writers/editors: help needed

[elionwyr]

I have asked this before, but remain confused.

I have never written a query, nor have I ever compiled clips. Here's the instructions I have regarding how to submit an article to a certain magazine:

WE ACCEPT NO UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS. QUERIES ONLY. If you have an article idea you feel would make for great reading, we'd like to hear from you. Queries can range from fun/light to serious/investigative. Features can cover any subject -- food, outdoors, politics, sports, first-person humor, first-person dramatic, health, lifestyles, home & garden, etc. Cover story ideas can range from a celebrity or high-profile Pittsburgher to subjects such as: Best Places to Work, Most Expensive Homes, etc. We are looking to make all of our covers high profile with broad & mass appeal. Keep in mind that all queries must have a logical connection to Pittsburgh.

...Written queries only. Please, no phone queries. We prefer to receive a brief query with a sample lead and one-page outline; writers should also enclose 3-5 published clips plus a resume.

Can someone help me understand exactly what I need to do here?

(Pretend I'm very blonde.)

ETA: What I really need is a better understanding of what exactly a "clip" is. How long should one be?

Comments

[crystalsage.livejournal.com]

Check these sites out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Query_letter

http://www.writing-query-letters.com/preparing-email-queries.php

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/travel_writing/28887

http://www.poewar.com/how-to-write-a-query-letter/


Hope these help.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

Go to the library, and look at the 2008 WRITERS MARKET. They have a guide to query letters, as I recall.

[briansiano.livejournal.com]

A query is a letter that introduces yourself (briefly), states your bona-fides as a writer, and provides a quick proposal for whatever article you want to write for these people. Something like, "My name is D-- L--, and I'm a free-lance writer with publications in ---, ---, and ---. I would like to propose an article about ----- for your publication.

"As you may know, over --- people use --- every year..." or something to make your topic timely or lively or of interest.

Close it off with something like "I would like to discuss this with you further at your convenience, my number is --- and my email address is ----."

[elionwyr.livejournal.com]

I pretty much get all of that.

It's the damned clip part that fries my brain.
How much is too much?

Heaven knows I have tons of examples of my writing.
It looks like the buzz is you can do a few paragraphs with a hyperlink to the rest of the article if you are so inclined. But...two paragraphs? Three? Ten? Three clips too much? Too little?