Free book excerpts from the best current books. An essential site for any aspiring screenwriter. Media Bistro Jobs, discussion, news and reviews for people in the media. Don't buy it. But relax, the world is not coming to an end and you have not just entered some alternate universe.
Queries are an incredibly important tool of the trade for the beginning or veteran freelance writer.
Simply put, you should know how to write a query letter. It can help you get writing jobs, can teach you how to get to the point quick, and can even help you learn to write more in a more concise, understandable manner. Because query writing has become such a mainstay in the freelance writing world that I think that too many writers are relying on them TOO much. First of all, there are several instances where sending the whole piece is better than sending a query letter. For example, it's better to send a finished humor column along rather than a query letter, because it's impossible to convey humor in a letter and explain to an editor that it is funny.