How To Write LOIs Editors Can’t Refuse

It takes a twentieth of a second for Web surfers to make a decision about a Web site. So how long do you think it takes for an editor or potential client to form an opinion about you when your LOI lands in their inbox?

I’ve sat in the editor’s chair, and I’ll tell you: not long. On a busy day, you’re lucky if they even open your e-mail. Especially if their inboxes are flooded with a steady, unending stream of freelancers looking for work.

When you write an LOI, you don’t have long to make a good impression. So you want to get right to the point. In fact, if your LOI is longer than five or six short paragraphs, it’s probably too long. Write tight and bright. Otherwise you’ll lose their interest in a hurry.

Remember, editors and people who are in a position to hire you to do freelance work usually don’t have a lot of time. That’s why they need you! And if you don’t convince them why they should read on after the first sentence of your LOI, you’ve just become one more irritation or interruption in their already too-busy day.

To illustrate what an LOI looks like, I’ve included one of mine below. Now, this LOI is certainly not perfect. But I use the same basic template for most of my LOIs. And it apparently worked this time because the organization I sent it to is now a regular client.

You will need to tailor each LOI to each client or publication, but the paragraphs that include your work experience and credentials often can be duplicated. In some cases, however, you will want to emphasize certain aspects of your work experience more than others.

In the LOI below, I wanted to highlight my business and HR expertise since I was sending it to a business advocacy group.

Hello [Name],

My name is Jenny Cromie, and I’m writing to introduce myself and inquire about freelance writing opportunities with [name of organization]. I’m very interested in writing for [name of organization], and would love to write some HR and business content for you!

I’m a Michigan-based certified human resources specialist, full-time freelance writer and editor, a small business owner, and a former HR director and office manager of a small family-owned business.

Currently, I write weekly HR, business, and career-related content for the Daily Dash, an online business publication of  WWJ Newsradio 950, a Detroit-based CBS station, as well as other media outlets. I also write personal finance content for a variety of clients through Cengage Learning. And I proofread, copyedit, and fact-check books, magazine articles, and online content for other publishers and media outlets, including Harvard Business School Press, HarperOne, and SPC Custom Publishing (Time Inc.) for Lowe’s publications.

I also have experience in creating HR-related documents and employee handbooks, and I see that [name of organization] helps members with some of these as well.

In addition to all things HR, I really enjoy writing stories about personal and business finance, entrepreneurship, small business issues, change management, leadership, innovation, labor and employment law, and all the topics in between.

Those who are familiar with my work describe me as a meticulous researcher, fact-checker, wordsmith, and editor (please see recommendations on my LinkedIn profile and my Web site). I’ve also attached links to a couple of my recent stories (see below) and my résumé.

Thanks [name], and I look forward to hearing from you!

-Jenny

Now, persistence also pays off because this LOI did not net any work right away. The third time was the charm, and I finally landed an assignment. So if you don’t hear anything right away, don’t get discouraged. Just view it as an invitation to follow up again at a later date!

So are you ready to write an LOI? Or if you’ve written an LOI before, what approach worked best for you? I’d love to hear from you, so leave your comments or questions below!

-Jenny

Photo credit: JasonRogers (Flickr)