Part III: Query
Leaving the Nest
Journal Queries
By now you should have the topic for your paper and a list of several appropriate journals to target. It’s time to take the first of many plunges into the murky waters of publishing – contacting editors.
Tidying your junk drawer may be more appealing than making editorial contact. Once the drawer is clean, however, there’s nothing for it but to make the leap and send out some queries.
Queries are by nature short, often in email format, and are designed to determine whether the editor of a particular journal is interested in your topic and approach. Queries can be helpful to:
- Gauge interest in a topic
- Qualify journals prior to engaging in the work of drafting a manuscript
- Generate feedback on improving your approach to a topic
- Maximize your time investment by sending multiple queries at once
Not all journals welcome queries; some prefer that you send the complete manuscript instead. Note on your journal profile form the journal’s preferences.
Do you encourage writers to send an initial brief email about the topic or approach?
Yes. This way an author will know up front whether I'm interested in having an article submitted, saving an author from writing an unneeded article.
-- Stan Soocher, journal editor
Do you usually query a journal first rather than submitting a full manuscript?
No, this is not a standard practice for finance journals.
-- Elizabeth Cooperman, author
