Audiences enjoy reading more about their favorite characters, and publishers are much more receptive to proven storylines. If you have success in a non-fiction field, use this same philosophy to your advantage. If a magazine buys your article on repairing lawn mowers, they may very well buy your next articles on repairing motorcycles, cars, airplanes or boats. You may even become a regular columnist or contributor, which can mean a steady paycheck while you work on other projects. Always include publication credits in cover letters and introductions.
Editors receive thousands of unsolicited queries and manuscripts every year.
One of the elements an editor is looking for when wading through the slush pile is writing history. No matter how small the circulation or how limited the audience, always mention your previous credits in a cover letter. Some editors specifically ask that you not overdo this step, but primarily they are referring to authors who overemphasize their educational or publication background in lieu of quality submissions. As long as you remain truthful, even a single publishing credit can give you an edge with editors. Most editors are writers themselves, and understand all too well how much work may have gone into that one publishing credit.