I’m Stuck On A Query - Ask Anne, the Pro Writer

(www.thegoldenpencil.com)

Hi Anne,

Back when I was in college I wrote an academic paper on a topic I’m truly interested in. The research was fun, I got an A on the paper and the subject, reworked, would be timely today. I’d like to see it in one of the big magazines, maybe the New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, or The Atlantic. Since I already make my living writing books, I’m pretty secure in my ability to convert my paper to something for top notch consumer magazines.

But I’ve been sitting on this for four years! I’ve talked about it, dreamed about it, occasionally looked at the paper, but essentially I’ve done nothing.

Have you got any tips or ideas that might get me moving?

Thanks,
KP

Hi KP,

We human beings are so, well, weird sometimes. We don’t always make sense. Believe me, you’re not alone at being stuck moving on a good writing idea. Here are some thoughts that might help:

• If you’re a full-time freelance writer writing books, you don’t have a whole lot of time. Recognize that and get off your back.
• Since you’re writing books, it may seem like a huge change to switch to working with an article. Would it help to think of the work as a chapter in a book, or enough like a chapter so it wouldn’t feel strange?
• Are you sure you want to change your paper into a consumer piece? Only you know the truth, and you do know it. If this is the case, take the paper off your list and move on.
• Have you somehow become afraid that you’ll be rejected, even though your already a successful writer? Again, only you know, but you do know. If you are scared, sit with that fear for a bit and see what you need to let go of it and get working on the article.
• Could it be you simply need to schedule say 30 minutes a day for a couple of weeks to get this done?
• Have you made a list chunking down the various tasks - like re-reading the article, drafting a query, etc? Sometimes working with baby steps will break a log jam of resistance.

Maybe some of these ideas will help, or maybe someone else will add a suggestion or two.

Let us know what happens.

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