Comments on: Sample query letters for freelance editing work

Question: Sample query letters for freelance editing work

Siobhan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 09:14:35 -0800

I am looking for examples of a cover/query letter you'd send for freelance work, to a company that is not currently advertising any positions.

I am looking to expand my freelance editing business and want to send out some information to prospective clients. Amazingly, I have managed to do this work for eight years without ever having to send a single unsolicited letter -- I have been very lucky with networking. These letters are not to bid or apply for a specific project, but just to introduce myself and my business.

I do have a general sense of the goals of the letter and how it should be laid out, but I would find it really helpful to see the phrasing and structure of some actual letters. That is, I'm looking not for advice or tips (I've found plenty of those) but for the cover letters themselves. Ideally this information would be available online and would not require a trip to the bookstore/library. Thanks.

By: misanthropicsarah

misanthropicsarah — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:00:53 -0800

important detail: do you have a contact at any of these companies? a specific email address to send the letter to?

i ask because i have a lot of freelancing friends (and do it myself). when they get bids for jobs they can't take on, they forward their contact to me so i can either apply for that specific job, or just send out a general letter (like what i think you're talking about).

if you just send it to a general address, you're likely to get deleted/ignored.

the letters i have sent (again, what i THINK you're asking for) have been along the lines of:

Dear Joe:

I got your info from Bob Jones. He told me that you do a lot of work in . I have worked in for x years, and have been freelancing for x years.

List some specific projects he might be familiar with (like, if you edit books, list the titles and publishers).

I am interested in being added to your freelance pool and can devote x hours per day/week/month to any projects you give me.

Contact info, resume is attached blah.

Sincerely.....

By: Siobhan

Siobhan — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:47:01 -0800

I do have a list of specific contacts, yeah, so I'm not sending out a bunch of "Dear Editor" letters (although they're people I found myself, not anyone I've been referred to).

That is exactly the sort of format/phrasing example I was looking for. Thank you.