Which Editor To Query?

One of the common complaints from magazine editors is that writers send out queries blindly without researching which editor is the appropriate one for your topic. It can be intimidating to open up a magazine masthead and stare at a fifty or so odd names that could possibly receive your query, but probably shouldn't. I found this article by Allena Tapia, the guide to Freelance Writing at About.com, extremely helpful. I'm happy to say at least two of my magazine e-queries were sent to the right editors -- and got me quick (within a few hours) responses. No acceptance responses yet, but hopefully soon!

Holding Myself Accountable

A few weeks ago I was telling everyone I needed a slight break from work to avoid burn-out. Luckily, by chance, I got one, and my workload looks pretty light this month. My son, who will be two next month, has a slight speech delay so I've had to take some time off for evaluations and such. He'll probably have to undergo weekly therapy a few times a week after next month so that will cut into my free time a little.

So I'm gearing up to send out some new queries and finally start working on my novel. I thought maybe if I tracked my progress on it in this blog I might feel more motivation (and pressure) to actually get some chapters cranked out! Here are my goals for the next week. I'll try to do a weekly check-in on Sundays from here on out:

1. Write 20 pages of untitled novel
2. Research and send out two magazine queries
3. Finish up my newspaper columns (two) that are due Tuesday
4. Look for new freelance leads each morning. Check out Deb Ng's list of the best places to look for blogging and freelance jobs.

So . . . what's on your list this week?