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Based on the qualitative nature of the subject matter under consideration, the entire syllabus of psychology can be grouped into following three broad categories, which are followed by an elaborate description of each:· Core psychology· Applied psychology· Research methods in psychology and psychometryCore Psychology: This is the heart and soul of psychology and is what usually conjures up in mind when one hears the word “psychology”. It deals with such things as major theories, personalities, studies etc in psychology. It covers the entire paper1 of the syllabus (except the chapters on “methods of psychology” and “research methods), and the portion on psychological disorders and therapies from paper2 (abnormal psychology in short).How good you perform overall in psychology depends on how well you have mastered this portion of the syllabus. It forms the bedrock of all your psychological knowledge on which will rest the knowledge of the other two areas of syllabus—so spend a good deal of your time here.Following is the list of books that I personally came across, and which you will too in all likelihood, during my three odd years’ of preparation. These books deal with this area of the syllabus (core psychology):· Robert A. Baron· Saundra K. Ciccarelli & J. Noland White· Clifford T. Morgan, Richard A. King et al. (popularly known as just “Morgan and King”)· Atkinson & Hilgard· Braj Kumar Mishra (it’s nothing but junk in my opinion; stay away from this)· Books on specific topics (social psychology by Robert A. Baron; abnormal psychology by James N. Butcher et al.)· Psychology NCERT, 11th and 12th (preferably old editions)If you are terrified to see such a long list of books, don’t be! This is just a list of books to let you know what all lies out there—only a handful of them are to be actually read.Here is what you are supposed to do: first off, you need to pick a book which will serve as your fundamental book which you will learn all basic psychology from. This fundamental book in my opinion should be either Baron or Ciccarelli, and NOT any other book in any case (ignore all the books I mentioned above). I would suggest you to go with Baron, since this is what most people do, although ciccarelli is just as good, if not more. Since this book will lay the base of all your psychological knowledge, multiple and meticulous readings of this book will be required—the salience of this point cannot be overstated. Although one book will cover preponderant (some 90%) of this part (core psychology) of the syllabus, some topics will either not be found, or the coverage might not be of desired quality or depth, in which case you need a secondary book. So if Baron is your fundamental book, Ciccarelli should serve as your secondary source. And treat your secondary source as secondary—do not wind up reading the secondary source just like the fundamental one (I say this because it’s easy to go adrift, and it happened with me). These two books, in tandem, with unequal stress (far more stress on the fundamental book), will cover all the basics.I want to make a brief comparison between these two most important books (Ciccarelli and Baron) at this point. I have seen both books at close quarters and can well vouch for their superlative quality. I mention below topics covered well in one book with respect to the other.Chapters well covered in Ciccarelli: states of consciousness (although refer Baron for dreams and hypnotism sections); personality (at least a few portions of it); social psychology (many important concepts not found in Baron will be found here)Chapters well covered in Baron: developmental psychology; sensation, attention and perception; thinking and problem solving; intelligence and aptitude.Other chapters not mentioned above (e.g., learning, memory etc.) are covered well in both the books, so you can do them from any—I recommend Baron since it’s your fundamental book anyway.Other books that I mentioned above are either not to be used at all, or are to be used very, very sparingly. For example, psychology NCERTs will be required for topics on Indian perspective on psychology—eg, Indian view of personality and self, PASS theory of intelligence, yoga, meditation etc. Typically one question is asked from this area, and it is not covered in foreign books (Baron, Ciccarelli etc.). NCERT should also be used for the “language and communication” chapter, since it’s not covered entirely in either of the two basic books, although the coverage in NCERT itself is below par. You can also see other books for selected topics for other chapters, but it’s better to stay off them in my estimation.A word of caution is in order here: DO NOT make Morgan & King as your fundamental book! I have read this book entirely (I will spare you the details as to why), only to discover to my chagrin that it was an exercise in futility! Not that anything is wrong with the book per se—on the contrary, it is one of the most hallowed books in all psychological literature, and rightly so. The only problem is that it is miserably out of date. The latest study that has been quoted in this book is from 1985, if my memory serves me right. Much has happened in psychology since that has found its way in the mainstream psychology textbooks as well as the UPSC syllabus. So steer clear of this book. That said, this book can, however, help in these sections which are not covered in other books: Chomsky’s theory of transformative grammar; critical period hypothesis in language acquisition; biofeedback (covered comparatively better here in this book).There are some grey areas in the UPSC syllabus which will never be found in any book, let alone Ciccarelli or Baron—at least, I never did! Such areas include, for example, the chapter on language and communication (not covered well in both the books); the concepts in syllabus like signal detection and vigilance (covered in baron but very briefly); probability learning; metamemory; artificial intelligence; difference between expert and novice (from the thinking chapter);measurement of emotion; measurement of attitude, value and interest (although it is covered in A.K. SINGH; more on that later); theories of attitude change (although it can be found in the book on social psychology by Baron); computer applications in the psychological laboratory and psychological testing, psychocybernatics, intersensory perception; concept of well being, positive health, happiness disposition; indigenous therapies like yoga and meditation (you can see NCERT for these); biofeedback therapy (Morgan and King covers it well) etc. Their might be some others too beside these, but I think I have covered most of them.For such topics, I have to say few things. First, such topics aren’t too many. Second, google the terms and make notes out of these. Third, questions from these areas tend to be very repetitive; so make sure to browse through the past question papers to keep a watchful eye on such topics (eg, metamemory, difference between expert novice etc. are often asked). Fourth, I will try to attach a few handouts/ pdfs, if possible. Language and communication chapter isn’t covered well in both the basic books that I mentioned. For this, I am attaching a book on developmental psychology by Shaffer and Kipp. Chapter 9 of this book (Development of language and communication skills) covers the language part in greater depth. You can have the entire chapter printed, but initial few pages of the chapter, that cover the theories of language acquisition, are highly recommended (I did only this much from this chapter; rest of the things on language I did from Ciccarelli and NCERT). See if you can put rest of the chapter to any productive use.To conclude, this (core psychology) is the most important portion of the syllabus—not as much because it might fetch you good marks in the syllabus that it covers(it might well not!) as due to the fact that it lays the foundation of your entire psychology optional. How well you apply concepts in paper2 (which basically what paper 2 is all about) is contingent on your hold on basic psychology. So read your basic book multiple times until the concepts seep well and firmly into your memory. The nugget of wisdom “read one book hundred times than hundred books one time” applies very aptly here.Applied Psychology: This part of the syllabus covers all but first three chapters of the paper2, viz. “psychological measurement of individual differences”, “psychological well being and mental disorders”, and “therapeutic approaches”. As the name itself indicates, we are to apply the psychological knowledge to different areas, eg. education, societal problems, rehabilitation of the mentally ill, work place etc. As I said in the foregoing discussion too, you are better placed to tackle this portion if you have mastered the basic psychology.You might be tempted to know what book has to be referred for this portion; but let me tell you their is absolutely no book to speak of for this area! I have searched all and sundry for a good book, but all in vain (and trust me when I say I have gone to great lengths for searching it)—none perhaps even exists! However, a “book” by Smark Swain (a formerly successful student in this exam) does exist, but in all fairness it’s more like notes of a good student, and not a standard textbook. In any case, all of us, inclusive of me and those who succeeded before me, are highly indebted to Smarak sir. I want to take this opportunity to extend my deepest gratitude to him on the behalf of entire UPSC psychology community, for without his book paper2 would have been really in shambles!Having said that, their do exist books for particular chapters, eg. work psychology and education psychology. These areas of psychological applications have become sub-disciplines of psychology in their own right, and full-fledged text books exist for them. But you would be better off without them in my opinion. Besides, I will share what’s relevant. But for other areas (eg, community psychology, psychology of economic development, environmental psychology, and the like) no book will be found—at best research papers or articles on psychology websites or Wikipedia (this is useful source, given used sparingly) will be found.The glaring paucity of books in this area of syllabus had been a constant thorn in my side for at least half of my UPSC journey. It niggled me so much that at times I even called into question my very decision of having taken psychology optional. But now that I am past my preparation phase, in retrospect, I can well say that this supposed predicament was in fact a blessing in disguise. I say this because paper2 is in fact easier than paper1, and requires far, far less labour, given you know how to go about. You will be as much delighted to know as I myself was that in my first mains exam (I reached the interview stage here), I scored better in paper2—135 in paper1 and 145 in paper2, to be precise! In my third and final attempt too, when I have got finally what all of us want, I scored handsomely in paper2 (150 marks). So the cardinal point that I want to deliver is that paper2, far from being your weakness, can be your strength—I explain below just how.Here are the broad contours of the strategy for paper2 (applied psychology):· First off, master the basic psychology. Multiple revisions of your basic book from paper1 will be required before you can “feel” how to “apply” the psychological knowledge in applied psychology. The sound foundation laid here will surely stand you in good stead for approaching applied psychology.· Stop hunting for books, and purchase Smarak Swain. Read the entire book except the chapter (es) on psychological disorders and therapies (which are already covered in Baron/ Ciccarelli). Reading this book can at times feel very boring and insipid exercise—but you have to endure a bit, as we don’t have much option. The concepts do not flow here as elegantly as they did in Ciccarelli or Baron. Anyhow, the book has good qualities to its credit too. First, it covers all the things mentioned in syllabus very systematically. Second, the coverage of topics is fairly good and many new concepts are presented. The author hasn’t said the things in the book out of thin air as one might possibly suspect; he has pieced together things from various standard sources. You can verify this any time by seeing any standard source on the topic (I have myself discovered this fact time and again). Third, you will learn here how to apply basic psychology in different chapters. So, in a nutshell, read this book religiously, and revise it multiple times.· There are certain chapters in paper1 which specifically have many applications in specific chapter (es) of paper2. So try to apply the concepts from these chapters specifically. I mention them below:1. Learning and memory: has application in educational psychology, particularly the chapter on memory.2. Psychological disorders and therapies: has application in rehabilitation psychology and community psychology (social psychology is also helpful in this chapter).3. Social psychology: has application in community psychology, psychology of disadvantaged, psychology of social integration (greatest application here), environmental psychology, psychology of economic development, terrorism psychology, psychology of gender etc. Social psychology is by far the most important chapter when it comes to applying concepts of psychology in paper2. This is because many chapters in applied psychology aim at changing the social/ group behaviors of people (eg, how to get people to have a positive attitude towards small family, or to conserve water), which falls within the domain of social psychology. So cover this chapter from both Baron and Ciccarelli, although avoid repetition while doing so.· Next Is the writing practice. Although writing practice is essential in paper1 too, it’s more so for paper2. That’s because the writing skills in applied psychology call for innovation, creativity and thinking-on-your-feet ability, which comes but with practice. Unlike in paper 1, here, by and large, there is no right or wrong answer to a question; it all depends on what all psychological techniques you have incorporated in the answer. When posed with a question, you might often feel you don’t know the answer to the question, but you do—just try to think from different psychological angles; try to draw on the knowledge from Ciccarelli or Baron; and think of points mentioned in smarak swain. Almost as a rule, you have to attempt each and every question and reach up to its word limit. You might feel you are writing garbage, but you are not (now you know how this paper is blessing in disguise)—just make sure you are somehow including psychological jargon in your answer and tackling the question from different psychological angles to make the answer more well-rounded. You will definitely fetch marks (given basic psychology and smarak swain have been mastered well).· I have made notes for the most important areas in applied psychology which I attach here. These notes have been made from different sources—Wikipedia, my own knowledge from basic psychology and smarak swain, and notes handed over by Mukul Pathak sir who is a renowned psychology faculty in Delhi (searching his voluminous and haphazardly-arranged notes was like searching for a needle in haystack). Notice in the notes how I have used different psychological techniques for different topics—you have to develop the knack of doing the same. Also notice that some psychological techniques used cut across different chapters. These are the general techniques which can be used for a variety of questions. Also, these notes are to complement smarak swain, so many new things might be found, although I have included points from smarak swain at times for the sake of orderly organization. However, these notes are very personal to me, written for my personal usage. There might be things which you might not understand, since they were supposed to make sense to me and not anybody else. For example, at times I would just write a technical term, leaving it unexplained. That’s because I already know what that means. At such times, feel free to look up the internet, particularly articles on Wikipedia, which I myself have used profusely. I just hope you find the notes useful.It’s paradoxical that this paper, which at one point seemed like my Achilles heel, would eventually go on to become my weapon. Personally speaking, while writing the mains exam or the test in the test series, I felt at much ease in paper2 as compared to paper1. My brain felt less encumbered with information, and l liberally used points that came to my mind then and there, almost as if I had to just fill the pages, as it were! But honestly, it earned me good marks, and I always felt confidant in this paper. I think that was because of my perseverant and honest hard work. Hard work just pays off I guess in ways that we don’t quite comprehend.Research methods in psychology and psychometry: Comparatively much smaller portion, it covers the following chapters:· Methods of psychology (chapter 2 of paper1)· Research methods (chapter 3 of paper1)· Psychological measurement of individual differences (chapter 1 of paper 2)The first two of these can be studied together (both deal with research methods in psychology), while third one is to be done separately (it covers psychometry).This part of the syllabus covers two broad areas, viz. research methods in psychology, and psychometry. By research methods is meant what kind of methods do psychologists deploy to study behavior and then reach a meaningful and scientific conclusion—these methods are required to be known by you. A psychological research is a long drawn out process, consisting of many stages. One of the stages is to apply statistical techniques on the data collected in the study on behavior, from which emerges the hidden information in the data. Some statistical techniques are specifically mentioned in the syllabus (e.g., t-test, ANOVA etc.)—we are expected to know them too. Psychometry (dealt by the chapter1 of paper 2, ie psychological measurement of individual differences), on the other hand, deals with measurement in psychology. Various psychological traits like intelligence, attitude, aptitude etc. are measured using what is called a “psychological test”. Here you are required to know what are the characteristics, types, use and misuse, limitation etc. of psychological tests.This entire part of the syllabus is notorious for giving tough time to students—not because of the lack of books this time (in fact, there is a copious amount of them), but because of its perplexing nature. Of particular notoriety is the part on statistical techniques. However, overall, it’s not as difficult as students generally think. Typically some four-to-five questions might be asked in all (both papers), and it certainly cannot be overlooked.As for the book source, Tests, Measurements and Research Methods in Behavioural Sciences by A.K. Singh (you can find it online), is by far the most important source. Technically, it covers practically the entire portion well, except for the portion on statistical techniques, which, although covered, is mentioned very briefly and with no background of statistics, making it hard for us to understand the already intricate concepts. So for the statistics part (which is a very minor portion, and the one that you could well skip if worse comes to worse), I suggest Statistics for Psychology by Aron, Coups, and Aron (I will attach the soft copy), which is a splendid book. There are other books too on the statistics portion (I will attach the soft copies), but it is advised to stay away from them. Even Aron and Coups is to be used very minutely and carefully, since we are looking for some handful topics spread out in the entire book!A few words of wisdom now on how to cover A.K. Singh. To give you a bird’s eye-view, a good command on the subject matter will require you to cover some one-third of the book spread over different chapters, although only three or four chapters will suffice if you are hard pressed for time. The book can be divided into two parts—the first half covers psychometry, and the second covers research methods. Coming to psychometry first, the most important chapter here is Test Construction (2nd chapter of the book), which covers the basics of psychological tests (properties, uses, limitations, ethical issues in testing). This is a very easy but important chapter, and should be on your tips. It covers many aspects of testing which are directly mentioned in the syllabus and which are directly asked too in the exam. The following chapters in the book deal with specific aspects of testing like item analysis, validity, reliability, norms etc. of a psychological test (item response theory given in “item analysis” chapter should be read well, as should be the reliability and validity concepts in the following chapters). You just need to read the basics of all these things from these chapters, and not the entire chapter (see the past question papers; you will get an idea what to read).Now coming to the psychological research part, which is the second half of the book. Here the Social Scientific Research chapter (15th chapter of the book) is very important, and walks you through the types of psychological research and their basics. This chapter should be done well. Just like in psychometry, the following chapters deal with the specific aspects of psychological research. Only two are important in my opinion—20th chapter (variables) and 21st chapter (research design). Research design (covered in 21st chapter) forms a very important part of the syllabus, and the basics of different kinds of research designs (e.g., between-group design, within-group design, factorial design etc.), should be well known to you. This chapter, however, delves somewhat deeply into each research design, which is not required. Just make sure you understand the basics of each research design, and the distinction of one from the other. Intrinsic to the process of research design is a statistical test (t-test, ANOVA, etc.) to be done on the data collected as guided by the research design at hand. Basics of these statistical tests should also be known, as the syllabus specifically demands. Understanding this chapter (particularly the statistical tests) can be a tricky affair—that’s where Aron and Coups comes in (more on that later). 16th chapter (single subject experimental design) could also be skimmed through, since single-subject experimental design is also a kind of research design. “Chapter W1” of Aron and Coups (Overview of the logic and language of psychological Research), towards the far end of the book, is also a good read to understand the basics of research design.To sum up, chapters in AK Singh that are to be fully read are: chapter 2 and 15. Chapters to be read partly (just make sure you understand the basics here; you can skip the details. See the past question papers to get an idea) are: chapter 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 (see the basics of how to measure aptitude, value, interest etc.; they are mentioned in paper1), 12 (here, see the basics of data collection techniques like survey, observation, interview etc.), 16, 20 and 21.Few things now about Aron and Coups (soft copy attached). The subject matter of the book is: how statistical techniques are used in the process of psychological research. Our aim here is to understand the rudiments of some statistical techniques mentioned in the syllabus (t-test, two way ANOVA, correlation and regression, factor analysis), and some other things not explicitly mentioned in the syllabus, but nonetheless asked (e.g., effect size, statistical power etc.). The concepts are presented in a very easy-to-understand manner, sometimes the same things being said repetitively from oblique angles, supplemented with copious examples. The only problem is what we are looking for is spread out, literally, in the entire book! This could eat into lot of your time; so use the book at your discretion. But I do recommend reading the 4th chapter of this book that introduces you the all-important concept of hypothesis testing, which is central to psychological research. You will feel at once what on earth is this psychological research all about! The chapter isn’t as big as it seems—just understand what hypothesis testing is and how it is done. I leave on you how to cover the statistical techniques mentioned in the following chapters. I myself could cover only some of them from this book as it was taking lot of time and not yielding commensurate benefits. But for someone who has good amount of time, the book can be put to good use.Two topics—focus groups and grounded theory—will not be found in either of the two books. For these, I will attach a few pages extracted from a standard textbook, or possibly the book itself, in case you want a little background on qualitative research (both focus groups and grounded theory are qualitative research methods, as distinct from quantitative research methods). There is a third topic by the name brainstorming, on which, I am afraid, I do not have any source to suggest—I myself never did it. Try googling it.With this I conclude my rather elaborate psychology strategy. Part of the reason why I have written it so long is that I myself felt a conspicuous lack of guidance in psychology during my preparation days, and I had to carve my own path out. I have learnt many things during the course of three years, some the hard way! For example, I went to great lengths to find a good book for paper2, which never existed in the first place; I read entire Morgan and King only to realize I shouldn’t have; towards the end, I amassed a good deal of books, but all came gradually spread over great length of time. I am pretty sure things would have been starkly different had I had them right from the start. To top that all, filtering the relevant from the irrelevant felt like an arduous exercise (particularly in psychological research and psychometry). I just hope my strategy helps you circumvent these, and possibly other, pitfalls, and save you both labour and time. That said, I firmly believe it takes all sorts to make a world. So if my strategy, or a part of it thereof, doesn’t go down your throat well, DO NOT be afraid to do your own thing! After all, not all successful students in psychology had the same path as mine. That’s true not just for psychology, but the entire preparation. But at the same time no man is an island—you do need help. So keep your eyes and ears always open, and, to quote Rig Veda, let the good ideas come from all sides! With this, I extend my heartfelt wishes in your endeavours!For the PDF of this entire piece of writing, click here psychology strategy.pdf.I attach here psychology books shared - Google Drive the relevant books and study material of which I have a soft copy. Some of the books here have been kept in a folder-- do not forget to see that.I talked above about sharing my notes (made for a part of paper 2). But i am not as of now, since i do not have them with me right now. But i look forward to have them scanned and share a soft copy with you soon.

This is from How To Write What You Want & Sell What You Write, a book of mine originally published in 1992, with the last edition published in 2011 (where this chapter came from). So don’t knock it if some of it seems antiquated, because I’m giving you the whole chapter.Chapter Two: Who Cares Who Queries?Other than the quality of your text, the most potent tool in selling your writing is a simple introductory message. Whether you use standard mail, a fax, an email, a text message, or a tweet on Twitter, a query is a message sent to an editor about your manuscript or creative work. It is sent in advance of a full manuscript or script to ask if an editor, publisher, film or TV professional, Web publisher, literary agent or any other type of decision-maker will look at your work. A good query convinces the recipients of the potential worth of your writing and compels them to ask to read it. I never send something to anyone without knowing they’re willing to receive it; I almost without fail query first.Even if you produce the world’s greatest unpublished manuscript and send it along, you still need to include a message saying something about who you are, what you have to sell, where you can be found, and why you contacted that person in the first place. Who, what, where, why, and how; maybe you’ve heard the phrase before – it forms the basics of good journalism. Anything but those items is fluff, which makes some people impatient and prone to slam-dunking your work in the trash. The only other important element is if you can truthfully say you have been referred by someone your addressee knows and trusts.You can probably visit your local bookstore or library right now and find an entire book on writing a great query letter. This month’s issue of at least one writing magazine will probably feature an article about composing the world’s best query. None of this will change the simple fact that you will still be inquiring whether the person you contact has any need for what you’ve written and, if so, how much they’ll pay you for it (providing they pay). Note that I said the person you contact. The first secret to writing a query letter that will sell is to address it to a real person, not just a title. Who might that be? Do some homework. If you can’t get the information you need about a magazine in Writer’s Market or another reference book, study the magazine at the library or go to the local newsstand and buy a copy of your own. Most of the time, you can find the best contact in reference books. If you can’t, however, you can study the portion of a periodical known as the "masthead," that column of text on a page near the front which lists where the office of the publication is located, who publishes it, who works on it, how often it comes out, its circulation, etc. On a Website, look under “About Us” or the equivalent. If you see many names in the editorial department, chances are you shouldn’t waste your time writing the publisher or editor-in-chief. They’ll probably just give your letter and manuscript to a junior employee, so why waste their time and yours? A large magazine will have an articles editor, a fiction editor, etc. Smaller magazines or Websites may have only one person wearing all the "hats" and thus you could write directly to that person and get a reply. You know when print publications are small because they pay only in copies (and a few copies at that). Call me ambitious, but I’ve rarely sent my work to anything but paying publications. I adopted this attitude after I’d sold something. Before I was a paid (read: professional) writer, all I wanted were copies of my printed work, and I was thrilled to get them. After I was published, I sent my work to places that paid the most, first. If they rejected me, I’d move to the next one down the line in financially rewarding rank. I eschewed literary journals, which I’ve never thought mattered much to anyone except the people publishing them, and when I found out about the “publish or perish” necessity of college professors seeking tenure, I had an even lesser opinion of that type of publication. You may see this as mercenary logic, but I never met a writer who paid the mortgage writing for “prestigious” literary journals. I believe writers should not only be paid, but paid very well, because writing is the hardest work I’ve ever known.If You Got Your LetterI always advise my students to try and find a common ground with anyone they communicate with. That includes other writing students, readers certainly, and editors particularly. By common ground, I mean that you should try and find something you both know or can agree on. You build from that foundation for communication. You’ve experienced some form of this a thousand times, unless you’ve been living in a cave. "My fellow Americans," began President Lyndon Baines Johnson. "Friends, Romans, countrymen," said Marc Anthony."Four score and seven years ago," President Abraham Lincoln intoned solemnly, setting the scene for his famous speech at Gettysburg. "Don’t make me come in there with the belt!" comedian Bill Cosby’s father told his children when they wouldn’t go to sleep. You know, tell them something they’ll understand, something to show them you’re on the same track, before you tell them something new and harder to comprehend.I’d like you to switch seats now. Travel in your mind to a swank office, high in the lofty stratosphere of Manhattan publishing. You are a successful editor, and your office is filled with cutting-edge technological wonders. Decorated like something out of Architectural Digest, your work space is a source of great pride. You have half a floor of room, two secretaries, and hot and cold running drinks. Your lunch is catered and you get a weekly manicure, maybe even a pedicure. You knock off work at four o’clock, and that’s on a long day. It’s a short walk to your private elevator. Down below, your chauffeured limousine awaits, ready to sweep you off to yet another night of highly expensive dining and dancing. The hostess brightens on seeing your face, and immediately escorts you to the best table in the house.Sure, that’s what happens. Just like monkeys fly. Explode a little bomb under that mental scenario, because it’s a ridiculous pipe dream. Most editors I know are pleasant enough, but they are also harried. They never seem to have enough time, I never get the idea their office would win a “neatest place to work” prize, and I’m certain none of them jet to Bermuda every weekend for a nice little break. Most editors are hardworking people. They have stacks of things to read and few have secretaries. If they go out to lunch, it’s with an agent pitching a book. In other words, you don’t need to give them an excuse to use your manuscript to test the new shredding machine or spam filter because you start off your query telling them how your work is the best thing since sliced pumpernickel. Think about it. If that editor—the real one I’ve just described— was your significant other, your wife, husband, girlfriend, or boyfriend, what approach would you take to brighten their day? What if they were simply a good friend, or a new acquaintance you liked? Would you make sure to keep your workday communication with them short, bright, and to the point? Hopefully, you would. Would you throw in a bit of humor, to try and help them have a better day? If you wanted to build that relationship, you would. So why not see an editor as a real person, someone you might actually like to get to know one day? Believe me, if you sell them something, you will get to know them, maybe better than you initially imagine. You might end up on each other’s holiday card or email list, or something even more intimate.When you query, be friendly and cordial, but get to the point. Don’t waste time. As your writing success grows, you’ll be surprised at just how small a world it can be, in publishing and in our world at large. You’ll also see the true importance of first impressions. Getting to the point in brief but friendly fashion will help your chances of making that great first impression.A few years back, I added a cartoon to my personal stationery in the upper right-hand corner, a clever caricature done by John Caldwell of Mark Twain sitting at a desk looking perplexed. Several dialogue balloons hover over Twain’s head: "Strawberry Finn? Blueberry Finn? Cranberry Finn? Boysenberry Finn?" he wonders. I had dozens of editors comment on that cartoon when they got in touch. A publisher made a deal with me to print the cartoon on T-shirts and sweatshirts, with royalties going to both myself and John Caldwell (I bought and therefore owned the original cartoon). You might try something similar. Making ‘em laugh helps.Get your own personal stationery or make some up. In these days of inexpensive desktop publishing and word-processing programs, there’s really no excuse not to have it. While some editors feel it’s not necessary, if it’s simple and classy it might show an editor or publisher that you take your writing seriously and have invested some money in playing the game. If you use an email query, compose a signature no more than four lines long which says something about you, gives your address and phone number, or lists your Website, if you have one. If the signature is not too obtrusive, that’s a good thing.Some Samples to SampleSo what do you write in a query? Some examples of my own letters follow. As I review them with you, I’ll toss in comments (LIKE THIS) in the text to illustrate points. These points are NOT something you include in the text of your letter. In your letter, you should try to use as little in the way of bolding, ALL CAPS, justification, and other such fancy text elements as possible. My queries may not be the most perfect you’ll ever see, but they’ll get you started.A Query Letter That Didn’t WorkRandy Achee, PublisherDisney Adventures, W.D. Publications, Inc.500 South Buena Vista StreetTower Building, 29th FloorBurbank, CA 91521Dear Mr. Achee:I’m presently writing for Boys’ Life magazine and have some other freelance accounts. Boys’ Life has a four-month lead time and as a result it’s difficult juggling what will be of interest when the issue comes out. It occurred to me, after looking over your magazine, that I might do "double duty" with my interviews. What’s right for you might not be right for Boys’ Life’, etc.In your February 11th issue, you had a lengthy article on stunts, yet didn’t cover Kim Kahana, who has the most famous stuntman school going. Also, the writers got one thing wrong—there was trick photography when Harold Lloyd did "Safety Last." The clock Harold is hanging from was actually on a platform several feet above the roof of a building. If Harold had fallen, it would have only been a few feet. This isn’t widely known but better research would have revealed the truth (and copies of "how he did it" shots might have been nice). I try not to miss details like that, particularly when young "Bet I can do that" readers are at stake.I’m enclosing my resume for you to look over. I would enjoy writing about Hollywood for your magazine.Best,Skip PressWhy didn’t the above letter work? Like all my query letters (unless I had a justifiable excuse), this letter was one page. I always kept them short and to the point. As I said earlier, you shouldn’t send a query to the top dog in a big publication. In the example given, I forgot my own rules. I probably didn’t help myself by saying what was wrong with the article I had read, but that wasn’t why I got no response. When I did not hear from Mr. Achee, I followed up with a phone call. This is a perfectly acceptable practice, but I waited the time prescribed by the magazine ("replies in six weeks" or whatever). My phone call was at first fruitless, which intrigued me. I glibly assumed that my mention of writing for a competitor of Disney Adventures (their biggest competitor at the time) would get some attention, but it didn’t. I subsequently learned that Disney Adventures had a historically high personnel turnover rate. Achee was gone as publisher by the time I called. I persisted, and finally got through to Andy Ragan, a nice guy who was then associate editor. I explained everything to Andy. He was intrigued, and we hit it off. That started a relationship that resulted in sales of stories I originated as well as assignments from Andy. My query letter didn’t work, but my persistence did.Persist, persist, persist! From surveys of successful people in the entertainment business, I discovered that as a general rule it takes 15 years to gain national recognition. Writers without persistence are losers.A Query Letter That Did WorkMs. Tina Berke, EditorComputoredge (yes, that’s how they spell it)The Byte Buyer, Inc.Box 83086San Diego, CA 92138Dear Ms. Berke:I’m currently writing for three national magazines—Boys’ Life, Disney Adventures, and Grit. One upcoming assignment is an interview with and article on Stephen Spielberg. The current cover story (September) of Boys’ Life is mine (in case you know a Boy Scout who subscribes). I sold a screenplay recently and am working on another one that has been "optioned" by some producers.I recently wrote a computer business article (my second) and I’d like to do more. Your listing in Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market says you buy material helpful to first-time computer buyers. I may have something for you.An article I’m developing is called "Man over Motherboard," a chronicle of my experiences in buying our first computer and setting it up, which included three trips back to the shop. I’ve found my experiences are the norm. Here’s how it’s gone:I got ambitious. I wanted a fax/modem, so I bought the card and installed in personally. That’s one of the reasons I was back to the shop three times. Now, I can fax an article, no problem. Modem? If I get lucky.I also bought and installed a hand-held scanner, which enables me to scan photos and incorporate them into my articles. Of course, I haven’t used it once, and don’t know how.I have Windows, a screen-saver named After Dark, and a virus-checking program that hasn’t helped me one bit. I also have twenty-one separate manuals, none of which I’ve read all the way through. I’m not alone in this, as you probably know.A "friend" with ten years’ experience, knowing everything about "PCs" came over and "just put some simple things which will really help you" on my computer. This caused two of the trips back to the shop. He was amazed that I was reading my DOS manual. In his ten years, you see, he never read it.I can give your readers a few laughs, and some helpful tips. I’m perfectly willing to write my piece as fact, or fiction. My resume and a sample article are enclosed.Best,Skip PressI know what you’re thinking. Oh, right. Look at that first paragraph. If I could toot my horn like that, I could get an editor’s attention, too. What a braggart!Guess what? I could have left out that first paragraph entirely. It really didn’t matter. Factually, my opening paragraph probably hurt my chance of selling to that editor, rather than helped. Why would an editor of a magazine care if I’d sold a screenplay, unless they edited a magazine about the film business? What was right about the above letter, and what got me the job, was the second paragraph forward. My second paragraph showed the editor that I’d done my homework. I at least knew what her listing in Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market said. Actually, I’d written one of the two computer articles I mentioned for her magazine, ComputorEdge, but that was for another editor. Tina didn’t know me from blue beans when I first contacted her. Her magazine was the largest of its kind in the U. S. at the time, so she had her hands too full to keep up with everyone who had ever written for ComputorEdge. Therefore, I approached her as if both she and the magazine were brand new to me.Why didn’t I send her my old ComputorEdge clip? I didn’t want to run the risk of alienating her. When there’s a new editor, you see, writers are often up against a "new broom sweeps clean" mentality. Some editors want to show they can do a better job than anyone from the old regime. Thus, they use writers they know, or writers who contact them anew. (This mentality is epidemic in Hollywood, but that’s another chapter.)Back to the letter. All of the paragraphs after the second one got right to the point. They walk you through the content of the article, step by step. Any editor could see very clearly what my article was about, and decide on the spot whether or not it was worthy of assignment. If a decision from an editorial board was necessary, all the editor would have to do is copy my letter and distribute it.In the last paragraph, I put in a pitch for humor. Humor almost always works for editors, unless you want to write for Mortician’s Monthly (a nonexistent magazine, I think). Notice that I mentioned my resume and a sample article last. That way, the editor knew about the other pieces of paper I had enclosed. (Don’t assume they’ll figure it out without your direction. Try to make everything as crystal clear and easy to comprehend as possible.)I went on to write a biweekly business computing column for ComputorEdge, an assignment which began years after I wrote articles for editor Tina Berke. I came across an email post by a new editor, John San Filippo, and got in touch with him, using the same procedure all over again. He had no knowledge of my old articles, but my query worked.You may be thinking this is all well and good, easy for me to say. I was already successful when I wrote the letters above, and had a resume to prove it. And since those query letters were written in the early 1990s, what about the 21st century? I’ll get to that, but bear with me, there’s something to be learned with regard to an approach that will work. Here’s some samples of the type of letter I wrote in the beginning of my career.A Sample Query Letter If You Haven’t Previously PublishedMs. Baleful GlanceEditorLocal Magazine123 Main StreetYour Town, USA 12345Dear Ms. Glance:I’ve been following your magazine for several months now...(DO YOUR HOMEWORK, STUDY THE MAGAZINE, AND DON’T LIE.)... and I’ve noticed that you seem to have a fondness for articles about hog-calling techniques and other aspects of country living.(WOW, SHE’LL SAY, A WRITER WHO’S ACTUALLY DONE SOME HOMEWORK.)That’s why I thought you’d be interested in my enclosed article, "Peccary Persuasion Along the Orinoco." I was marooned in the Amazon Jungle after a failed love affair, and I found solace among a lost tribe, the Heybuddies, who are the best callers of wild pigs in the known world.(YOU’VE GOT HER, BECAUSE SHE’S PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF THE HEYBUDDIES, AND NEITHER HAS ANYONE ELSE.)For example, as a passage into manhood, a Heybuddy male of the age of twelve is led into the jungle by an elder, then abandoned. The young man must then squeal like a pig at the top of his lungs until he either: (1) is eaten by a python or some other animal; or (2) attracts a wild peccary suitable for eating. He is, I should mention, given a week’s instruction in peccary persuasion before being led off into the jungle.My article describes the entire rite in a manner I feel would fascinate your readers. I’ve noticed that your letters to the editor tend to be most vocal when commenting on youthful topics.(YOU GIVE HER A TASTE OF YOUR PIECE, AND CLOSE WITH A SALES PITCH ON HOW YOU THINK HER READERS WOULD LIKE IT—IF YOU’VE ACTUALLY READ THE LETTERS SECTION OF HER PUBLICATION AND USE THAT IN YOUR PITCH, SHE’LL BE AMAZED.)I have provided a self-addressed, stamped envelope for you as requested.(A SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED ENVELOPE IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS AN "SASE" AND UNTIL PEOPLE STOP SENDING LETTERS, YOU MIGHT NEED ONE.)I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.Sincerely,Brilliant Writer (Your Name)(Remember, if this letter goes on your own stationery, all the better. If it doesn’t, don’t be surprised when the mail carrier passes your house without stopping six weeks later.)Obviously, the above letter is tongue-in-cheek. I had a bite of peanut-butter sandwich in my mouth when I was writing it, you see, and . . . But seriously, ladies and germs, if your proposed article was laid out as in the letter above, you’d probably sell it, if it fit the magazine.A Sample Query Letter If You Have Previously PublishedMr. See NitallManaging EditorBigtime Magazine777 Park Avenue 
New York, NY 12345(REMEMBER, DON’T WASTE TIME WRITING THE TOP EDITOR, AND LOWER-LEVEL EDITORS OFTEN LIKE TO BE SINGLED OUT AND NOTICED.)Dear Mr. Nitall:After studying the Writer’s Market listing and the last three issues of your magazine ...(OR)I’ve been reading Bigtime Magazine for years and recently...... I concluded that you’d be interested in my article, "Peccary Persuasion Along the Orinoco."As anyone who has been following the news in recent months knows, pigs are the most popular items of interest to the American public today—if not readers around the world.(SHOW HIM HOW YOUR PIECE REACHES THE BROADEST AUDIENCE POSSIBLE.)I came to write this piece after being marooned in the Amazon Jungle by a jealous lover. Reluctant to immediately return to civilization (my erstwhile lover runs the Rhode Island mob), I found solace among a lost tribe—the Heybuddies—who are the best callers of wild pigs in the known world.(YOU’VE GOT HIM, BECAUSE HE’S PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF THIS.)For example, as a passage into manhood, a Heybuddy male of the age of twelve is led into the jungle by an elder, then abandoned. The young man must then squeal like a pig at the top of his lungs until he either: (1) is eaten by a python or some other animal; or (2) attracts a wild peccary suitable for eating. He is, I should mention, given a week’s instruction in peccary persuasion before being led off into the jungle.(YOU GIVE HIM A TASTE OF YOUR PIECE, BUT CUT IT SHORT, BECAUSE EDITORS OF BIGGER MAGAZINES DON’T HAVE AS MUCH TIME.)I enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope, along with my resume.(IF YOU HAVE A RESUME THAT THE EDITOR WOULD CARE ABOUT, WHICH IS TO SAY, ONE THAT FILLS AT LEAST HALF A PAGE, SINGLE-SPACED, WITH YOUR LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS.)(OR)I enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope, along with an article I recently published in Hog Caller News, as a writing sample.(OBVIOUSLY, THE EDITOR WILL WANT TO SEE HOW YOU WRITE BEFORE MAKING AN ASSIGNMENT. WOULDN’T YOU, IF YOU WERE WRITING THE CHECKS?)I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.Sincerely,Your NameI follow similar formats with email queries, but obviously make them shorter. Basically if you can’t fit it on a page or a laptop computer screen, your query is most likely too long for that editor to read. Here’s the example above, adapted to email. Keep in mind with email that the subject line might mean “read” or “delete immediately.”Email QuerySubject Line – Becoming a Man in the Amazon JungleDear Editor (naturally, you’d use the editor’s first name as is common in email),Marooned in the Amazon jungle after a failed love affair, I found solace among a lost tribe, the Heybuddies, who are the best callers of wild pigs in the known world. My whole world changed when I witnessed a passage into manhood - A Heybuddy male of the age of twelve is led into the jungle by an elder, then abandoned. The young man must then squeal like a pig at the top of his lungs until he either: (1) is eaten by a python or some other animal; or (2) attracts a wild peccary suitable for eating. He is, I should mention, given a week’s instruction in peccary persuasion before being led off into the jungle. When I went through this ritual, it changed my entire perspective on life, and I’d like to write about it for your publication.If you could make the email a couple of lines shorter, I would, but I’m using the previous example, adapted, to illustrate my point. Your regular email signature would follow the text.Should you always follow a query with a phone call? Or if you queried by email, should you wait two weeks and query again? If you’re proposing a major piece, it usually doesn’t hurt. If you’re querying about anything else, however, it could hurt your chances. A book manuscript, for example, or a screenplay already delivered will by nature take longer to get a response. Also, the personnel who review your material may be subject to weekly musical chairs, even more so in Hollywood, which can often seem like a morass of mindlessness. If trying to sell something larger than an article or short story, you’re probably better off with an agent. We’ll get into that later. If you don’t have an agent, can’t find an agent, don’t know where to start in finding an agent, don’t want to follow my advice about agents, or think you can beat all the odds and sell your work alone because it truly is the greatest thing since sliced pumpernickel and you simply have to let the right person know, then I have another query for you that you might find useful. When I say "unsolicited" below, I mean they didn’t ask to see your work. You just picked them, and took your chances.Do your homework. If you can’t find the name of an editor to send your book manuscript or proposal to, call the publisher and ask who handles unsolicited manuscripts. (You might be told "We don’t accept those," but it’s worth a call.) If you’re trying to sell a screenplay, call the studio and/or production company you want to sell to and ask for their Director of Development. This is the designated reader (not buyer) of scripts. (You’ll probably be told, "We only deal with submission through agents or lawyers." In other words, they won’t accept a submission of your work directly from you, for legal protection purposes. Some times, though, they’ll accept it if you’ll sign a written “release” form. All told, you’ll need patience and persistence.)Remember what I said about it taking fifteen years to make it big? Well, I’ve lived around Hollywood longer than fifteen years and it took me longer than fifteen years to actually make a name for myself. Not that I’m a household name, but not many writers have sold several screenplays and as many books as I have. Let me warn you in advance: Selling to New York publishers is, percentage-wise, a lot easier than selling to Hollywood.Query Letter for an Unsolicited ScreenplayMs. U. Don’t Know MeDirector of DevelopmentBigtime Studios1 Bigtime PlaceHollywood, CA 90028Dear Ms. Know Me:My screenplay, Don’t Call Me Red, is about the first Martian to be elected to the United States Congress after we colonize Mars, the Red Planet,(THIS SENTENCE IS CALLED THE “HIGH CONCEPT” IN HOLLYWOOD TERMS. IF YOU CAN’T SAY WHAT THE SCREENPLAY OR BOOK IS ABOUT IN A SENTENCE OR TWO, YOU USUALLY DON’T HAVE YOUR PIECE FOCUSED, WHICH IS TO SAY, NOT WELL-WRITTEN.)I know that in the past, your company has made successful films I’ve enjoyed like "First Woman in the Moon" and "Saucers from Hell." I believe my film could be another great success for you, and I picked your company as the first to see it. I enclose a one-page synopsis of my script, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. I look forward to hearing from you at your first available opportunity.(IF YOU HAVE A RESUME THAT THE READER WOULD CARE ABOUT, SEND IT. IF YOUR RESUME DOESN’T MUCH RELATE TO THE SUBJECT OF YOUR SCRIPT, IT WON’T MATTER.)Sincerely, 
Your NameNote that, in the example above, I mention a one-page synopsis. It’s also called a “one-sheet” in Hollywood. I’ve often included a short synopsis, preferably one page or less, with any large work I send in. Script readers go through dozens of scripts in a week, writing synopses or summaries on each for those scripts they either recommend others to read, or those they turn down. The report is usually known as "coverage" and will be filed for future reference, should another production company at that studio receive your script. It works pretty much the same with book publishers, only they may not be as organized, because the financial stakes aren’t usually as high. Some people advise against including synopses of any kind, thinking they should read the entire manuscript or script, and gives a potential buyer an easy chance to turn something down, so it’s up to you.Here’s my logic:It might cost in the hundreds of thousands to publish a book, yet even a low-budget film might cost well over a million dollars. (Not an independent movie like Napoleon Dynamite or Paranormal Activity, but a normal independent movie.) To save companies time (and see if I really do have my work focused) I include a synopsis with my work, but only when I’m asked for one or if I have an instinct to include it. (You must learn to trust your instincts in selling.)Although people may get edgy over a letter or document longer than one page, I’ve never had anyone complain about a one–page synopsis.Here’s the catch. Most Hollywood companies don’t bother reading mailed letters these days; they prefer emails and then follow-up synopses they are expecting, and if they like that, they’ll request the script, which is usually delivered in PDF format any more. My, how things have changed in a few short years.If They Don’t Like Your Work, It Doesn’t Mean They Don’t Like YouI wrote a play once about a despondent writer who thinks of committing suicide, then changes his mind, only to lose his life in an accident a few moments later. He is brought back to life by his guardian angel, who is an apprentice angel plenty mad about the threat to her angelic career that the bungling writer in her charge has brought about with his knuckleheadedness.One wall of the writer’s apartment, when the play was staged, was plastered with real rejection letters.My own very real rejection letters.If you sincerely want to make it as a writer, grow some thick rhinoceros skin. If you let the rejections you’re almost certain to get affect you personally, you’ll drive yourself crazy and feel like the worst person in the world. Even if you write perfect query letters and fantastic manuscripts, you’ll still get rejections. I keep a small ceramic rhinoceros figurine on my desk to remind me.Since I want to do everything I can to help you get a few less stinging darts tossed at your feelings, here’s one more tip to help you write a better query. As you may have noticed in my first letter above when I referred to Boys’ Life, many magazines have a long "lead time." (This holds true even for electronically-published magazines.) This means they plan the theme of each issue and schedule their articles well in advance. One article I sold to Writer’s Digest was published a year later than originally planned, while another to Reader’s Digest had a similar fate. What this means to you is that you can usually write an editor of a magazine and ask for ablishing schedule. They might call it something else, but they’ll know what you mean. This might not be mentioned in their "what we’re looking for" description in a book or magazine.Think about it logically. If you were an editor planning a Christmas issue, wouldn’t you want to buy your articles starting in March or so? If you planned on doing an issue that you wanted to be read by every armed services veteran in America, wouldn’t it make sense to have it come out on Memorial Day, or Veterans Day?As a writer, you should consider things like this. If you have a piece about a unique Thanksgiving your family had, don’t write the editor in October! You can find out what’s on their mind by asking for the publishing schedule. They might not always stick to it, but it’s at least what they’re planning.Don’t Downplay Your HunchesNo matter what your homework tells you, if you have a sneaking suspicion that you can sell your piece to an editor despite everything you’ve read about them, act on it. You’ll only waste postage if you’re wrong. I once read about Grit in a market listing and was intrigued. Grit, a tabloid-size newspaper, was geared to families when I was a kid, bringing news and homey advice to rural areas. Kids went door-to-door selling subscriptions to Grit, which featured comics that I didn’t see in my local newspaper, like "The Phantom." Grit held fond memories for me, and the idea of making a sale to them was a boyhood fantasy. Problem was, the only fiction need they listed was full-length novels for serialization. At the time, I didn’t have a completed novel that I thought would be right for Grit readers. Still, I had this funny feeling that if the magazine serialized books, they might buy short stories.So I sent the managing editor my resume and mentioned the short stories I had for sale.My hunch paid off. Mike Rafferty, the managing editor, had just been promoted to editor-in-chief when my letter arrived. No new managing editor had been selected. Mike read my letter and called me. He wanted to do exactly what I had proposed—publish some short stories. From looking at my resume, he said, he thought I might have some good ones. That made my month.I hope you make something out of my advice about queries, hopefully a big sale. When you get your first great response from a query letter, write or email me and let me know. You’ll get another great response. And now, last but certainly not least, the Web has given writers a whole new way to get in the good graces of people who can buy their writing. Let’s go over it.Using the Social NetworksA friend got me involved in Facebook. I had plenty of online social activity already, with my own discussion group on Yahoo! and some times a hundred emails a day from various people, not counting all the “automatic” emails I’d set myself up to receive from various sites. I quickly learned the “friends” trick courtesy of my writer friend, Tim Casey. He had managed to befriend a lot of Hollywood celebrities, so I looked through his friends list and did friend requests with people I thought might help with my own career. Funny thing is, not a single one of those contacts led to anything business-wise, but it was interesting reading some of the posts on various people’s Facebook Wall.My own postings soon gravitated to political ones, and I met a lot of similarly-minded friends, along with acquiring friends who requested being on my list because they had read one of my books or taken one of my classes. I unfortunately discovered that Facebook could be addicting and that I would use it far too often to ignore writing I should be doing. At other times, it was a good place to take a break from a heavy writing schedule.One thing I did notice about using Facebook was that some people actually read your Info page to find out what you do, particularly after they like some comment you have made on one of their posts, or when they begin to recognize what you do with your life other than posting on Facebook. After a number of months on the site, I acquired a few people interested in my services as a writing consultant, though it never turned into anything very lucrative. I assumed that was because of the economy at the time, or because I wasn’t exactly broadcasting the fact that I was a writing teacher and coach on occasion.After a while, I accumulated so many friends I reached the 5,000 friends cutoff figure and had to start a public page I called “Skip Press – Author”. From there, I learned that I could post on that page and have it automatically ported over to Twitter, which was appealing to me. A number of my friends from my regular page – all of whom had an interest in writing – “liked” my public page and I suppose they follow it, but they rarely post a response to my own postings there. So the question becomes “Can you advance your writing career on Facebook?”I don’t have the answer for that, but I do know this – a good query works well on Facebook. In my experience, when you add a “personal message” to your “friend request” you’re much more likely to get the response you want, which is a new friend. I found that in becoming friends with celebrities (like actor Luke Wilson) it first began with the content of the short personal message (no more than a sentence or so), and then developed on the reading and posting to each other’s Wall. Celebrities aren’t any big deal to me because I’ve worked with so many and been around Hollywood a long time, but if we can do business, I’m all for contacting them in any way possible if it’s not intrusive or offensive.As we know, there are many companies with Facebook pages and the official pages all have (at least all I’ve seen) a place where you can “Like” the page and thus be able to read it. There is rarely, however, a place to message someone. While writing this I checked on New Yorker magazine because the day before a writer had called from there to interview me for an article. I found numerous New Yorker pages but nothing that seemed “official.” So could you use Facebook to further your writing with a big magazine or media company? Well, maybe. I looked up the name of the writer of the article and found him. There’s your opening for a query. If you know the name of a person involved with a publication or media company, look them up on Facebook. You’ll probably be able to send them a short message. You might want to try to friend them and see what plays out. Some times, it’s a quicker direct route to that person than any other, so give it a try.LinkedIn is a much more business-like social networking site. I think of it as a business networking site, really, with hardly any social aspects to it. Like Facebook, it won’t cost you anything to set up a profile, but unlike Facebook you can upgrade to a better LinkedIn situation, if you’re willing to pay for it. The site does beat Facebook at something important, though, and that’s Jobs. It’s right there on the top menu at LinkedIn, and it can turn into a very rewarding search. Checking as I finished up this chapter, one click gave me two immediate “Jobs you may be interested in” openings:Seeking Talented Freelance Writershttp://Suite101.com - All Locations/Telecommuting PositionMarketing Communications CoordinatorVirgin Atlantic Airways - Greater New York City AreaThe first was for one of the many “paid by page view” situations that sprang up on the Web at the end of the “aughts” in the early 21st century. The other was a legitimate big time job for a major international company (which would require relocation). So while I wouldn’t be interested in the first, I might be interested in the latter, and in both cases I was just a few clicks away from applying for the job.More importantly, I’ve found from being on LinkedIn much longer than Facebook that, because LinkedIn is geared primarily for business, if you locate someone that you think you’d like to do business with, particularly if you’re willing to pay to be able to send “InMail” on LinkedIn, you can query someone and almost always get a response. You can also search in the Jobs area with a keyword like “writer” and you might be amazed at how many come up. Why? Very simple – LinkedIn members who need people post job opportunities on LinkedIn, knowing they’re much more likely to get professional responses. You can see this by looking on the right side of page featuring the ad, and if you’ve paid for the ability to send InMail, you can query that person and ask for further details about the job or anything else you need to know. If they’re already a LinkedIn friend, all the better.To locate jobs on Facebook you have to go to the “Marketplace” area and then open “Jobs” from there. To be fair, I did find major jobs on Facebook when searching in my area (Los Angeles) from Disney and other entertainment companies, but the jobs on Facebook are more difficult to locate, as described. They are “powered by” (meaning, provided by) Oodle.com, which if you’ve never seen it, is like Craigslist with a lot more pictures.And then we have Twitter, where your “tweet” can be no longer than 140 characters. If you choose to follow someone on Twitter and see their tweets, some times they will have the “Message” button enabled on their page and you can send them a query directly. Generally, however, the more well-known they are the less likely they are to allow direct messages. So how can you get their attention on Twitter? With a “hashtag” such as #money. Let’s say “money” was in the news that day, or to be less silly and more specific, let’s say it was “e-book royalties” which could be expressed as #ebookroyalties. Maybe the Authors Guild is arguing with publishers about how much of a percentage authors are being offered on e-books and the negotiations are in the news that day. People could be following news on Twitter so people discussing that put #ebookroyalties at the end of their tweets. If you tweeted – “I’ve created the most interesting enhanced e-book of all time! #ebookroyalties.” That’s well within the 140 character limit (it’s only 78) so who knows, some publisher or editor might see that and be curious enough to get in touch with you – if you have your direct message button enabled!That might not be the greatest description of how to use Twitter but since all social networks are different, just as all people you’ll contact in your writing career will be different to some degree, you have to be creative and adaptable. Writer Justin Halpern did that with his Twitter feed called “Shit My Dad Says” about moving back in as an adult with a retired father who had many funny pithy sayings. The feed got so many followers it became not only a book but a CBS TV sitcom called $#*! My Dad Says starring William Shatner.The title of this chapter is Who Cares Who Queries? and here’s the answer – they all do, if you can make them money! Happy queries to you...