How To Follow Up

As I've mentioned in previous posts, waiting for a reply on a query can be hard. So what do you do when you've waited the allotted time and still no answer? You follow up. Email works great for following up even if you sent your original query via snail mail. But always check the writer's guidelines for instructions because some editors like only email or only snail mail, so it's best to stick to their particular format.

When following up, I like to make my letter short, sweet and to the point. And include the original query for easy reference (just in case they didn't get your letter). Here's an example of what you can say in a follow up query.

Dear {Editor's Name},

I am writing to follow up on a query that I submitted via email on June 26, 2006 for an article titled "Rome on $40 a Day." In case you didn't receive my query, I've pasted a copy below. Can you tell me when you might make a decision on the idea? I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Waiting Writer

This is just a little example. Feel free to reorganize it to suit your needs. The point is, don't stress about it. And if you still don't get a response after a follow up (or two at most), move on.