The Writer

SIX INGREDIENTS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR ESSAY STAND OUT FROM THE SLUSH PILE

Why does this essay need to be told right now? What does it add to the current conversation? Include all this in your query letter. Maybe you know how to turn It’s much easier to say yes to a fully written, wonderful essay than a riskier pitch or story idea, especially if you’re new to a publication. Sorry, folks, there’s just no getting around this one. It may be an editor’s job to catch a typo here or there before it goes to print, but it’s not on us to do the lion’s share of grammatical work. Proofread your work incessantly before you pitch. It’s not just politeness, either: Errors pull us out of the world you’ve worked so hard to create on the page, and you want an editor to feel transported by your essay, not annoyed by errant commas or missing punctuation.

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