Kick Start Your Writing with the 25 query or Submission Challenge

Katherine's Note: I had to postpone the challenge. I've decided to do it in the month of November instead. I'll post my progress in this hub for you all to see.:-) And if you join me, that would be great too!

--

I've been a writer for several years. I started off writing for various publications and have since branched out to do work on my own websites and blogs and also for my clients. However, I miss where I came from. I miss seeing my name in print in a magazine or newspaper.

But the pathetic thing is, I've been saying this for a while. When I first started my career, I finally gave myself the boost I needed by setting what seemed like a crazy goal - to submit 25 query letters and/or submissions to various publications. From that blitz, I landed two well paying and soul satisfying assignments.

Join Us for the Challenge!

Well the time to do that again is now, and I have a few friends who are also on board with this challenge. Do you want to join us? If so, leave a comment and introduce yourself. I will be doing this every month for at least the next three months. I believe this will take our writing careers to the next level. So by October 31, 2008 I will complete this challenge. Will you?

The Challenge Instructions

Here are the instructions, if you want to join:

• Leave a comment and introduce yourself.

• Make a list of all the publications that look interesting. I use Writing for Dollars, Writer's Weekly, and Freelance Writing Gigs to help me find great markets.

• Commit to writing at least one a day for 25 days. I always allow myself a few days grace period, just in case. :)

• Pop in and let us know about your progress! I'll keep track in this hub. You can either comment or start your own hub, blog, or squidoo lens to update us on your progress. Feel free to leave your URL in the comments.

Most importantly, have fun. I know it's going to be a blast for me. This is the most

How I Prepare to Write My Queries

I gather my markets from the sources I listed above. I used to sign up for the Writer's Market online. It's a great resource but it isn't necessary to complete this challenge because you'll have more than enough markets to keep you busy using the free sources.

To keep things organized, I create a word document called "markets". I write the name of the publication in bold face and paste the link to the site underneath. In italics under the title, I write my ideas for markets. These usually come to me after I read a few of the articles and the guidelines. I alphabetize the list when I find new markets. That way, when it's time to write the queries, I have everything organized.