic emails and hunting around for substitutes, I finally got the pictures. Now I'm even more set on always supplying my own photos.

When I read this I was thinking of what happened to me a couple of years ago. I had pitched an idea to a glossy local magazine about a local band. They wanted the story (that was good), BUT--they insisted on having their photographer take a photo of the 5 band members. That was not good. These 5 guys had regular day jobs and only got together on certain nights to rehearse and play their gigs. The editor said something like, "Our photographer will be in your area this Wednesday. Can you have all the guys meet at such and such a place (during the day)?" Uh, no. I explained the problem with that idea and offered to either take the photo myself (at a time when they COULD all get together) or send the magazine a professional photo the guys already had available.

No dice. They insisted it had to be their photographer at the time they chose. I talked with a couple of the band members and they said they just could not make that work.

So, that was it. No story. Personally, I thought it was the magazine's loss and that they were being unreasonable. They thought I was being unreasonable.

So yes, I understand why a writer would insist on using her own photos. Most of the time I take the photos myself.
 

gettingby

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Sounds very laborious -- and from where I'm sitting, not compatible with making a good living as a freelancer. In my case, my family depends on my income (as well as my husband's), so I have to be business-minded. I won't spend more than an hour or two on a pitch. It's true that I have a good resume at this point, but even when I was starting out I followed this rule.

F.

But I did make a living and I still say that my way is necessary depending on the type of place you want to write for. I don't think I spent any more time on my pitches than you, but my way shows the editor the story is there and proves (because of the sources I landed) that I am the best person to write it. I think those things are important.
 

cornflake

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When I read this I was thinking of what happened to me a couple of years ago. I had pitched an idea to a glossy local magazine about a local band. They wanted the story (that was good), BUT--they insisted on having their photographer take a photo of the 5 band members. That was not good. These 5 guys had regular day jobs and only got together on certain nights to rehearse and play their gigs. The editor said something like, "Our photographer will be in your area this Wednesday. Can you have all the guys meet at such and such a place (during the day)?" Uh, no. I explained the problem with that idea and offered to either take the photo myself (at a time when they COULD all get together) or send the magazine a professional photo the guys already had available.

No dice. They insisted it had to be their photographer at the time they chose. I talked with a couple of the band members and they said they just could not make that work.

So, that was it. No story. Personally, I thought it was the magazine's loss and that they were being unreasonable. They thought I was being unreasonable.

So yes, I understand why a writer would insist on using her own photos. Most of the time I take the photos myself.

Not for nothing, but I see their position as much more compelling for several reasons.

If they used your pic, they've no idea of the quality of it (no offense, just that you're not a photographer), if they'd have to go back and forth over getting a usable one, and they'd have to pay you. If they used a shot from the band, they'd have to pay to use it and it may not be what they had in mind for a shot regardless, or match their general aesthetic.

If the band wants publicity, which is, I think, a reasonable presumption, it'd seem not a big thing to make themselves available for a photo shoot to get some. Being 'unable' to meet up for an hour or whatever on a pre-arranged day to get free publicity for their band, and wanting the magazine to go out of its way with permissions, payments, potential layout or art workarounds or consultations? I'd say 'fuck 'em' too, honestly.
 

rhymegirl

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Obviously, I disagree with you.

If this had been a band who did nothing besides be a band, that is one thing.

Asking 5 different people with 5 different lives (they had jobs they depended on to make a living; the band part barely pays anything) to be able to drop everything on a moment's notice (it was like two days after I pitched the idea that they wanted them to do the photo) is unreasonable in my book.

Besides, they were only going to pay me $75 for the story. I've been paid more than that for my articles.
 

TB4me2000

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From both a writing and editing POV (worked at a national mag for three years, which I wrote for and assisted in article selection for), I would say it very much depends on the piece.

For example:

Say you're writing a feature on how to lose a guy in 10 days and want to include info from relationship and dating experts. Well, there are a bundle of experts out there who would bend over backwards to help you out. If you were just intending to use "an expert," I don't think you necessarily have to have that person(s) lined up in advance, though if you've worked with them before, you could certainly include their names as potential sources.

However, it could be a great hook to get Kate Hudson, who's starring in How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days (which coincidentally comes out the same month as the issue you're pitching for). But you can't just be get Kate on the phone willy-nilly--you need to have that contact in place and an interview pending before you pitch the idea.

UNLESS--a big unless--you've already worked with the particular outlet you're currently pitching, and getting Kate Hudson would not be impossible, given your own resources and the resources of the mag. But this, I would say, is unusual.