how to write a cover letter book

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Book Submission

If you’re wondering how to write a book submission cover letter, first of all: congratulations! You’ve written a whole novel , and edited the completed manuscript so it’s ready to submit to literary agents . That’s a huge achievement!

While the world of publishing and the manuscript submission process might seem opaque, we’re very lucky here at The Novelry. We have a whole team of experienced authors and editors who have been on both sides of the process – so we know how to write query letters that really grab literary professionals’ attention.

Read on for our top tips on crafting the perfect cover letter. Remember, the cover letter is one of the most important ways to ensure the package you submit stands out from the crowd.

While you’re here, be sure to look over other articles in our creative writing blog – they’re full of tips and tricks for navigating the publishing industry. For example, you can find advice on how a writer can create the perfect hook for a novel , and how to write a synopsis to go with it. You might also want to cast your eyes over our tips on how to start a story and write a great first paragraph.

Plus, you can read this article with a literary agent’s advice on novel openings so that your first three chapters are as strong as they can be.

And if you really want a tip-top submissions package, sign up to one of our creative writing courses. Our structured programmes will take you step by step through the novel-writing journey, ensuring your book aligns with the publishing market at every stage: from a cracking idea to a beautifully formatted manuscript. You get one-to-one coaching from a bestselling author in your genre, and access to a roster of professional editors who can whip your manuscript into shape. Plus, we work with the leading literary agencies in the UK and the USA, and we know exactly what they’re looking for!

And always, always remember to read the instructions on each agent’s and publisher’s website before you even think about putting together a submissions package.

But above all, do away with any fear or nerves: manuscript submission really isn’t scary stuff! It’s all very straightforward, and agents are on your side ! They want to share great stories with the world. Think of this as another stepping-stone to seeing your book on the shelves, not an obstacle.

The basics of writing a book submission cover letter: tone

The first thing to establish before you start writing the cover letter for your book is the tone.

It can be a difficult balance, and – understandably – a significant choice for a writer. After all, this isn’t a cover letter to apply for any old job where your writing prowess might not be a huge factor. This is your chance to prove your prose is worthy of agents’ extremely limited time.

The temptation to show off your skills and your writing style might be strong. But remember: that’s why you submit sample chapters. Think of this more as a business letter. Keep it professional, to the point and easy to read. Keep your word length and sentence length in check; this is no place for purple prose.

Some writers also hope their query letters will convey their personality – and so they should! If it feels right, feel free to add a splash of dry humour, and give the agent an idea of who you are (without recounting your entire life). But again, maintain a balance and stay on the professional end of the spectrum rather than going all-out wacky.

A brief note on conveying your personality: be sure to write in the first person, as yourself. Some people think it’s kooky or endearing to write their letter as their protagonist. It might feel original, but unfortunately agents have seen it before, and few will be amused.

Above all, proofread, then proofread again, and then proofread a final time. You might even ask a friend from your writing group , or a savvy editor, to give it one more proofread for good measure. What you really don’t want in your cover letter is a grammatical or spelling mistake. You’re selling the agent on your writing – keeping it error-free is the bare minimum!

Key elements of cover letters in publishing

Once you’ve thought about tone, consider the topics your cover letter should address.

There are five key elements in the query letter that writers send with their book submissions:

Generally, you’ll write a cover letter that hits those topics, probably in that order.

The word count

Before we think about how you’ll address these elements, and how much of your cover letter each will take up, it’s worth thinking about the overall word count.

Again, you might find yourself wrestling your writerly instincts (even if you’re fond of writing short fiction…). You need to keep your covering letter short and snappy. After all, you don’t want the agent to spend all their time reading just your letter. You want them to turn to your manuscript as soon as possible, and get right into those three sample chapters (or however many their guidelines request).

At most , your pitch letter should take up one page (in a legible font size, please. We know your tricks!)

1. Writing the hook for your book submission

The very first thing in your letter will likely be your hook. It’s right there in the name; its job is to hook the reader into your fiction.

As we mentioned, you can get in-depth advice on how to write a great hook for a novel in a dedicated article, but we’ll give you some brief pointers here.

It should be a very short paragraph, which includes the title and genre of your novel, along with the pitch or hook. Put simply, it will go: ‘[TITLE] is a [GENRE] in which [PITCH]’ .

The hook should be (ideally) a single sentence, and sum up the premise of your book. To nail it, you’ll want to consider these factors:

• What your novel is about
• Who it’s about
• What’s at stake for your protagonist
• What stands in their way
• What they must do to achieve their goal

Some writers find it helpful to use titles of works they’re comparing their novel to, often in the ‘X meets Y’ format, or ‘X but in Z setting’. For example:

• Alien was pitched as ‘ Jaws but in space’
• George R.R. Martin’s pitch for A Game of Thrones was ‘ Lord of the Rings meets the War of the Roses’
• Our writing coach Katie Khan’s debut novel, Hold Back the Stars , was pitched as ‘ Gravity meets One Day ’

If there are titles or concepts that fit, this can give agents an immediate idea of what to expect in your manuscript.

Plus, you’re offering proof of concept. That’s integral to any compelling business proposition, but it’s especially important in the world of publishing. While the industry has risk-taking pretty much baked in (given only around a third of published books are profitable), there’s still hesitancy around signing books with a premise that’s completely untested.

Which brings up another important point: don’t make the mistake of comparing yourself to an outlier or phenomenon (like Harry Potter , The Da Vinci Code or Fifty Shades of Grey ). Not only could you come across as a little self-aggrandising, but not all agents want to bet on outliers. They might prefer the security of a surer thing.

2. The story paragraph

Once you’ve given the basic hook, you’ll be relieved to know that you have another, longer paragraph to summarise your story.

This is one of the most essential parts of your cover letter. Importantly, it sits apart from your hook, synopsis, chapter outlines and/or sample chapters.

To give you an idea of what you’re aiming to write, it’s akin to the blurb written on the back of book covers. It should be stirring and pithy. It should also make it clear what question will drive readers to the novel’s end from its very beginning.

Make it as intriguing as you can and feel free to end on a cliffhanger. The agent needn’t know the entire story at the point of submitting. Plus, they’ll usually have requested a more detailed synopsis as part of the submissions package, so they’ll turn to that if they want more detail. Or they might even ask to see the full manuscript! But this letter is your chance to grab their attention and stick in their memory.

While you want to distil the essence of your whole novel into this section, do try to keep the focus on its beginning, the part that makes us keep going. That’ll make the literary agent want to read the rest of your materials!

One fact you should always include is the total number of words in your full manuscript.

Examples of story paragraphs

To give you an idea, here are a couple of examples from popular books. We’ll put the novel after the paragraph, so you can see how easily identifiable the work should be from its brief description. Hopefully it will give you an idea of the amount of detail to go into.

Mrs Bennet wants nothing more than to secure good marriages for her five daughters and is thrilled when a wealthy young gentleman rents a nearby manor. When middle daughter, Elizabeth, is first introduced to eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she finds him cold and arrogant – and he seems unimpressed by her quick-witted charm. However, as the weeks pass, both Darcy and Elizabeth find themselves reconsidering their first impressions. — Summary for Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Summers span decades, winter can last a lifetime and the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. It will stretch from the south – where heat breeds plots, lusts and intrigues – to the vast and savage eastern lands, all the way to the frozen north where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men... All will play the Game of Thrones. — Summary for A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

As you can see, neither is especially literary or complex in its language, but each gives the reader a sense of the tone of its corresponding novel. Likewise, without giving away the whole plot or spoiling the ending, we have a very good idea of where the stories will take us.

3. Addressing the market in your cover letter

We touched on the notion of staking your novel’s place in the market in your ‘hook’ paragraph. If you didn’t do it in your hook, this paragraph is your chance. If you did, now you can dig a bit deeper.

In any pitch letter, you should align your work with other things that have been successful.

It doesn’t have to take the form of ‘X meets Y’. You could just write something simple, like ‘people who enjoyed Example Book will also enjoy my novel’, or ‘This novel would sit comfortably in a bookshop alongside Example Book and Another Great Book ’.

Of course, this requires a deep and very up-to-date awareness of your genre. While it’s good to have an appreciation of the classics, it’s often best to draw parallels with recent successes and show you understand current trends in your cover letter.

Some good avenues include:

• Reading bestseller lists (like the Sunday Times or the New York Times)
• Browsing bestselling titles of online retailers like Amazon
• Checking which books are stocked on supermarket shelves (and particularly those that stick around for months)
• Seeing what bookshops have in the windows and on the front tables

Bonus points if you mention authors represented by the agent you’re querying! (And a stern reminder to be very mindful of copying and pasting cover letters from one agent to the next; they should be carefully personalised each time.)

This section should make it easy for a literary agent to identify your target audience. It will give them clues as to which editors and publishers they can pitch your novel to, and how it can be marketed after publication.

4. Mention the agent in every cover letter

We just touched on the importance of personalising your cover letter, but it’s not just in the published authors you mention.

You should write about the agent and any relevant details about why you’ve chosen them. Most agents receive hundreds of query letters a week, so if you want them to give you their time and attention, show that you’ve given them yours.

Of course, you don’t want to give the impression you know every detail of their life. Not only could that be creepy, but you’re adhering to a tight word limit – don’t let yourself go over one page!

You can – and should – use a couple of your precious sentences to show you know their professional background. While researching individual agents might seem time-consuming – especially on top of all the work you’ve already done – it’s vital.

And it’s not just manners; it’s important for your long-term success, well after you sign with a literary agency. After all, this is ultimately a business deal and a professional partnership. You need to be sure that it’s the right fit for you and your novel.

So use agents’ online presence on their agency website or professional profile to see the kinds of authors they work with, and the ones they admire. If they align with your style – great! You can feel good about submitting to them, with the promise of a fruitful partnership on the horizon.

5. Writing about yourself in your query letter

Finally, we come to the topic many novelists least like to write about: themselves.

You’re in luck, because most agents want this section to be very brief. Remember, the focus is on your fiction and its viability. Your life story isn’t relevant. While your passion and commitment to writing are indispensable, the fact you’re trying to publish a novel you’ve written speaks for itself. Don’t wax too lyrical.

In fact, there’s pretty much only one concrete thing that every agent wants to know about you, and that’s whether you have any publishing history.

Don’t panic if this is your first book! Unless it says otherwise in their submission guidelines, the vast majority of agents are open to debut authors (and many are actively looking for them).

If you haven’t yet published any books but would like to include something about your writing experience, you can mention other publications or practice you’ve had. It could include:

• Experience in a professional realm (maybe you’ve worked as a journalist or a copywriter)
• Online creative writing courses you’ve taken (especially if you’ve done any with The Novelry, which literary agencies love!)
• Short fiction you’ve published
• Writing awards you’ve won

Some people include a brief line about their day job or other details of their life – particularly if it’s relevant to the genesis of their fiction. For example, Harriet Tyce was a criminal barrister, and wrote two novels centred around criminal barristers. It was clear where she found story ideas for her thrillers – or at least their protagonists.

This type of connection can give agents confidence in the accuracy of your writing, suggesting your editor will have a lighter workload when it comes to factual discrepancies. Plus, it can be helpful when it comes to marketing (if you’re happy to divulge your background).

If your job is uninteresting, unrelated or you’re trying to keep it under a page, feel free to omit details beyond your fiction writing. Agents are more interested in you as a writer than as a person.

And that’s pretty much it! All that’s left to do is to thank the agent for their time and consideration, and sign off. Done and dusted.

What happens next?

So what happens next? Agents will usually give an expected window for responses on their website, and this can be anywhere from a few days up to six weeks, or even longer. It’s important that you respect this timeframe! Follow their guidelines about when and how to check on the status of your submission.

Similarly, if an agent passes on your submission, please do not badger them for an explanation or ask them to reconsider. Agents can only take on authors and stories that they genuinely feel they can champion, and they know their own tastes – be gracious about rejection and try not to take it personally. Remember, publishing is a small business and agents have long memories!

And the fact is, dealing with criticism and rejection is part and parcel of a writer’s life; that’s why it’s so important for us to develop resilience .

Tips from The Novelry’s partner literary agencies

At The Novelry, we’re fortunate enough to partner with some of the world’s leading literary agencies.

They’ve kindly written articles for us in which they share their experiences and advice on querying agents, as well as on a whole range of other fascinating topics which you can read on our blog.

Here are some of the gems they’ve shared:

• Keep the body of the email as short as possible; send materials as attachments, unless otherwise directed.
• Include your attachments (i.e. the sample chapters, synopsis/outline and anything else that’s requested) as a Word document if possible. Most e-readers don’t deal well with PDFs.
• Proofread very carefully; a single mistake could make an agent give up on your submission.
• Be respectful and humble.
• Address agents by name. Some may prefer a title and last name, others are happy to be addressed by their first name. If in doubt, go for the more formal option. But never address them as ‘Sir/Madam’ or anything similarly anonymous. Triple check you have spelt their name correctly!
• Always send exactly what they ask for on the website. If they request the first three chapters, send them. If they only ask for ten pages, send that. Some might not want any sample material in the first instance, so don’t send any! You need to make it clear that you’ll be able to follow directions from your agent, your editor and your publisher down the line.
• Tell agents who you hope your audience will be. Think of the common marketing technique across media, ‘ for fans of ’ or ‘ if you liked X you’ll love this ’. Imagine your book on an online retailer – what titles would it appear with under ‘Customers who bought this also bought…’ or similar features?
• If you’ve been rejected by an agent who’s offered some reason for their rejection, don’t resubmit your edited manuscript requesting new comments. They aren’t your editor. If they want to see a revised version, they’ll tell you.
• Don’t pester agents for a response. If they’re going to reply, they will when they have time. Hopefully their auto-response or guidelines will let you know what to expect (i.e. whether they respond to unsuccessful submissions, and what the window usually is for responses).
• Use a professional-sounding email address. Not the silly address you created in high school, and no joint accounts with your partner. Remember, agents are considering not only whether they can publish your book, but whether to sign a professional contract with you. Act accordingly!

Sample cover letter

Finally, you might want to look at examples of successful pitch letters for books.

We look at sample cover letters in depth in our courses, analysing what works well and why.  

In the meantime, you can also look at other cover letters online. For example, author and editor Phoebe Morgan shared her sample cover letter here , and agent Juliet Mushens has published one here .

Of course, making it all the way through to bagging your dream literary agent and getting a publishing contract means your manuscript will need to live up to the promise of your perfect pitch letter. The best way to make sure it does is to join us for The Finished Novel Course . We’ll get your novel ready for publication and connect you with your perfect partner agent who knows the publishers that will love your story. Sign up and start today to become one of our sparkling success stories!

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Master Your Cover Letter: 9 Books to Land the Job

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The Cover Letter Book: Your Definitive Guide to Writing the Perfect Cover Letter Paperback – January 1, 2012

In a competitive job market, first impressions are vital. To get an interview you’re going to have to stand out and a well-executed cover letter is vital to ensure that you do not fall at the first hurdle.

This book takes you through all the essential rules and high impact strategies to ensure your cover letter makes you stand out from the crowd. It takes a detailed look at the fifteen most common cover letter mistakes to ensure you do not make the errors that the competition will be, and covers everysituation from email and fax to speculative letters, career-development letters and advert-response letters.

• Print length 246 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Ft Pr
• Publication date January 1, 2012
• Dimensions 6.25 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN-10 0273776665
• ISBN-13 978-0273776666
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

From the back cover.

Your cover letter is the first thing employers will see - make yours stand out.

The competition is tougher than ever. With so many qualified and experienced candidates out there, how do you make sure your cover letter makes an outstanding impression?

Based on years of experience writing and reviewing successful cover letters, recruitment expert James Innes guides you through the secrets of writing outstanding cover letters. You ll find out all the insider tips and winning methods to make sure your cover letter never fails to impress.

You ll discover:

* what employers really want to read

* what makes a brilliant cover letter stand out

* the 15 most common cover letter mistakes and how to avoid them

* how to secure a job interview from your cover letter alone

The Cover Letter Book has full, free online support cover letter templates, tools and reader offers all available through The CV Centre online at www.ineedacv.co.uk/readertools.

No matter what your age, background, job or level of experience, The Cover Letter Book will help you create an outstanding cover letter.

About the Author

James Innes is the Founder and Chief Executive of The CV Centre–the UK’s leading CV consultancy and is now widely considered to be one of the UK’s leading careers experts. He regularly participates at recruitment fairs and conferences as a sought-after guest speaker, as well as being interviewed on TV and radio. The Cover Letter Book sits alongside James’s other careers publishing which include the bestselling The Interview Book , The CV Book and The Interview Question and Answer Book – all published by Pearson.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ft Pr; 2nd edition (January 1, 2012)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 246 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0273776665
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0273776666
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
• #2,453 in Vocational Guidance (Books)
• #5,630 in Job Hunting (Books)
• #12,427 in Job Hunting & Career Guides

About the author

James innes.

James Innes is the Founder and Chairman of TheResumeCenter.com (USA), The Resume Centre (Canada and Australia), The CV Centre (UK, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa) and CV Center (Germany, Austria, France and Belgium) - the world's leading CV and resume consultancies.

With nearly two decades of experience heading up these organizations, James is widely considered to be one of the world's leading careers experts.

James regularly participates at recruitment fairs and conferences as a guest speaker, as well as working on TV and radio.

He is the author of five best-selling careers books. His current works are: 'The Interview Book', 'The Interview Question & Answer Book', 'The CV Book', 'The Cover Letter Book' and 'Ultimate New Job'.

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How to Write a Stand-Out Cover Letter

• How to Write a Stand-Out…

SO, WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

Literary agents and many literary competitions require a cover letter along with your sample chapters and synopsis. This is a formal introduction to you and your novel. Note: It is not a CV, a bio or a blurb for the book. It’s a letter, written from one professional to another, that should make the agent or judge want to read more. The biggest mistake entrants to the BPA First Novel Award made this year was getting the balance off, either writing too much about the novel or too much about themselves – some poor novels didn’t get a mention. There’s a rough template most agents and competition judges will look for, and it’s pretty doable! Let’s give it a go.

TELL US ABOUT THE NOVEL

First, tell us about the novel. That’s what you’re trying to sell! You want the agent to finish the cover letter with such curiosity about the book that they’re hungry for the sample chapters. 

The first paragraph will usually reveal the title , the genre , the word count of the completed manuscript (If you don’t include this, they might worry you haven’t finished it!) and something that offers a taste of the novel, like a mention of the themes you’re going to explore.

Be specific when stating the genre – if it’s general fiction, think about whether the market is commercial, book club, upmarket or literary. If it’s YA, don’t just say it’s YA – is it a YA romance? YA dystopia? Who’s out there writing YA crime? The literary agent will be familiar with all the terms, so the more specific you are, the easier it will be to picture an audience for the book.

Once you’ve provided these core facts, write an elevator pitch . This is a single sentence that conveys your novel’s hook or USP. For inspiration, check out the Sunday Times Bestsellers List:

• Richard Osman’s  The Thursday Murder Club : Four friends in a retirement village team up to solve a mystery on their doorstep.
• Paula Hawkins’  The Girl on the Train : A commuter’s fascination with a married couple she passes every day turns deadly.

It’s a good idea to follow this up with a one-paragraph description of the novel. Unlike the synopsis, it doesn’t need to tell the entire story, but it should be just more than the premise. Tell us who the protagonist is, what happens to upset the balance of their life, and what their goal is (presumably to restore said life balance!). If you can do that in a couple of sentences, you might also mention one of the novel’s core turning points.

Cover letters should describe the novel first, then the writer, then remind us of the novel at the end. In a short final paragraph, say what inspired you to write the book and offer some comparable titles . (Check out agent Nelle Andrew’s advice on comparable titles .)

The letter should be targeted towards the literary agent or competition judge you’re writing to. Some writers choose to open with this and others incorporate it into the later paragraphs. The best way to make a connection and show you’ve done your research is to mention an author on the agent’s list who has a relevant readership. You could also explain why you think your novel aligns with what they describe in their wish list.

TELL US ABOUT YOU

It’s the writing, not the writer, that’s important … but the agent or judge does want to know about you too. They especially want to know why you were the one person who could write this book . And it’s true – no one else could write the book you’ve written. So tell us why. Did your job as a psychiatrist inspire the analysis of your antagonist’s motivation? Do you live in the idyllic town where the book is set? Have you studied the era of your historical novel? Share relevant details about yourself. 

The agent or judge also wants evidence that you are a writer. You’re not just someone who thinks they have a novel in them; you take your craft seriously. If you can, share what magazines your short fiction has been published in, the competitions you’ve been listed in or the creative writing courses you’ve completed. If you don’t have that kind of experience, share anything that tells us you’re serious. Join a writer’s workshop group and tell us about that. Attend an online masterclass (like the ones BPA runs ) and mention that. Experiment with writing in different forms and tell us about it. S hare which contemporary authors have inspired you, so it’s clear that you’re well read. Just don’t put, ‘This is my first attempt at writing fiction,’ and leave it at that. It doesn’t inspire confidence.

A cover letter should be professional, like the cover letter you would send with a job application, but you also want it to have some personality. And given you’re basically applying for the role of ‘novelist’, it needs to be well written.

So, keep it formal, make sure it’s eloquent, and try to get some flow into it. When you read it aloud, it should sound natural. If it doesn’t, it might be that you haven’t varied sentence length, that you’ve used rigid language, or simply that you’re trying too hard. As formal as a cover letter should be, you want your enthusiasm for this novel you’ve spent so long writing to imbue the lines. 

COMMON ISSUES IN ‘BPA FIRST NOVEL AWARD’ SUBMITTED COVER LETTERS

• Formatting it like a CV or splitting it into sections titled ‘Bio’ and ‘Novel Summary’.
• Sharing irrelevant detail about your personal life. 
• Making it too short – 200-350 words is a good guideline.
• Or too long – unfortunately, nobody’s going to read a cover letter past the first page!
• Writing a vague description of the story e.g. ‘When a mysterious event happens, a woman will have to look to the past to uncover the truth.’
• Including long-winded explanations of why there’s a huge market for your book.
• Coming across as arrogant … or lacking in confidence.
• Sharing more about the novel’s message than its story.

WRITE THE COVER LETTER YOUR NOVEL DESERVES

Once you’ve finished a manuscript, the instinct is to get it on submission as soon as possible, but it’s worth taking the time to give an accurate and exciting representation of the work . Literary agents receive many submissions a day and have to fit reading time in with a huge workload. You need to grab them in the cover letter so that they’re already thinking of you as a potential client when they read the sample.

Out of everything you could have written on the blank pages of a document titled Novel , you’ve carefully chosen each word of this story that has to be told. You know people will love it and you hopefully have a sense of who and why . Get that across to the agent or competition reader, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll request the full manuscript.

For personalised feedback on your cover letter, you might want to consider a BPA Submission Package Report – enquire here .

How to Write a Cover Letter

Advice for tackling one of the toughest parts of the job-hunting process.

Perhaps the most challenging part of the job application process is writing an effective cover letter. And yes, you should send one. Even if only one in two cover letters gets read, that’s still a 50% chance that including one could help you. Before you start writing, find out more about the company and the specific job you want. Next, catch the attention of the hiring manager or recruiter with a strong opening line. If you have a personal connection with the company or someone who works there, mention it in the first sentence or two, and try to address your letter to someone directly. Hiring managers are looking for people who can help them solve problems, so show that you know what the company does and some of the challenges it faces. Then explain how your experience has equipped you to meet those needs. If the online application doesn’t allow you to submit a cover letter, use the format you’re given to demonstrate your ability to do the job and your enthusiasm for the role.

No one likes job hunting. Scouring through online job listings, spiffing up your résumé , prepping for grueling interviews  — none of it is fun. For many, the most challenging part of the process is writing an effective cover letter. There’s so much conflicting advice out there, it’s hard to know where to start. Do you even need one, especially if you’re applying through an online system?

• Amy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, cohost of the Women at Work podcast , and the author of two books: Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) and the HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict . She writes and speaks about workplace dynamics. Watch her TEDx talk on conflict and follow her on LinkedIn . amyegallo

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How to Write a Cover Letter: Your Full Guide (With Tips and Examples)

It’s a familiar cycle: You sit down to write a cover letter, open a blank document, check your email, browse cover letter examples , do some chores, watch that cursor blink a few more times, and finally Google something like “how to write a cover letter”—which hopefully brought you here. But you still might be thinking, does anyone really read cover letters? Why do they even exist?

First: Yes, we can assure you that cover letters do, in fact, get read. To some hiring managers, they’re the most important part of your job application. And regardless, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to tell prospective employers who you are, showcase why they should hire you, and stand out above all the other candidates.

To ensure your letter is in amazing shape (and crafting it is as painless as possible), we’ve got easy-to-follow steps plus examples, a few bonus tips, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Get that cover letter out there! Browse open jobs on The Muse and find your dream job »

What is a cover letter and why is it important?

A cover letter is a brief (one page or less) note that you write to a hiring manager or recruiter to go along with your resume and other application materials.

Done well, a cover letter gives you the chance to speak directly to how your skills and experience line up with the specific job you’re pursuing. It also affords you an opportunity to hint to the reviewer that you’re likable, original, and likely to be a great addition to the team.

Instead of using cover letters to their strategic advantage, most job applicants blabber on and on about what they want, toss out bland, cliché-filled paragraphs that essentially just regurgitate their resume, or go off on some strange tangent in an effort to be unique. Given this reality, imagine the leg up you’ll have once you learn how to do cover letters right.

How long should a cover letter be?

An ideal cover letter typically ranges from a half page to one full page. Aim to structure it into four paragraphs, totaling around 250 to 400 words, unless the job posting states otherwise. Some employers may have specific guidelines like word or character limits, writing prompt, or questions to address. In such cases, be sure to follow these instructions from the job posting.

How to write a cover letter hiring managers will love

Now that you’re sold on how important cover letters are, here are eight steps to writing one that screams, “I’m a great hire!”

Step 1: Write a fresh cover letter for each job (but yes, you can use a template)

Sure, it’s way faster and easier to take the cover letter you wrote for your last application, change the name of the company, and send it off. But most employers want to see that you’re truly excited about the specific position and organization—which means creating a custom letter for each position.

While it’s OK to recycle a few strong sentences and phrases from one cover letter to the next, don’t even think about sending out a 100% generic letter. “Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply to the open position at your company” is an immediate signal to recruiters and hiring managers that you’re mass-applying to every job listing that pops up on LinkedIn.

At the same time, there’s nothing that says you can’t get a little help: Try out one of our free cover letter templates to make the process a bit easier.

Step 2: Add your contact info

At the top of your cover letter, you should list out your basic info. You can even copy the same heading from your resume if you’d like. Some contact info you might include (and the order to include it in):

• Your pronouns (optional)
• Your location (optional)
• Your email address
• Your phone number (optional)
• Your Linkedin, portfolio, or personal website URL (optional)

Note that only name and email are mandatory, and you don’t need to put a full address on a cover letter or resume anymore. A city and state (or metro area) are more than enough. So your header might look like this:

Inigo Montoya he/him Florin Metropolitan Area [email protected] 555-999-2222

If the job posting tells you to submit your cover letter in the body of an email, you can add your contact info at the end, after your name (and if you’d like to forgo the email address here, you can—they have it already). So your sign off could look like this:

Violet Baudelaire she/her [email protected] 123-123-1234

https://www.linkedin.com/in/violet-baudelaire/

Step 3: Address your cover letter to the hiring manager—preferably by name

The most traditional way to address a cover letter is to use the person’s first and last name, including “Mr.” or “Ms.” (for example, “Dear Ms. Jane Smith” or just “Dear Ms. Smith”). But to avoid accidentally using the wrong title—or worse, inadvertently misgendering someone—first and last name also work just fine.

If “Dear” feels a bit too stiff, try “Hello.” But never use generic salutations like “ To Whom it May Concern ” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

For more help, read these rules for addressing your cover letter and a few tips for how to find the hiring manager .

Step 4: Craft an opening paragraph that’ll hook your reader

Your opening sets the stage for the whole cover letter. So you want it to be memorable, friendly, conversational, and hyper-relevant to the job you’re pursuing.

No need to lead with your name—the hiring manager can see it already. But it’s good to mention the job you’re applying for (they may be combing through candidates for half a dozen different jobs).

You could go with something simple like, “I am excited to apply for [job] with [Company].” But consider introducing yourself with a snappy first paragraph that highlights your excitement about the company you’re applying to, your passion for the work you do, and/or your past accomplishments.

This is a prime spot to include the “why” for your application. Make it very clear why you want this job at this company. Are you a longtime user of their products? Do you have experience solving a problem they’re working on? Do you love their brand voice or approach to product development? Do your research on the company (and check out their Muse profile if they have one) to find out.

Read this next: 30 Genius Cover Letter Openers Recruiters Will LOVE

Step 5: Convey why you’d be a great hire for this job

A common cover letter mistake is only talking about how great the position would be for you. Frankly, hiring managers are aware of that—what they really want to know is what you’re going to bring to the position and company.

So once you’ve got the opening under wraps, you should pull out a few key ideas that will make up the backbone of your cover letter. They should show that you understand what the organization is looking for and spell out how your background lines up with the position.

Study the job description for hints . What problems is the company looking to solve with this hire? What skills or experiences are mentioned high up, or more than once? These will likely be the most important qualifications.

If you tend to have a hard time singing your own praises and can’t nail down your strengths , here’s a quick trick: What would your favorite boss, your best friend, or your mentor say about you? How would they sing your praises? Use the answers to inform how you write about yourself. You can even weave in feedback you’ve received to strengthen your case (occasionally, don’t overuse this!). For example:

“When I oversaw our last office move, my color-coded spreadsheets covering every minute detail of the logistics were legendary; my manager said I was so organized, she’d trust me to plan an expedition to Mars.”

Step 6: Back up your qualifications with examples and numbers

Look at your list of qualifications from the previous step, and think of examples from your past that prove you have them. Go beyond your resume. Don’t just regurgitate what the hiring manager can read elsewhere.

Simply put, you want to paint a fuller picture of what experiences and accomplishments make you a great hire and show off what you can sashay through their doors with and deliver once you land the job.

For example, what tells a hiring manager more about your ability to win back former clients? This: “I was in charge of identifying and re-engaging former clients.” Or this: “By analyzing past client surveys, NPS scores, and KPIs, as well as simply picking up the phone, I was able to bring both a data-driven approach and a human touch to the task of re-engaging former clients.”

If you're having trouble figuring out how to do this, try asking yourself these questions and finding answers that line up with the qualifications you’ve chosen to focus on:

• What approach did you take to tackling one of the responsibilities you’ve mentioned on your resume?
• What details would you include if you were telling someone a (very short!) story about how you accomplished one of your resume bullet points?
• What about your personality, passion, or work ethic made you especially good at getting the job done?

Come up with your examples, then throw in a few numbers. Hiring managers love to see stats—they show you’ve had a measurable impact on an organization you’ve worked for. Did you bring in more clients than any of your peers? Put together an impressive number of events? Make a process at work 30% more efficient? Work it into your cover letter!

This might help: How to Quantify Your Resume Bullets (When You Don't Work With Numbers)

Step 7: Finish with a strong conclusion

It’s tempting to treat the final lines of your cover letter as a throwaway: “I look forward to hearing from you.” But your closing paragraph is your last chance to emphasize your enthusiasm for the company or how you’d be a great fit for the position. You can also use the end of your letter to add important details—like, say, the fact that you’re willing to relocate for the job.

Try something like this:

“I believe my energy, desire to innovate, and experience as a sales leader will serve OrangePurple Co. very well. I would love to meet to discuss the value I could add as your next West Coast Sales Director. I appreciate your consideration and hope to meet with you soon.”

Then be sure to sign off professionally , with an appropriate closing and your first and last name. (Need help? Here are three cover letter closing lines that make hiring managers grimace, plus some better options .)

Step 8: Reread and revise

We shouldn’t have to tell you to run your cover letter through spell-check, but remember that having your computer scan for typos isn’t the same as editing . Set your letter aside for a day or even just a few hours, and then read through it again with fresh eyes—you’ll probably notice some changes you want to make.

You might even want to ask a friend or family member to give it a look. In addition to asking them if they spot any errors, you should ask them two questions:

• Does this sell me as the best person for the job?
• Does it get you excited?

If the answer to either is “no,” or even slight hesitation, go back for another pass.

Cover letter examples

Here are four example cover letters that follow the advice given above. Keep in mind that different situations may require adjustments in your approach. For instance, experienced job seekers can emphasize accomplishments from previous roles, while those with less experience might highlight volunteer work, personal projects, or skills gained through education.

Example #1: Cover letter for a job application

Alia Farhat San Francisco Bay Area [email protected] 444-000-1111

Hello Danny Tanaka,

If I’m being honest, I still haven’t fully gotten over the death of my first Tamagotchi pet when I was six years old. (His name was Tommy, and I’ve gotten far more creative since then, I promise.) When I was older, I discovered NeoPets and I was hooked for years—not just on the site, but on the community that surrounded it. So when I heard about FantasyPets last year, I immediately started following news about your development process, and that’s how I saw your post looking for a marketing strategist. Not only do I have eight years of experience in digital marketing, but as a lifelong gamer with a passion for pet-focused titles who’s spent years in online communities with like-minded people, I also know exactly what kind of messaging resonates with your target audience.

You’re looking for someone to help you craft a social media marketing campaign to go along with your game launch, and I’ve been a part of three launch-day marketing campaigns for mobile and web-based games. In my current role as social media manager at Phun Inc., I proposed a campaign across Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok based on competitor research and analysis of our social campaigns for similar games to go along with the launch of the mobile game FarmWorld. Using my strategy of featuring both kids and adults in ads, we ended up driving over one million impressions and 80k downloads in the first three months.

I’ve always believed that the best way to find the right messaging for a game is to understand the audience and immerse myself in it as much as possible. I spend some of my research time on gaming forums and watching Twitch streams and Let’s Plays to see what really matters to the audience and how they talk about it. Of course, I always back my strategies up with data—I’m even responsible for training new members of the marketing team at Phun Inc. in Google AdWords and data visualization.

I believe that my passion for games exactly like yours, my digital marketing and market research experience, and my flair for turning data into actionable insights will help put FantasyPets on the map. I see so much promise in this game, and as a future player, I want to see its user base grow as much as you do. I appreciate your consideration for the marketing strategist role and hope to speak with you soon.

Alia Farhat

Example #2: Cover letter for an internship

Mariah Johnson

New York, NY [email protected] 555-000-1234

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am excited to submit my application for the software development internship at Big Tech. As a student at New York University majoring in computer science with a keen interest in social studies, I believe I would be a good fit for the role. Big Tech's mission to promote equality and a more sustainable world is deeply inspiring, and I would be thrilled to contribute to this mission.

In a recent hackathon, I demonstrated my ability to lead a team in designing and developing an app that directs members of a small community to nearby electronics recycling centers. My team successfully developed a working prototype and presented it to a panel of industry experts who awarded us second place.

I’ve also been an active volunteer at my local library for over four years. During this time, I organized book donation drives, led book fairs, and conducted reading sessions with children. This experience strengthened my presentation and communication skills and confirmed my motivation stems from supporting a good cause. I would be more than happy to bring my passion and dedication to an organization whose mission resonates with me..

Through these experiences, along with my coursework in software engineering, I am confident I am able to navigate the challenges of the Big Tech internship program. I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about my qualifications. Thank you for your consideration.

Example #3: Cover letter with no experience

Sarah Bergman

Philadelphia, PA [email protected] 1234-555-6789

Dear Chloe West,

I’m excited to apply for the entry-level copywriting position at Idea Agency. As a recent graduate from State University with a major in mass communications, I’m eager to delve deeper into copywriting for brands, marketing strategies, and their roles in the business world.

Over the past two years, I’ve completed courses in creative writing, copywriting, and essentials of digital marketing. I’ve also been actively involved in extracurricular activities, creating content and promoting student events across multiple online platforms. These experiences expanded my creativity, enhanced my teamwork skills, and strengthened my communication abilities.

As an admirer of your visionary marketing campaigns and Idea Agency’s commitment to sustainability, I’m enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team. I'm confident that I can contribute to your future projects with inventive thinking and creative energy.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications further. Thank you for considering my application.

Best regards,

Example #4: Career change cover letter

Leslie Smith

Chicago, IL [email protected] 111-222-3344

Dear Paul Jones,

Over the past year, I’ve volunteered to represent my company at a local fair and there I discovered how much fun working face to face with clients would be. Everytime I sold a product for The Solar Company, I often wished it was my full-time job. Now, I'm excited to submit my application for the sales coordinator position with Bloom Sales.

After completing a degree in business administration, I decided to put my outgoing personality and strong communication skills to work as a sales specialist at The Solar Company. I’ve sharpened my presentation and critical thinking skills in client meetings and sourced more than $20,000 in new partnerships. This experience has given me an invaluable foundation, and now I’m confident it's the time to move business administration to sales coordination.

I’m comfortable seeking out new business opportunities, making cold calls, and selling potential clients on the advantages of Bloom Sales products. I attend an average of 10 in-person meetings a week, and interacting with a lot of different personalities is what excites me the most. As a detail-oriented, tech-savvy professional, I have advanced knowledge of Excel and data analysis.

I would love to learn more about your sales strategy for the second semester and discuss how my experience in business administration and client-facing sales exposure would help Bloom Sales achieve its goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Extra cover letter examples

• Pain point cover letter example
• Recent graduate cover letter example
• Stay-at-home parent returning to work cover letter example
• Sales cover letter example
• Email marketing manager cover letter example
• No job description or position cover letter example (a.k.a., a letter of intent or interest)
• Buzzfeed-style cover letter example
• Creative cover letter example (from the point-of-view of a dog)

Bonus cover letter tips to give you an edge over the competition

As you write your cover letter, here are a few more tips to consider to help you stand out from the stack of applicants:

• Keep it short and sweet: There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, for resumes and cover letters alike, don’t go over a page. (Check out these tips for cutting down your cover letter .)
• Never apologize for your missing experience: When you don’t meet all of the job requirements, it’s tempting to use lines like, “Despite my limited experience as a manager…” or “While I may not have direct experience in marketing…” But why apologize ? Instead of drawing attention to your weaknesses, emphasize the strengths and transferable skills you do have.
• Strike the right tone: You want to find a balance between being excessively formal in your writing—which can make you come off as stiff or insincere—and being too conversational. Let your personality shine through, for sure, but also keep in mind that a cover letter shouldn’t sound like a text to an old friend.
• Consider writing in the company’s “voice:” Cover letters are a great way to show that you understand the environment and culture of the company and industry. Spending some time reading over the company website or stalking their social media before you get started can be a great way to get in the right mindset—you’ll get a sense for the company’s tone, language, and culture, which are all things you’ll want to mirror—especially if writing skills are a core part of the job.
• Go easy on the enthusiasm: We can’t tell you how many cover letters we’ve seen from people who are “absolutely thrilled for the opportunity” or “very excitedly applying!” Yes, you want to show personality, creativity, and excitement. But downplay the adverbs a bit, and keep the level of enthusiasm for the opportunity genuine and believable.

The bottom line with cover letters is this: They matter, much more than the naysayers will have you believe. If you nail yours, you could easily go from the “maybe” pile straight to “Oh, hell yes.”

Cover letter FAQs (a.k.a., everything else you need to know about cover letters)

• Are cover letters still necessary?
• Do I have to write a cover letter if it’s optional?
• Can I skip the cover letter for a tech job?
• What does it mean to write a cover letter for a resume?
• How can I write a simple cover letter in 30 minutes?
• How can I show personality in my cover letter?
• What should I name my cover letter file?
• Is a letter of intent different from a cover letter?
• Is a letter of interest different from a cover letter?

Regina Borsellino , Jenny Foss , and Amanda Cardoso contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

How to write a covering letter to a publisher, editor or agent

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The first thing publishers see when they open your submission package is the covering letter. It doesn’t matter how good your synopsis and sample chapters are, if this vital document fails to impress an editor or agent, then your submission will be rejected. So to ensure you make an excellent first impression, follow the advice of the experts

The first thing publishers see when they open your submission package is the covering letter. It doesn’t matter how good your synopsis and sample chapters are, if this vital document fails to impress an editor or agent, then your submission will be rejected. So to ensure you make an excellent first impression, follow the advice of the experts...

Find the right publisher for your manuscript

Before you start writing your covering letter, you need to find the right publisher for your manuscript. If your book is a non-fiction guide to growing your own vegetables, you need to find a publisher who produces non-fiction gardening books. Sending it to a publisher who specialises in short story romances will result in instant rejection. It is also essential that you check their submission guidelines and follow them precisely. They may specify how long the covering letter should be or what you should include.

What to include in your covering letter

Show off your strengths

The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication demystifies the world of publishing and outlines the steps non-fiction writers need to take to present their work to agents and publishers professionally and with confidence.

For non-fiction covering letters, include:

• Compelling Key Sentence • what makes your book different • who it is for • your passion for writing it • your credibility as the author • a mention of your platform/key sales, marketing or promotional opportunities

For fiction covering letters, include:

• Compelling Key Sentence(s) • key themes/features of your story • genre • length • why you wrote the book • something about you/background • life experience • your influences as a writer, writing career • how you see the book in terms of the market ie who for, is it first in a series etc.

Points to remember when writing your covering letter

• Get the name of the publisher/editor right • State where you found their details and why you are approaching them • Tell the publisher about your book • Give your blurb or Compelling Key Sentence • Tell the publisher about yourself • End on a positive note

Ever considered a writing course?

Becoming a successful writer

Are you new to writing and wondering how to go about breaking into print? If so, this course can almost certainly help. It will help you find the field for which your own writing talents are best suited, and will show you how to produce the kind of material that editors and publishers in that field demand.

Polish Your Writing Style

How should you structure paragraphs? What factors should influence your sentence length? What is the difference between a topic sentence and a what-next sentence and when should you use these sentences? These are typical questions your course addresses and will give you a flavour of the kind of work you will be tackling.

Making The Most of Your Life Experiences

A unique, purposeful and enjoyable course to tell you how to best capitalise on what is probably your most prized possession: your stock of personal memories. The course will guide you through what is likely to work well and warns you of obvious dangers. It is full of tips gained from practical experience which you can apply to telling your memories, whether you do so for occasional pleasure or as the basis of a business.

Full Course List

We have lots of excellent courses for writers of all levels. Take a look at our complete course list here.

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Write a Good Cover Letter with This Step-By-Step Guide

First impressions count big time whether you’re submitting a book manuscript, introducing a product, or applying for a job.

Kathy Widenhouse

The Book Mechanic

“I only need to know how to write a cover letter when I’m job hunting.” That’s a common misconception. Plenty of other cover letter scenarios abound. You write a cover letter when you submit a writing book sample to an agent or publishing house. You also write cover letters that introduce an offer, accompany a grant proposal, or ask for a donation.

A cover letter is a sales document. Its sole purpose is to introduce the rest of the submission content. If the cover letter does its job, it entices the reader to want to find out more.

Although writing a cover letter is simple, you have to resist the temptation to be careless or even sloppy with it. It is a writing project in which first impressions count … big time. This simple writing guide walks you through the six sections of a cover letter and how to write each one so your reader is impressed by your professionalism and intrigued to learn more.

• Insert your contact information at the top of the page, including phone number and email address.

Written by Kathy Widenhouse

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has written 9 books and garnered 600K+ views for her writing tutorials, which you can get at www.nonprofitcopywriter.com .

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Convincing Cover Letter for Publishing Industry: Sample + Tips

Are you that person whose nose is always deep into some new title? Do most types of printed periodicals appear oddly fascinating to you? Well, then you are probably well-suited for a career in the publishing industry. 

Despite our collective obsession with digital — and the ubiquity of bite-sized blog posts — a real book still remains an in-demand product too. Last year, the US book industry generated over $26.5 billion in revenue with print book figures improving. And that means that many publishers are once again on a hiring spree.

To land a job with some cool publisher, you gotta have a polished resume. But more importantly, you need to submit a compelling cover letter too. After all, it’s your best way to show your word mastery. 

But even experienced editors often struggle to come up with the right words to frame their achievements. So we’ve created this sample cover letter for publishing jobs as a writing prompt for you. Scroll to the bottom for some extra tips too! 

Publishing Jobs Cover Letter Sample (Word version)

Here’s a sample cover letter for an experienced romance novels editor, looking to work with a national publisher. 

Download cover letter example (.docx)

Cover Letter Example for Publishing Industry (text version)

Dear Mariam Smith,

Do you know how I recognize a potential best-seller? If the first ten pages leave me thoroughly hooked, it’s a strong contender.  My cover letter for an open position of Romance Novel Editor with Clarks and Spencer Publishing isn’t a real pageturner, but it hopefully will provide an interesting narrative into my professional experience and abilities that can be of use to your company.

My journey towards the publishing industry began when I was 6. That’s when I wrote a short love story about a princess and an ice cream delivery man (non-trivial theme, I know). Then I tried to persuade my parents to let me print several copies to give away to my friends. But my mom said that book publishing isn’t free, so I do need to finish several chores first if I want my novel to see the light of day. Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about the publishing industry during my 5 years as an Associate Essay Editor with Angies’ Publishing House and as Romance Features Editor at Wedding Magazine. 

Additionally, I provide manuscript editing services as a freelancer to self-published romance authors, specializing in period dramas — a genre where Clarks and Spencer Publishing certainly excels. Joanne Monroe and Andy McKinzey are two of my long-term favorite authors, whose your house published. 

Apart from having strong copyediting skills, I’m also experienced with the operational side of the business. I can provide creative direction and vision for book illustrations, liaise with authors and agents, and otherwise facilitate the titles acquisition process. 

For previous samples of my work and references, please check my personal website kaylaeditorialservices.com. If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to contact me. 

Kayla Devis 

How To Write A Cover Letter for Publishing Industry Jobs

Since you are in the business of words, your cover letter should be coherent, well-narrated, and a bit artistically articulate. After all, you’d like to advertise your personal writing skills too and there’s no better way to do that than in a cover letter.

Still, your cover letter should respect the “unspoken” code — provide background into your work experience, core competencies, and motivation for joining this particular company. To communicate all of the above within one page, follow these actionable tips. 

1. Explain Your “Why”

Why are you so interested in the publishing industry? Why do you want to work for our company? These are the questions nearly every employer in the industry asks. And they want to see answers to them in your cover letter. 

As Carolyn Zimatore, Director, Talent Management at HarperCollins Publishers puts it : 

“I am not sure which is worse: a generic cover letter that says “I would like the open position at your company” without any mention of what the company is or what the job is or why you want the job, or no cover letter at all.”

So before you put any words down, take a five and research the company . Look into the type of genres they are mostly publishing. Check recent authors. Bring up industry awards. There are a lot of small nuggets you can dig up to make your letter sound as if you intimately know their business. 

2. Use Some Storytelling 

Most people join the publishing industry because they are obsessed with great stories. Show your appreciation of a good narrative by weaving in a quick personal story into your letter like the applicant does in the letter above. Just remember to err on the side of brevity. A cover letter isn’t a novel. So keep your story short and sweet as the author does in the sample above. 

3. Advertise Some Extra Skills 

If you want to work in the publishing industry, you need to have exceptional writing and editorial skills. But that’s what every other job applicant will highlight too. So instead of focusing on just that, bring up some of the “extras” you have. Are you an amazing negotiator and can get the needle moving with agents? Are you a maven when it comes to writing jacket copy and sales notes? Do you also happen to be obsessed with numbers and can do baseline sales projections, price research, and other analytical tasks? Bring all of these complementary skills in your cover letter!

Here are several other in-demand skills for editorial jobs in the publishing industry:

• Publishing process coordination 
• Author relationship management 
• Typography and illustration 
• Market research 
• Deal management 
• Payment records management 
• P&L management 
• Backlist project coordination 

Final Thoughts

Landing a job in the publishing industry is a dream for many bookworms. But don’t let this be just a dream — take proactive steps to get your foot in the door. Sure, such jobs are competitive, but with a little bit of persistence and the right attitude, you’d be able to break into it!

Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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The Perfect Cover Letter: Advice From a Lit Mag Editor

Today’s guest post is from Elise Holland, co-founder and editor of 2 Elizabeths , a short fiction and poetry publication.

When submitting your short-form literature to a magazine or journal, your cover letter is often the first piece of writing an editor sees. It serves as an introduction to your thoughtfully crafted art. As such, it is significant, but it shouldn’t be intimidating or even take much time to write.

As editor at 2 Elizabeths , I see a variety of cover letters every day; some are excellent, and others could stand to be improved. There are a few key pieces of information to include, while keeping them short and sweet. In fact, a cover letter should only be a couple of paragraphs long, and no more than roughly 100-150 words.

A little research goes a long way

Seek out the editor’s name, and address the letter to him/her, as opposed to using a generic greeting. Typically, you can find this information either on the magazine or journal’s website, or in the submission guidelines.

Read the submission guidelines thoroughly. Many publications will state in their guidelines the exact details that need to be included in a cover letter. With some variation, a general rule of thumb is to include the following:

• Editor’s name (if you can locate it)
• Genre/category
• Brief description of your piece
• If you have been published previously, state where
• Whether your piece is a simultaneous submission (definition below)

Terms to Know

The term simultaneous submission means that you will be sending the same piece to several literary magazines or journals at the same time. Most publications accept simultaneous submissions, but some do not. If a publication does not accept them, this will be stated in their guidelines.

Should your work be selected for publication by one magazine, it is important to notify other publications where you have submitted that piece. This courtesy will prevent complications, and will keep you in good graces with various editors, should you wish to submit to them again in the future.

The term multiple submission means that you are submitting multiple pieces to the same literary magazine or journal.

Cover Letter That Needs Work

Dear Editor, Here is a collection of poems I wrote that I’d like you to consider. I have not yet been published elsewhere. Please let me know what you think. Bio: John Doe is an Insurance Agent by day and a writer by night, living in Ten Buck Two. He is the author of a personal blog, LivingWith20Cats.com. Best, John Doe

What Went Wrong?

John Doe didn’t research the editor’s name. A personal greeting is always better than a simple “Dear Editor.” Additionally, John failed to include the word count, title and a brief description of his work.

There is no need to state that John has not yet been published elsewhere. He should simply leave that piece of information out. (Many publications, 2 Elizabeths included, will still welcome your submissions warmly if you are unpublished.)

John included a statement asking the editor to let him know what he/she thinks about his work. Due to time constraints, it is rare that an editor sends feedback unless work is going to be accepted.

Unless otherwise specified by the magazine or journal to which you are submitting, you do not need to include biographical information in your cover letter. Typically, that information is either requested upfront but in a separate document from the cover letter, or is not requested until a piece has been selected for publishing.

Cover Letter Ready to Be Sent

Dear Elise, Please consider this 1,457-word short fiction piece, “Summer.” I recently participated in the 2 Elizabeths Open Mic Night, and am an avid reader of the fiction and poetry that you publish. “Summer” is a fictitious tale inspired by the impact of a whirlwind, yet meaningful, romance I experienced last year. In this story, I gently explore the life lessons associated with young love, with a touch of humor. This is a simultaneous submission, and I will notify you if the piece is accepted elsewhere. Thank you for your consideration. Kindest Regards, John Doe

What Went Right?

In this letter, John includes all pertinent information, while keeping his letter clear and concise. In his second sentence, John also briefly states how he is familiar with the magazine. While doing this isn’t required, if done tastefully, it can be a nice touch! Another example might be: “I read and enjoyed your spring issue, and believe that my work is a good fit for your magazine.”

I hope these sample letters help you as you send your short works to magazines and journals for consideration. While you’re at it, I hope you will check out 2 Elizabeths ! We would love to read your work.

Elise Holland is co-founder and editor of 2 Elizabeths , a short fiction and poetry publication. Her work has appeared in various publications, most recently in Story a Day . Through 2 Elizabeths, Elise strives to create value and visibility for writers, through writing contests , events , and more!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

[…] view post at https://janefriedman.com/perfect-cover-letter-advice-lit-mag-editor/ […]

[…] To get into literary magazines, you need a cover letter, so Elise Holland lays out how to write the perfect cover letter for a literary magazine. […]

Love this! The letter is short and to the point, and covers all the necessary information. Great tips! I always worry that the only publishing credit I have is the winning entry in a short story contest through the local paper. Should I mention that? And writing conferences I’ve attended?

As Elise says, it’s OK if you’re unpublished. Don’t worry about it. But feel free to mention your winning entry. If the writing conferences would likely be known to the journals’ editors, you might mention one or two.

[…] recently wrote a full article on the perfect cover letter, here. Check it out for clear, simple instructions, along with sample […]

[…] publication. Her work has appeared in various publications, most recently in Story a Day, and at JaneFriedman.com.  Through 2 Elizabeths, Elise strives to create value and visibility for writers, through writing […]

Thanks for the concise and useful information! I’ve heard that it’s also a good idea to include a sentence or two that makes it clear that you are familiar with the kind of work the magazine has published in the past. Is this generally advised, or would you consider it nonessential unless specified in the submission guidelines?

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How to Write a Cover Letter and Get Noticed

A cover letter is a chance to explain your specific interest in a company and why you'd be a strong fit.

When you apply for a job, you can submit a cover letter in addition to your resume and any other requested materials. While it’s not always necessary to include one, doing so can expand upon your unique professional story.

Whereas your resume covers important information, like the dates of your past employment and the skills you’ve developed, your cover letter is an opportunity to dive more fully into your motivation for applying in the first place. In writing a cover letter, you should aim to answer two primary questions: 

Why are you interested in this role at this particular company? 

Why are you a strong fit? 

In this article, we’ll go over how to write a strong cover letter and when to include one. 

What is a cover letter, and when do you need one?

A cover letter is a one-page document, around four to five brief paragraphs long , that goes into more detail about your career. It can be especially useful when your application makes it past an applicant tracking system (ATS) and into the hands of a hiring manager, or if you’ve been asked to email your application directly.  

There’s no strong consensus about cover letters: some recruiters and hiring managers prefer them, while others pay more attention to your resume and don’t review your letter. Still, there’s evidence that customized cover letters lead to more interviews than generic cover letters. 

When should you include a cover letter?

Cover letters take time to craft because you’ll need to research the company and role, building a specific explanation about why you want to work there. As such, you may want to reflect on whether it’s a good investment of your time to complete one. 

It can be helpful to include a cover letter when:  

You’re especially interested in the job or company

You’ve been referred by someone

You’re changing careers and want to explain your reasons further

If you’re unsure about whether you should submit a cover letter as part of your application, err on the side of caution and write one, so a recruiter or hiring manager has more information about you. 

Cover letter sections

There are five main sections included in a cover letter: 

Header: At the top of the document, include your contact information, such as your name, city and state, phone number, and email address. Leave space after that information and address your cover letter to the hiring manager once you conduct further research and identify the appropriate person. If you can't find a specific name, go with a generic greeting: “Dear [Department] Hiring Team.”  

Intro: In the first paragraph, demonstrate your fit. Explain who you are, what excites you about the role, and what you hope to accomplish in your next career move, whether that’s more responsibility, moving into a new but relevant area, or something else. 

Body paragraphs: In the subsequent two or three paragraphs, spend time discussing your experience. Don’t simply restate what you’ve already shared through your resume. Instead, talk about any notable effect you’ve had, such as increasing profitability or performance or when you went above and beyond.   

Conclusion: In your final paragraph, restate your interest in the role, remind the hiring manager why you’d be a good fit for their team and company, and state what you want.  

Signature: Include a signature line, using a formal farewell like “Sincerely” along with your name. 

3 tips before writing your cover letter

Whether you’re drafting an entirely new cover letter or updating a previous version for a new application, there are a few steps worth taking before you begin writing: 

1. Research the company.

Visit the company’s website and pay close attention to the “About Us” section. If the company has a careers section, read over any information about workplace culture. Consider what interests you—either about what the company does or how it does it—and note it to include in your letter. 

2. Review the job description. 

Compare the job description to your work history: What have you done in previous roles, and what areas of growth particularly excite you? A hiring team will want you to have many of the skills necessary to handle the job’s responsibilities, but you can also highlight the kind of growth you’re seeking and how the role feeds into that. 

For example: While I’ve regularly contributed strategically to my team’s output, I’m excited to take on the opportunity to lead strategic development.

3. Reflect on your transferable skills.

Transferable skills are those you take with you from job and job, like problem solving and an ability to work collaboratively. These can be beneficial to point out in your cover letter, showing a recruiter or hiring manager how you approach work so they can think about how well you’d fit their team.  

Learn more: Cover Letter Tips: How to Stand Out to a Hiring Manager

3 tips for writing your cover letter

Once you begin writing, follow the steps below to craft and review your letter before completing your job application: 

1. Grab the hiring manager’s attention with a strong opening.

Cover letters used to be more formal, often beginning with a dry introduction like, “I am writing to apply for X.” Now, you can infuse more personality into the introduction, speaking about your passion, interest, and enthusiasm about the opportunity. Think back to your research about the company and role, and integrate that information into your intro. 

For example: I’m a seasoned UX designer who appreciates a challenge. I’ve been especially impressed with the app redesign XYZ Company recently launched, and I’m interested in joining your team’s efforts to make users more engaged.  

2. Align your tone. 

Much like how you might tailor your outfit depending on where you interview , it can be useful to tailor your tone in a cover letter. For example, formality might seem rigid if you’re applying to a tech start-up, but it might be expected at an established financial institution. Think about the tone the company conveys through its website and other communications, and strive to align your writing without overshadowing your personality. 

3. Proofread.

Take time to proofread your letter before you send it, making sure it’s error-free. If possible, find someone to review it for you or try reading it aloud, which can often help you catch any tangled sentence constructions or issues. 

Cover letter example

Let’s break down a cover letter for a project manager role using the sections we outlined above. If you’d like another example, take a look at the cover letter for a data analyst role.

October 4, 2021

Harland Sanders

123 Animal St

Chicago, IL 60290

Dear Mr. Harland Sanders,

[Introduction] My name is George Lee, and I am excited to be applying to the Junior Project Manager position at Animax. I am currently a Project Coordinator at Square Paws, where I have supported several projects successfully to completion. I have long admired Animax’s work to improve animal adoption processes and would be delighted to contribute my skills to the team.

[Body] At Square Paws, I oversaw multiple aspects of running numerous projects. I worked closely with the project manager to develop project schedules, ensure team members had the resources they needed to complete their tasks, and coordinated communication with stakeholders on project updates. I am particularly proud of a project to roll out a feature on our app that users could use to book appointments with veterinarians. As a complex project that involved multiple stakeholders, it was important to be mindful of the details and listen continuously to feedback from users. My efforts to coordinate an early feedback system in a trial period led to the discovery of several bugs and pain points that we fixed for the launch. We were able to reduce customer concerns by 80% and ultimately completed the project under budget by $3,000.

[Body] I have long been familiar with animal adoption centers and believe wholeheartedly in Animax’s mission. I have volunteered consistently at animal shelters since high school and am familiar with their processes. In college, I took several courses that I believe can be useful to the project manager role, including zoology and business administration. Working as a project manager in this field will allow me to expand my knowledge of the industry, and assist in my ultimate goal to make the world a more livable place for shelter animals.

[Conclusion] I believe that my past experience, skill set, and passions make me a strong candidate for Animax’s team. I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for your time.

[Signature]

Cover letters for specific situations

Sometimes your cover letter needs to do something more than what we’ve discussed above. When you’re interested in changing careers or are applying for an internal position or internship, the cover letter you draft may look slightly different. 

Learn more about each scenario with the specific articles below: 

How to Write a Cover Letter When You’re Changing Careers

How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internal Position

How to Write an Internship Cover Letter

Sharpen your cover letter writing skills with Coursera

For a structured approach to writing a cover letter you're proud of, consider taking the Guided Project Create a Resume and Cover Letter with Google Docs on Coursera, which takes around two hours to complete.  

If you'd like a more comprehensive overview that includes writing convincing accomplishment statements and strategic resume layouts, the University of Maryland offers the self-paced online course, Writing Winning Resumes and Cover Letters .

To build out other areas of your application, consider developing or strengthening your skills in data analysis, social media marketing, and UX design with a Professional Certificate from industry leaders like Google, Meta, and IBM. Sign up for Coursera today and begin a 7-day free trial. 

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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Advice for writers

How to write a cover letter to a publisher.

Writing a Great Cover Letter Is Key to Publishing Your Manuscript

Are you ready to embark on a thrilling adventure into the world of publishing? Whether you’re a seasoned wordsmith or a budding author, an attractive publishing cover letter is the golden ticket to capturing a publisher’s attention and getting your book on shelves. Though writing a cover letter can be a daunting task, fear not! We’re here to help unravel the mysteries of how to write an engaging, effective cover letter to a publisher.

Once you’ve got yours together, you can submit your cover letter and manuscript to our team here at Atmosphere Press!

A Thoughtful Opening

First, let’s talk about the basics: the salutation. It may be tempting to take the easy road and slap on a standard “To Whom It May Concern,” but this is a chance to personalize the letter and show the publisher you’ve done your homework. Avoid generic greetings that scream “copy and paste,” and instead do some research and address your cover letter to a specific person (usually the acquisitions editor of the publishing house). This will make your letter stand out like a phoenix rising from the ashes!

Generic: To Whom It May Concern, Personalized: Dear [Acquisitions Editor’s Name], Example: Dear Ms. Smith,

A Quick Hook

Next, your cover letter should include your name and a brief introduction to yourself and your work. Hook the reader and dazzle them with your passion. Share why you’re interested in their publishing house and why your manuscript is a perfect fit. Be genuine and let your enthusiasm shine through. Remember, you’re not writing a résumé—you’re crafting a tale to bewitch the publisher. It’s important to keep it concise, as publishers receive countless submissions and don’t have time to read lengthy letters, no matter how engaging they may be.

Introduction: My name is [Your Name], and I am thrilled to submit my manuscript for your consideration. Example: My name is John Doe, and I am an avid fantasy writer excited to share my latest work with Atmosphere Press.

Pitch Your Book!

Now it’s time to weave your writing spells and cast a spellbinding synopsis of your manuscript. Keep it brief but punchy. Highlight the unique and captivating aspects of your story. Avoid spoilers and focus on the plot, characters, and setting. Use descriptive language that paints a vivid picture in the publisher’s mind and leaves them hungering for more.

Then let the publisher know why your manuscript will be a bestseller—cast a confidence charm! Share your target audience, market research, and any promotion ideas you have in mind. Show them you’re not just a one-hit wonder, but a writer who’s willing to put in the effort to make your book a success. Be bold, but not boastful, and let the publisher know you’re ready to rock the literary world with your words.

Blurb: My manuscript is a thrilling tale of adventure set in a world where magic reigns supreme. Example: My manuscript, The Chronicles of Eldoria , follows the journey of a young mage who must unravel the mysteries of an ancient prophecy to save her kingdom from darkness.

After pitching your book, let the publisher know what makes you the chosen one to pen this tale. Share your writing credentials, awards, and any relevant publishing credits. Don’t worry if you’re a rookie writer without a long list of accolades; you can still work magic by sharing your writing style, your love for the genre, and your unique perspective as an author.

Awards: I have received several awards for my short stories and poetry. Example: I am the winner of the 2023 Fantasy Writers Guild Short Story Contest.

A Strong Closing Statement

Finally, the closing flourish: end your publishing cover letter with a gracious goodbye. Thank the publisher for their time and consideration and express your sincere interest in their feedback or the opportunity to submit your manuscript for review. Avoid begging or pleading and maintain a professional tone. Leave them with a warm and positive impression, and they’ll be eager to take the next step on the publishing journey with you.

And there you have it—a guide to crafting a cover letter that will charm the socks off of any publisher. Remember, a well-written cover letter is the key to unlocking doors of opportunity in the publishing world. So, channel your inner wordsmith, sprinkle some humor and creativity, and let your cover letter work its magic! With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to enchanting your would-be publisher and getting your work published.

Gratitude: Thank you for considering my submission. I look forward to hearing from you. Example: Thank you for your time and consideration. I am eager to discuss how The Chronicles of Eldoria could find a home with Atmosphere Press.

Some bonus tips to make your cover letter even more enchanting:

— Avoid using clichés or overused phrases. Be original and let your unique voice shine through.

— Keep it professional. While humor and creativity are encouraged, make sure your cover letter maintains a professional tone and is free from any inappropriate language or jokes.

— Customize each cover letter! Avoid using a generic template and tailor your letter to the publisher you’re submitting to. Research their publishing house, submission guidelines, and recent publications to show that you’ve done your homework.

— Follow submission guidelines. Publishers often have specific guidelines for submitting cover letters and manuscripts; follow these meticulously to show that you’re a professional and detail-oriented writer.

— Proofread, proofread, proofread! Don’t let any sneaky typos or errors break the spell. Double-check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and consider asking a trusted friend or fellow writer to review your cover letter as well.

Further, there are plenty of online resources available to help you in writing a cover letter!

Writer’s Digest and The Write Life offer numerous articles, guides, and webinars on various aspects of the publishing process, including crafting effective cover letters.

You could also check out Query Shark , where literary agent Janet Reid critiques real query letters and provides insights into what works and what doesn’t in submissions to agents and publishers, or peruse Manuscript Wish List , a database where literary agents and publishers share their specific manuscript preferences. Writers can browse through the listings to get a sense of what publishers are looking for and tailor their cover letters accordingly.

Still Need Help Writing a Cover Letter?

Strange as it sounds, sometimes writing an effective publishing cover letter is one of the most difficult steps for even the most accomplished writers. What’s more, it’s just one step within the publishing process, alongside choosing the best publisher, ensuring your book is polished, and identifying the best target markets and audience for your book.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, our expert publication team at Atmosphere Press offers free publication consultations to help budding authors take the next step. Schedule yours today !

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Atmosphere Press is a selective hybrid publisher founded in 2015 on the principles of Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, Kindness, and Making Your Book Awesome. Our books have won dozens of awards and sold tens of thousands of copies. If you’re interested in learning more, or seeking publication for your own work, please explore the links below. 

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Hints for a Great Cover Letter

[I originally posted this piece over 12 years ago. The information still holds true, but I suspect many have not found the necessary information elsewhere, so I dare post it again. I’ve left all the comments intact since they add to the ongoing conversation. Feel free to add your thoughts.]]

_________________________

Here are a few suggestions for you to consider when approaching an agent or an editor. Remember to use these as hints…do not follow them slavishly as if a literary agent will spend their time critiquing your cover letter.

By the way, we distinguish between a cover letter and a query letter. A cover letter goes on top of a longer proposal and sample chapters. The query letter is a stand-alone letter that goes to the editor/agent without a proposal or sample chapters. We prefer the cover letter and the rest of the package. Why? Because a query only shows that you can write a letter. A proposal begins the process of showing that you know how to write a book.

Address the letter to a specific person. If sending something to The Steve Laube Agency, simply address the appropriate agent. Every proposal will cross the desk of the designated agent eventually. (Please do NOT send it to all of us at the same time)

Use this cover letter in the body of your email, but NOT the proposal and sample chapters! You’d be stunned to see how many people contact us with a blank email carrying only a subject line of “here it is.”

Don’t waste your time or ours. Do your homework! If you are submitting to an agent, visit their website and follow their guidelines!!! We cannot emphasize this enough! Make certain to spell the person’s name right. (My name is spelled, Steve Laube. Not “Laub” “Labe” “Lobby” “Looby” etc. But note that Bob Hostetler has to address me as “sir” or “the honorable” or “Mr. Boss”.)

If you use The Christian Writers Market Guide or some online database listing agents or editors, make sure you have the most current information because addresses do change (go to their website). Our main office changed its mailing address in February of 2007…and we still discover material is being sent to the old address. You would be astounded by the number of calls or inquiries we receive from writers who have not done their research. Someone called the Phoenix office the other day looking to talk to one of our agents who does not live or work in Phoenix.

Whatever you do, do  not say your book is the next bestseller like Purpose Driven Life , Eat Pray Love, Left Behind , or  The Shack , or that it will sell better than  The Da Vinci Code ,  Twilight ,  Harry Potter , or  The Chronicles of Narnia . That shows an ignorance of the market that is best left alone. [update note: These examples will date you really fast. The Harry Potter books are over 25 years old, published in 1997.]

In addition, please do not claim “God gave me this book so you must represent or publish it.” We are firm believers in the inspiration that comes from a faith-filled life, but making it part of your pitch is a big mistake. Read this blog post for a larger discussion on this point.

____________

The 4-part Cover letter:

1) A simple introductory sentence is sufficient. Basically, you are saying “Hi. Thank you for the opportunity…”

2)  Use a “sound bite” statement. A “sound bite” statement is the essence of your novel or non-fiction book idea in 40 words or less.

The fiction sound bite could include:

a. The heroic character b. The central issue of the story c. The heroic goal d. The worthy adversary e. Action f. The ending g. A grabber h. Or a twist

The non-fiction sound bite should include the main focus or topic. One suggestion is to describe the Problem, Solution, and Application.

If someone were to ask about your book you would answer, “My book is about (write in your sound bite.)”

Another word for sound bite is “hook.”

3)  Tell why your book is distinctive – identify who will read it . (Targeted age group….adult, teen, youth) – point out what’s fresh, new, and different.

One suggestion would be, for your intended genre, read several recent books in the same genre as your own to familiarize yourself with the market.

4)  G ive pertinent manuscript details : a) mention whether or not your book is completed (if it is not, then give an estimate as to when it will be finished) b) word length of the complete manuscript, even if it is an estimate (approximate – round off the number) c) pertinent biographical info d) tell the agent if it is a simultaneous submission e) let the agent know they can discard the proposal if rejected.

Click here to review a sample non-fiction cover letter from someone who approached us via an email inquiry. We signed her as a client.

Keep the letter to one page!!

Please don’t use narrow margins or tiny print to fit it all on one sheet. That is silly. We once received a cover letter with an 8-point font and 1/4-inch margins. It was virtually unreadable.

About Steve Laube

Steve Laube, president and founder of The Steve Laube Agency, a veteran of the bookselling industry with 40 years of experience. View all posts by Steve Laube →

Reader Interactions

January 17, 2011 at 5:45 pm

Thanks for clarifying the difference between a query and a cover letter. And I never thought about including a note about discarding the proposal if it’s rejected. I’ll remember that next time.

January 17, 2011 at 8:40 pm

Thanks for the helpful information. Appreciate, too, your making it print friendly. This is going into my “Writing Aids” file.

January 19, 2011 at 2:52 pm

This is very helpful. Thank you for this overview of the cover letter. I critique manuscripts at writers conferences, and I plan to refer them to this post!

January 19, 2011 at 11:09 pm

I am confused; this article requires a cover letter be ONE page, double-spaced, exactly while the Guidelines article requests the story be summed up in up to THREE pages, single-spaced. So what are you supposed to do since these contradict and I would like to present myself as expected by Mr.Laube?

January 20, 2011 at 8:24 am

Let me clarify so as there is no confusion.

This article is about the cover letter. Keep that to one page.

The synopsis is not the cover letter. That piece is where you tell the whole story of the novel in a maximum of three single spaced pages.

Any presentation package to an agent or a publisher has three parts. 1) The cover letter (one page) 2) The proposal – which includes, among other things, a synopsis of the book or story 3) Sample chapters

Hope that helps!

March 8, 2012 at 11:53 am

Thank you Steve. Any bits of wisdom imparted to the masses is wonderful.

February 4, 2016 at 11:54 am

So, just to clarify, should the promo sentence, sales handle and back cover copy be included in the same document as the synopsis?

The word count, target audience and platform are all mentioned briefly in the cover letter. Should they also be reiterated more in-depth in the proposal?

Just trying to line up my wayward ducks. There’s no point in submitting a manuscript if it isn’t submitted properly.

September 21, 2017 at 8:20 am

Thank you for your guidance and clarification. It helps to have every aspect broken down so well.

May 21, 2021 at 4:29 am

thanks for the offered clarification, one further point please. Perhaps I am reading too deeply and detailed, but cover letter, sample chapters, synopsis, we are talking three separate attachments to the email, given the different structures of each piece. Thanks

January 20, 2011 at 10:33 am

Now I understand. Thank you for taking the time to reply 🙂

As an aside, for further clarification – the sample chapters should always be the first three correct? (No other chapters instead?) And if you have a prelude, I would assume that would not be counted as the first chapter, particularly if it is only a few pages?

One last question please: in the cover letter should you use specific names of characters or simply be broad until you arrive at the synopsis?

Thank you so much for making things clear and God bless you.

January 20, 2011 at 11:06 am

Sample chapters. Always the first pages. Include a prelude or a preface if applicable. The idea for the limitation is to keep what you send under 50 pages of text. Some chapters are very short, some are long. But sending too much will put you in the “I’ll read this someday, when I have the time” pile.

As for the cover letter? You aren’t retelling the whole story in the cover letter so character names are not as critical. But they can be used if appropriate. Don’t write something like “Snow White along with Sneezy, Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful, and Grumpy went to the local grocery store to buy some apples.” That can wait for the manuscript or the synopsis if you want to use those names.

January 20, 2011 at 1:37 pm

Great! Thank you again and one absolutely necessary (and final) question please: my prelude is the first 4 pages and that with the first three chapters bring you to page 60. Is that a problem? Should I just cut the story off at page 50? Thank you and this is my final question 🙂

January 20, 2011 at 1:44 pm

I can safely say, without seeing your work or reading a word, that your chapters are too long to begin with.

Cut your chapter length by thinking in terms of scenes. Make chapter breaks more frequent. A twenty page chapter in a novel is far too long in today’s market.

To be even safer, consider hiring a good freelance editor ( click here for a list ) to give you help and advice before ever sending it to us. If a manuscript is pretty good, we will reject it. It has to be magnificent and nearly ready for market.

March 20, 2017 at 10:23 am

Any idea of the price range for a freelance editor that you have listed on you link?

January 20, 2011 at 7:17 pm

Thank you for the input. My work is Christian fiction, so a few of the chapters are for world-building so that is why some of the chapters may be a little longer. I have plenty of chapters that are 8 or 11 or 14 pages long, but the third one in particular is 27 pages. I suppose I will have to split that up of course, and I do think in terms of scenes (as in a movie)…So be it then.

January 21, 2011 at 1:43 pm

One more question: if you are writing a trilogy and are only submitting the first book thus far, would the synopsis cover only the 1st book or would it encompass all 3? Thank you!

January 21, 2011 at 1:47 pm

Ryan, There is no hard and fast rule. It is usually a good idea, when submitting a trilogy, to have at least a half page worth of synopsis included in the proposal. A publisher needs to have something they can see in order to buy.

March 16, 2013 at 4:14 am

I have a project encompassing 5 books on the religious beliefs of the Founding Fathers which uses the historical record to refute the Internet claim that the FF were deists and atheists. The first book is done, 2 others are 85% done. There are over 600 separate cited sources in the first book, two-thirds of which are in the public domain. Must I get written permission from the other 200 sources before I can publish the book or will footnoting the quotes used with TITLE, AUTHOR, PUBLISHER INFO, DATE, AND PAGE NUMBER be sufficient ?

Thanks very much for your help.

January 21, 2011 at 9:38 pm

Great, and with that, I have run out of questions, much to your satisfaction 🙂 Thank you and I will be sending you something soon.

February 15, 2011 at 4:58 pm

This is a great post. Thank you.

I do have a question, though. I have published my book (11/8/09), but I would like to be represented. What kind of pages do I submit? The book or the final draft of the ms before it went to print?

Also, this book is the first of a series of books that I have outlined at this point with one other ms done (children’s book, which is apart form the series).

How would I document this in a cover letter (the book and subsequent ideas I have outlined as I know you don’t accept children’s books)?

I appreciate your time and attention.

February 19, 2011 at 11:05 pm

A necessary question: are the sales handle, promo sentence & back cover copy lumped in with the synopsis or are they separate in a fiction proposal so that the proposal would contain a cover letter, synopsis, sample chapters and then another page with those 3 items? It just is not clear from what I have read on here. Thank you for clearing this up! God bless you in His name, Ryan

May 17, 2011 at 6:58 am

Dear Steve,

Thank you for explaining what you expect of our submissions to your office. I spent the night finishing my proposal and cover letter to your specifications and sent out my package today.

Faithfully, Christopher Holms

August 19, 2011 at 8:33 pm

Steve, I’ve finished my first Biblical historical novel about Jesus, the God-man. While my goal was to stay with twenty pages per chapter, some are a couple of pages longer. And how many lines per page do you suggest? I’ve tried to stick with the typical publisher’s guideline, but would appreciate your comments on this area. Also since you state that you’re open to all genres of fiction, does this include Biblical historical?

August 20, 2011 at 11:13 am

Simply use the computer’s double-space format. Also use one inch margins on all four sides. And use a Times Roman 12 point font. Whatever you do, do NOT try to squeeze more lines on a page. That will only irritate a reviewer.

In general, when using the above formatting you will end up with about 300 words on a page…which is very similar to the word count on a finished book.

A chapter that runs to 20 pages is probably going to feel long, depending on the action and dialogue included. That is over 6,000 words in a chapter.

As for our agency’s interest? I personally tend to stay away from most Biblical fiction. The only exception is Tosca Lee (see her novel HAVAH: The Story of Eve). But you may find that our other two agents may be more interested.

And be aware that if your novel is based on the life of Jesus you will need to compare it to the classic novels by Marjorie Holmes and the novel by Walter Wangerin…all of which are still in print.

October 2, 2011 at 7:35 pm

As as up and coming writer, it’s so important to attend conferences, begin networking, but most of all, read about your craft. In order to put your best foot forward, a writer needs to know what is expected. I’ve learned the answer to many of the questions above through writers groups, networking at conferences and obtaining an editor to work with me on my projects.

October 8, 2011 at 8:58 pm

Thank you for this practical advice! Much appreciated. I in preparing the proposal to send off, I am grateful for your graceful bluntness of what you are looking for. Saves us both time and energy when communicating.

October 20, 2011 at 11:46 am

Thank you for outlining so clearly what exactly you expect in a cover letter! I was unclear on one point, however; the first part you identify – “a simple introductory statement is sufficient.”

I confess, I’m unsure on what you are looking for in that statement. Your example is, “Hi, thanks for the opportunity,” but I can’t imagine that you’re looking for something to blunt and plain. What are you wanting from the author in this statement; what are you seeking to know? Is this statement really necessary, or could a cover letter open with the second part, the sound bite?

Thank you for taking the time to clarify this matter.

November 5, 2011 at 10:55 am

I have the same question regarding the Introductory Statement. Thank you for posting this information about the cover letter. It is a huge help!

November 25, 2011 at 4:21 am

Steve, when submitting a proposal for a novel that is intended as the first of a trilogy, is this something that should be mentioned in the cover letter? I’m uncertain as the second book is not yet written and the first works as a stand-alone.

Thanks so much,

November 26, 2011 at 8:43 am

Marge, If you intend to propose a series, even if book one stands alone, that should be mentioned in the cover letter and the proposal. If you are doing a query letter without a proposal then most definitely reveal the plan for a trilogy.

But if you are not certain a second book can be written then do not mention it, instead go with the stand alone.

There are times where the success of a first book creates demand for a sequel. However, most agents and publishers like to know that there is a career or a future with a particular author beyond the first book. One-book wonders do happen, and with some success. But generally we look at the total potential of an author.

May 9, 2014 at 5:50 am

Steve, Is your answer intended to convey to those of us in later life that we have little chance of finding agents and publishers? Now that I am in my early sixties and have retired I finally have the time to write but I am realistic enough to see that my literary career is unlikely to be long.

How do foreign authors work with American agents? Our style and spelling do not always align well with yours – I am English but I write (and speak) in British English not American.

Many thanks Steve

May 9, 2014 at 9:09 am

Steve Long,

We have no idea of the age of an author because we are reviewing the content of a proposal. The age of the author is immaterial.

Our primary audience is the U.S. reader. If you write with British English a U.S. based publisher will note that they will have to work harder at the various editing stages to change the style to fit U.S. English standards. Some contracts even name the Chicago Manual of Style as the standard to which the submitted manuscript must comply.

My advice? Change to the American style of English and it won’t be a potential barrier.

December 5, 2011 at 7:03 am

We write for the love of it, to entertain and educate and nobody knows for certain what will fly, so don’t worry too much about anything.

Yes, being professional is good so one ought to be polite and open minded, but we need to write compelling stories – – those that will pull readers in and not let them out easily.

Set our tone, grab a theme and move the story along like an expert, keeping us engaged, questionning and interested. Action, drama, suspense, pathos and transformative characters are excellent pieces of narrative. Hook ’em and don’t let them go.

January 24, 2012 at 12:59 pm

If I have a self-published book but hope to see it reach a greater audience, do I make copies of the pages to submit to you? I do not have them on a Word document form any longer. Thanks!

February 9, 2012 at 12:11 pm

You will need to have your manuscript in digital form at some point (Word is preferred by most publishers). If you self-published it had to be in digital form at some point. Even your printer should be able to provide a file. If it is a PDF it can be converted back to Word with the right software.

Just copying pages and mailing them is not a good idea.

January 25, 2012 at 3:19 pm

I’m a Canadian who has a completed manuscript about a personal family tragedy that garnered both political and public support. It tells how our faith and God’s intervention brought discoveries that eluded authorities after the failure of the largest search launched in 30 years.

Although this is a personal story, the case is now being used at symposiums for both Crown and Defence attorneys in Canada.

Does this story fall into the category of anything you’ve worked with or be willing to work with. I am looking for an agent in a very competitive field.

February 9, 2012 at 12:14 pm

Hard to comment in a blog comment like this because technically I still don’t know what the story is about. Best not to use the comment section to make the pitch.

We have, on occasion, represented a personal story if it is highly unusual and has commercial appeal. In 2013, look for UNTIL WE ALL COME HOME by Kim de Blecourt as an example (published by FaithWords).

March 2, 2012 at 10:40 pm

Steve – I am seriously impressed to see that you are still tracking new comments on this post a year after it was first posted.

April 30, 2012 at 2:41 pm

Thanks for the how-to on the cover letter.

May 7, 2012 at 2:46 pm

Hello: I’d like to receive an example of a one page cover letter to an agent. I have query and synopsis letters and some agents want a cover letter as well. Thank you for your help! Brenda Sue (This is a fiction, suspenseful, murder, romantic novel dealing with international art theft.)

June 19, 2012 at 1:08 pm

Hi Steve, Thanks so much for going far beyond the call of duty and explaining exactly what is a cover letter. Now, it’s up to me. I’ll do my best.

Blessings, Jackie King-Scott

July 7, 2012 at 11:58 am

Steve, I have a quick question. I am nearing completion on a Biblical fiction novel about the nativity of Jesus. Since everyone is already familiar with the story, should I take a different approach to the cover letter and synopsis?

Thank you for any advise.

Respectfully, Deborah

January 18, 2014 at 11:03 am

Your cover letter should focus on what makes your story unique. That “selling point” is critical for a publisher when considering whether or not they can make room for it in the marketplace.

July 23, 2012 at 7:03 pm

Thanks so much for all the help you’ve given us in this post.

Sincerely, Jackie

August 8, 2012 at 7:49 pm

I’m curious to know if you can provide a sample cover letter as an example. I’m sure it would help others who are visual learners like myself.

In Christ, Fletch

January 18, 2014 at 5:56 pm

A sample non-fiction cover letter is now available for review on our site: https://stevelaube2.wpengine.com/sample-cover-letter/

August 23, 2012 at 10:04 am

Hello Steve, I have a question. I published a book with another publishing company that turned out to be a POD. My book has a part two to it. The way that I wrote part two you really don’t need to read part one to understand. I would like to send it to you. Would this be a good idea to send in part two.

January 18, 2014 at 11:01 am

That is risky because while you may think the reader doesn’t need part one, in reality there may be things in the story that are confusing to a reader of book two.

I’ve never seen a publisher jump at the chance to publish book two in a series if they do not also publish book one.

August 23, 2012 at 6:46 pm

Hello, I am currently self published under a freewill contract in which I can cease printing at anytime. I have had issues getting proper statements and wish to be represented for traditional publishing. Will this be an issue for you to accept a manuscript?

January 18, 2014 at 11:00 am

Not an issue if you own the publication rights. It is your book to sell to another publisher.

January 13, 2014 at 11:08 am

Thank you for the helpful information. I have one question: when sending a proposal by email, do you want a query letter in the body of the email and the a cover letter, sample chapters and synopsis attached as a file, or is the cover letter in the body of the email? Thank you, Lara Van Hulzen

January 18, 2014 at 10:59 am

The body of the email should contain a pitch of some sort. The content of the cover letter described above would serve that purpose well.

A HUGE mistake is made by some who send an email with the body of the email blank or with a sentence like “Here is my book. Take a look.”

Or “If you want to read my book go to this web page.”

January 18, 2014 at 10:39 am

Do you prefer single or double-spacing in a cover letter?

January 18, 2014 at 10:56 am

Single spaced. Just like a regular letter.

The only thing that is double-spaced is the sample chapters or manuscript itself.

January 18, 2014 at 11:57 am

Thank you, sir, for the fast reply.

April 29, 2014 at 9:03 am

I have nothing to submit in the moment except my deep gratitude for your site, so full of so much a writer needs to understand and apply. It’s like a free tutorial, clean, clear, concise, a true resource for the explanation of the sticky things, like query, and proposal and what to send to whom, what never to do, what’s absolutely necessary to do, and anything else that causes a writer to do the Stupid Stumble. You save our face over and over with all this help.

I just want to express my pleasure to have discovered such a credible site run by a gifted teacher. Okay. Back to the memoir.

July 22, 2014 at 11:23 am

I am now confused over the length of chapters. My chapters in standard spacing are between 8-13 pages in length. When I double space them as asked the first three chapters are 19 pages in length. So when you recommend chapters be less than 20 pages are you talking about double-spaced print or standard print? Thanks for your reply.

July 23, 2014 at 6:42 am

Always send a manuscript using Double-spaced text. The proposal and synopsis is single spaced.

Thus your chapters are very long. But it may be that they are just fine as is. Sometimes you can get away with longer chapters.

I do recommend leaning toward shorter…

March 7, 2015 at 8:30 pm

Within the first paragraph (second sentence) one reads, “…As if a literary agent is going to spend their time….” I would have thought someone in the “profession” would be a bit more capable of matching a singular subject with a singular pronoun. This confusion of “number” has become acceptable I suppose because so many are willing to worship at the altar of political correctness, so as not to appear behind the times while ruffling feathers.

March 7, 2015 at 10:31 pm

I suppose I could have use “his or her” or “his/her” instead of “their.” But instead I used what is called the “Singular Their.”

See this post about that topic: https://stevelaube2.wpengine.com/the-singular-they/

Hope that helps clarify.

May 18, 2015 at 2:49 pm

I have written a memoir and believe that Karen Ball is most likely the agent with your group who would be interested.

I understand that a cover letter, proposal and sample chapters should be sent to her. In reviewing your instructions for submissions, it seems that much of the information in the cover letter gets repeated in the proposal (or is it just me?!)

Should I therefore just keep the cover letter very succinct? Or do a combo cover letter/proposal and attach sample chapters? Thank you! I’m very new to this.

June 5, 2015 at 11:48 am

So when writing a cover letter you should specify that you are writing or have written a series of books? I am on my third book and plan on making at least two more. I was told before when writing the manuscript to only focus on that one book, and to reveal the ending of that one book.

October 27, 2015 at 5:50 pm

Hi Mr. Laube, After reading through the post and the comments, I just want to make sure I understand. Do you prefer the cover letter and proposal to be emailed or mailed?

November 8, 2015 at 8:00 am

When researching agents and their submission requirements, I see “query, synopsis and first 3 chapters or 50 pages”. I’ve never heard of a “cover letter”. My novel is a 29,000 word middle grade story.

February 3, 2016 at 8:43 pm

It’s really, really hard to boil down a 200 page book to 40 words. I feel like I”m trying to write a haiku of my entire life….

February 10, 2016 at 11:35 am

When you write or type a query letter; should you follow the guidelines of literary sites or not to follow the submission guidelines? There were a few writers who didn’t follow the guide-lines and sent a query letter and got represented.

June 13, 2016 at 3:33 pm

Steve, can you offer a sample 40-word sound bite for a historical? Struggling with the 40 word concept.

Always learn from you.

August 22, 2016 at 2:29 am

if you are writing a cover letter, or book review, synopsis etc. you should take a glance at this page to find out some tips

September 19, 2016 at 9:50 am

I was hoping you might clarify for me concerning your guidelines for submission of a query letter versus a cover letter. Do you prefer a query letter be sent via email with the book proposal and sample three chapters or a cover letter sent through the mail with an attached book proposal and sample three chapters? I am slightly confused because its appears the cover letter would only be sent if you were interested in the query letter. Would it be possible to send the covered letter instead via email with the attachments for the book proposal and sample chapters?

July 4, 2017 at 7:55 am

Daniel, I can see how that might be confusing. Try not to overthink it.

Let me clarify…as far as our agency goes, which is not a universal thing.

Never send us a query letter. That one page, if sent by itself, will not help us evaluate your writing in any way.

Always send a full proposal. A part of that proposal will be your cover letter, which is basically a “hello my name is” sort of introduction.

November 2, 2016 at 7:32 pm

Great post. I didn’t think I could shorten my pitch to a 40 word sound bite, but I did. Thanks

April 6, 2017 at 9:09 am

Hi Steve This is great. I just watched your interview in the Masters class in the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild. That was very informative. Thank you. If I want to use a pen name do I include this information in the cover letter? Thank you for your time.

July 4, 2017 at 7:52 am

Yes. It can be as as simple as “I write under the pen name of I. Noah Tall, which you will notice on the title page of the proposal.”

July 3, 2017 at 11:18 pm

Thanks so much for this helpful post! I just have one question–where can I find the book Hope for Anxiety Girl from the example cover letter? I am 100% the target audience and I so want to read it! I can’t find it online and I’m wondering if a) it was retitled, b) it’s not yet published, or c) it was repurposed into a different book. Thanks again! 🙂

July 4, 2017 at 7:50 am

Rebecca. That specific book idea has gone through multiple iterations but has yet to be published. However, the writer has had other successful projects released. The latest is a co-authored book (with Kathy Lipp) called OVERWHELMED.

https://www.amazon.com/Overwhelmed-Quiet-Chaos-Restore-Sanity/dp/0736965386/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499179781&sr=1-1&keywords=cheri+gregory

July 4, 2017 at 8:52 am

Thanks! I purchased a copy of Overwhelmed last night. 🙂

July 28, 2017 at 10:50 am

In the Proposal Guidelines, it says to include:

Promo Sentence Sales Handles Back Cover Copy

Do you actually want to see those headings in the proposal? Sorry if this is a dumb question.

September 22, 2017 at 11:37 am

You’re my kind of girl! Although we’ve seasons and waxing and waning needs, I’ve grown comfortable in the book club porch hammock with a tome of my own selection. I hate someone else deciding where I need to mature or what I’m going to spend a month devouring.

“Teach us to number our days aright, o Lord, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” With a barrage of published and digital words stalking us, we need discernment on what edifies.

October 9, 2017 at 12:41 pm

I’m a man with a unique name and a unique manuscript searching for a unique agent. I found your answers very helpful, practical and instructive. Thank you.

July 18, 2018 at 3:09 pm

Hello! I’m not sure if you still check a post this old, but I’ll give it a try. Should the cover letter be the body of the email with the rest of the proposal as the attachment, or should it be a part of the attachment with the rest of the proposal?

August 15, 2018 at 7:51 am

Thank you for the helpful post! It’s nice to have a concrete idea of what the agent is looking for before sending out the book proposal.

April 11, 2019 at 12:48 pm

This is wonderfully informative. Thank you!

June 10, 2019 at 5:47 pm

In looking at the guidelines for a proposal, it lists a number of things for non-fiction, compares fiction and adds a few additional notes. My question is, in non-fiction it asks for a half page to one page overview. If all of the additional topics are addressed for fiction it seems to cover a lot of what is described in the overview. Do you want a half page to one page overview for a fiction proposal as well?

June 13, 2022 at 6:54 am

Steve, Thank you for this terrific perennial post! The patient answers to the many questions demonstrate your passion for supporting writers. Thank you for taking the time to instill such great knowledge. It is much appreciated by this new author.

June 13, 2022 at 8:10 am

Thanks so much, Steve! These posts with examples for how to do the basics are always so helpful. I look back on them whenever I work on my proposals. Such a great resource!

June 13, 2022 at 1:26 pm

Steve, I’ve published numerous articles and love my work as an editor of books and articles and author and editor of academic research. If I submit everything you described in this great article correctly and well, and my contemporary and historical women’s fiction books have been alpha and beta reviewed with strong support and appropriately edited, but I have virtually no platform (only 1046 Followers on my website), is there realistically any point in submitting a proposal to an agent before I build a larger platform? Thanks to reading Writer’s Guide and this column for many years, I think I’ve mastered and actually enjoy the submission process you described, but I keep running into the platform roadblock. If there is no platform of thousands to cite in the proposal, is it likely to generate an offer to represent or publish? Thanks!

August 2, 2022 at 9:59 am

Okay, so I got to eat a little crow here(which isn’t bad if you put a little A-1 on it), I didn’t read the submission instructions properly and submitted my information, and a portion of my book totally wrong. I have since gone back and read as I should have done in the first place. Now I will PROPERLY submit my work as it should be. I hope this didn’t cause too much of a headache for you and your staff and please forgive my anxious foolishness. I do have a couple of questions: 1. Do I have to wait a certain amount of time before I can re-submit my work? 2. The manuscript is being edited, should I wait until the edit is complete before I resubmit it?

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Sample Letter Hub

Letter To Book Publisher

By Sikandar Ali

September 2, 2024

Are you an aspiring author looking to get your book published? Writing a letter to a book publisher can be a daunting task, but it is an essential step in the publishing process.

A letter to a book publisher is a formal request to have your book considered for publication. It is your chance to make a good first impression and convince the publisher that your book is worth publishing.

In this blog article, we will provide you with templates, examples, and samples of a letter to a book publisher. Our goal is to make it easy for you to write a letter that is professional, persuasive, and effective.

Whether you are a first-time author or an experienced writer, our samples will help you craft a letter that stands out from the rest.

Our samples cover a range of topics, including how to introduce yourself and your book, how to highlight your book’s unique selling points, and how to demonstrate your writing skills.

We will also provide tips on how to format your letter and what to include in your submission package. With our samples, you can be confident that you are submitting a letter that is polished and professional.

I trust this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my enthusiasm about your esteemed publishing house and to present a proposal for a book that I believe aligns with your company’s vision and values.

The book, titled [Book Title], is a [Genre] that explores [Brief Description of the Book]. With compelling characters and a captivating plot, it aims to [Main Objective of the Book]. I am confident that this manuscript will not only entertain readers but also contribute positively to your diverse catalog.

The uniqueness of [Book Title] lies in its [Unique Selling Point], setting it apart in a market saturated with similar works. I believe this book has the potential to resonate with a wide audience, appealing to both seasoned readers and those new to the genre.

I have attached a detailed proposal that includes an overview of the book, a sample chapter, and information about the target audience. I am open to further discussions and revisions to ensure the final product aligns seamlessly with your publishing vision.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am eager to discuss this opportunity further and explore the possibility of bringing [Book Title] to life under the prestigious banner of [Publisher’s Name].

Looking forward to the prospect of collaboration,

Letter To Publisher

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to express my keen interest in collaborating with your esteemed publishing house on an exciting literary project.

The manuscript I am presenting, tentatively titled [Book Title], is a [Genre] work that delves into [Brief Description of the Book]. Its compelling narrative, well-developed characters, and thought-provoking themes make it a promising addition to your diverse range of publications.

What sets [Book Title] apart is its [Unique Selling Point], offering readers a fresh perspective on [Main Theme of the Book]. I believe this book has the potential to resonate with a wide audience and make a meaningful contribution to your catalog.

Enclosed, please find a detailed proposal that includes an overview of the book, a sample chapter, and insights into the target audience. I am open to any discussions and revisions necessary to align the final product with your publishing vision.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am eager to explore the possibility of bringing [Book Title] to life under the reputable banner of [Publisher’s Name]. Looking forward to the prospect of collaboration.

Best Regards,

Cover Letter For Publishing Company

I am writing to express my sincere interest in the [Position Title] position at [Publishing Company’s Name], as advertised. With a passion for literature and a keen eye for detail, I am confident in my ability to contribute to your team and help bring exceptional works to the forefront.

Throughout my career, I have developed strong editorial skills, working on a variety of projects that demanded precision and creativity. My experience in collaborating with authors and navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the publishing industry has equipped me with the adaptability and insight needed to excel in this role.

What draws me to [Publishing Company’s Name] is its commitment to promoting diverse voices and innovative storytelling. I am particularly impressed by your recent publication, [Book Title], which showcases your dedication to quality and originality. I am eager to contribute to the success of such impactful projects.

Enclosed with this letter is my resume, which provides a comprehensive overview of my qualifications. I am excited about the opportunity to discuss in more detail how my skills align with the goals of [Publishing Company’s Name].

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to the continued success of [Publishing Company’s Name] and the literary world at large.

Query Letter To Book Publisher

I hope this letter finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am reaching out to inquire about the possibility of submitting my manuscript for your consideration.

The book, titled [Book Title], is a [Genre] work that explores [Brief Description of the Book]. It delves into [Main Theme of the Book], offering a unique perspective that I believe will resonate with readers.

I have conducted thorough research on your publishing house and am impressed by your commitment to showcasing diverse voices and engaging narratives. I believe [Book Title] aligns seamlessly with your publishing vision, offering a fresh and compelling addition to your catalog.

Enclosed with this letter is a brief synopsis of [Book Title], along with the first three chapters for your perusal. I am open to any feedback or suggestions you may have and would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss how this manuscript could contribute to the success of [Publisher’s Name].

Thank you for considering my query. I look forward to the possibility of working with [Publisher’s Name] and contributing to the literary landscape together.

[Your Name]

Complaint Letter To Book Publisher

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my disappointment with the recent experience I had with one of your publications, specifically the book titled [Book Title] by [Author’s Name].

Upon purchasing and reading the book, I encountered numerous issues that significantly detracted from the overall reading experience. The formatting of the text was inconsistent, making it challenging to follow the narrative flow. Additionally, I noticed several typographical errors that, in my opinion, should have been caught during the editing process.

Furthermore, the quality of the printing was subpar, with pages appearing faded and some even torn. As a reader who values the aesthetic and tactile aspects of a book, this greatly diminished my enjoyment of the material.

I understand that errors can occur, but I believe it is crucial to bring such matters to your attention to maintain the high standards that readers expect from your reputable publishing house. I kindly request that you investigate these issues and take appropriate measures to rectify them for future printings.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that you will address these concerns promptly and maintain the quality that readers associate with [Publisher’s Name].

How to Write a Letter to a Book Publisher

Writing a letter to a book publisher can be a daunting task, especially if you are a first-time author. However, it is an essential step in getting your book published.

A well-written letter can make all the difference in getting your book noticed by a publisher. In this article, we will guide you through the process of writing a letter to a book publisher.

1. Research the Publisher

Before you start writing your letter, it is essential to research the publisher you are targeting. Look for publishers who specialize in your genre and have a good reputation in the industry. Check their submission guidelines and make sure you follow them carefully. This will increase your chances of getting your book published.

2. Start with a Strong Opening

Your opening sentence should grab the publisher’s attention and make them want to read more. Start with a brief introduction of yourself and your book. Mention why you think your book would be a good fit for their publishing house.

3. Provide a Synopsis of Your Book

In the next paragraph, provide a brief synopsis of your book. Highlight the main plot, characters, and themes. Keep it concise and to the point. Avoid giving away too much of the story.

4. Highlight Your Qualifications

In the next paragraph, highlight your qualifications as an author. Mention any previous publications, awards, or accolades you have received. This will give the publisher an idea of your writing skills and experience.

5. Explain Why You Chose This Publisher

In the next paragraph, explain why you chose this publisher. Mention any books they have published that are similar to yours. This will show the publisher that you have done your research and are serious about getting your book published.

6. End with a Strong Closing

In the closing paragraph, thank the publisher for their time and consideration. Mention that you look forward to hearing from them soon. Provide your contact information, including your email address and phone number.

7. Proofread and Edit

Before sending your letter, make sure to proofread and edit it carefully. Check for spelling and grammar errors. Make sure your letter is well-organized and easy to read. A well-written letter will make a good impression on the publisher and increase your chances of getting your book published.

FAQs About Letter to a Book Publisher

1. what should be included in a letter to a book publisher.

Answer: A letter to a book publisher should include a brief introduction of yourself and your book, a synopsis of the book, and any relevant information about your writing experience or qualifications.

2. How do I find the right publisher for my book?

Answer: Research publishers that specialize in your genre and have a track record of publishing books similar to yours. Look for publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts and follow their submission guidelines.

3. Should I include a sample chapter in my letter to a book publisher?

Answer: It is not necessary to include a sample chapter in your initial letter to a book publisher. However, some publishers may request a sample chapter or the entire manuscript after reviewing your letter.

4. How long should my letter to a book publisher be?

Answer: Your letter to a book publisher should be concise and to the point, typically no more than one page in length.

5. What should I do if I receive a rejection letter from a book publisher?

Answer: Don’t be discouraged by a rejection letter. Take the feedback provided and use it to improve your manuscript. Consider submitting to other publishers or self-publishing.

6. How long does it typically take to hear back from a book publisher?

Answer: The response time from a book publisher can vary, but it is not uncommon to wait several months for a response. Some publishers may provide an estimated response time on their website or submission guidelines.

7. Can I submit my manuscript to multiple publishers at the same time?

Answer: Yes, you can submit your manuscript to multiple publishers at the same time. However, it is important to inform each publisher that you are submitting to multiple publishers and to withdraw your submission if your manuscript is accepted by another publisher.

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How to Write a Submission Cover Letter That Will Wow Literary Agents

As a writer, you spend countless hours perfecting your manuscript, pouring your heart and soul into every word. But did you know that the cover letter you include with your manuscript submission is just as …

Written by: Adam

Published on: November 20, 2023

The purpose of a submission cover letter is to introduce yourself and your work to literary agents. It gives you the opportunity to make a strong first impression and convince the agent that your manuscript is worth their time and consideration. While the content of your manuscript is undoubtedly important, a well-written cover letter can help it stand out from the slush pile and increase your chances of getting noticed.

Understanding the purpose of a cover letter for manuscript submission

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of writing a cover letter for manuscript submission, it’s crucial to understand its purpose. A cover letter serves as a professional introduction to your work and provides a glimpse into your writing style and personality. It should be concise, engaging, and tailored specifically to the agent or agency you’re submitting to.

When a literary agent receives a submission, they often have limited time to review each one. A well-crafted cover letter can pique their interest and make them eager to delve into your manuscript. Think of it as a teaser, enticing them to read further. It’s your chance to showcase your writing skills and convince the agent that you’re not only a talented writer but also a professional who understands the industry.

Essential elements of a cover letter for manuscript submission

Now that you understand the purpose of a cover letter, let’s explore the essential elements that should be included. First and foremost, your cover letter should be professional in tone and format. Use a standard business letter format with your contact information at the top, followed by the agent’s details and the date. Address the agent by name if possible, as it shows you’ve done your research and personalized the letter.

Next, introduce yourself and mention the title of your manuscript. Briefly explain why you chose to submit to that particular agent or agency. This demonstrates that you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in working with them. Highlight any relevant writing credentials or experience you have that make you uniquely qualified to write the manuscript. Keep this section concise and focus on the most impressive aspects of your background.

Finally, provide a brief summary or pitch of your manuscript. This should be a compelling and concise overview that captures the essence of your story and leaves the agent wanting to know more. Avoid giving away too much detail or spoiling the plot. Instead, focus on intriguing the agent and creating a sense of curiosity. Think of this section as a movie trailer – it should leave the agent eager to dive into your manuscript and discover the full story.

Tips for writing an attention-grabbing opening paragraph

The opening paragraph of your cover letter is your chance to make a strong first impression and grab the agent’s attention. Start with a compelling hook that will immediately engage the agent and makes them curious about your manuscript. It might be an intriguing question, a shocking statistic or a captivating anecdote. The key is to make the agent want to keep reading.

After the hook, briefly introduce yourself and your manuscript. Mention any relevant writing credentials or experience that make you stand out. Highlight why you chose to submit to that particular agent or agency. Show them that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in working with them. This personal touch can make a significant impact and show the agent that you’ve put thought into your submission.

Remember to keep the opening paragraph concise and to the point. Agents receive numerous submissions every day, so they appreciate brevity. Avoid rambling or providing unnecessary information. Instead, focus on crafting a strong and attention-grabbing opening that leaves the agent eager to read more.

How to showcase your writing credentials and experience

When it comes to writing a cover letter for manuscript submission, showcasing your writing credentials and experience is essential. This section allows you to demonstrate your expertise and convince the agent that you’re a talented writer who is worth their consideration. Here are a few tips to help you effectively showcase your credentials:

Highlight any relevant writing achievements: Focus on the writing credentials that are most relevant to your manuscript and the genre you’re targeting. This could include published (or self-published) works, writing awards, or any other accomplishments that demonstrate your skill and experience (such as building an audience on social media).

Provide details but be concise: While it’s important to provide some context and details about your writing credentials, remember to keep it concise. Agents have limited time, so make sure to highlight the most impressive aspects without overwhelming them with unnecessary information.

Tailor your credentials to the agent or agency: Research the agent or agency you’re submitting to and tailor your writing credentials accordingly. If they have a particular interest or speciality, highlight any relevant experience you have in that area. This shows the agent that you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in working with them.

By effectively showcasing your writing credentials and experience, you can establish yourself as a credible and talented writer. This increases the agent’s confidence in your abilities and makes them more likely to consider your manuscript.

Crafting a compelling summary of your manuscript

Perhaps the most crucial part of your cover letter for manuscript submission is the summary of your manuscript itself. This section is your chance to give the agent a taste of what your story is about and entice them to read further. Here are a few tips to help you craft a compelling summary:

Keep it concise: Your summary should be brief, typically no more than a few paragraphs. Focus on the main plot points and the core themes of your story. Avoid getting bogged down in unnecessary details or subplots.

Capture the essence of your story: Your summary should give the agent a clear idea of what your story is about and what makes it unique. Highlight the main conflict, the protagonist’s journey, and any intriguing elements that set your manuscript apart.

Create a sense of curiosity: The goal of your summary is to leave the agent wanting to know more. Don’t give away all the details or spoil the ending. Instead, create a sense of curiosity that compels the agent to dive into your manuscript and discover the full story.

Crafting a compelling summary takes time and careful consideration. It’s often helpful to draft multiple versions and seek feedback from trusted peers or writing groups. Remember, your summary is your manuscript’s first impression, so make it count.

Do’s and don’ts of writing a cover letter for manuscript submission

To wrap up our guide on writing a submission cover letter, let’s go over some essential do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

• Address the agent by name if possible.
• Tailor your cover letter to the agent or agency you’re submitting to.
• Highlight your most relevant writing credentials and experience.
• Keep your cover letter concise and to the point.
• Proofread your cover letter for any grammatical or spelling errors.

Don’t:

• Ramble or provide unnecessary information.
• Oversell or exaggerate your writing credentials.
• Give away too much detail or spoil the plot in your manuscript summary.
• Forget to personalise your cover letter for each submission.
• Forget to follow the submission guidelines provided by the agent or agency.

By following these do’s and don’ts, you can ensure that your cover letter is professional, engaging, and tailored to the agent you’re submitting to. Remember, the goal is to get a foot in the door, make a good first impression and convince the agent that your manuscript is worth their time and consideration.

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How to Write a Cover Letter That Sounds Like You (and Gets Noticed)

by  Elainy Mata

May 10, 2022

I hate cover letters. They add so much stress to the already uncomfortable and grueling job hunt. Every time I’m writing one, I find myself wondering: Do people even read these?

Unfortunately, the answer is “yes.” But, there are some ways to make the process a little less terrible. I asked Amy Gallo, Harvard Business Review editor and author of “ How to Write a Cover Letter ,” for her advice. From doing the research, to starting off strong, to emphasizing your value — Gallo taught me exactly what I need to do to get my cover letters noticed by hiring managers. I even wrote a new cover letter that has her blessing. (Scroll down if you’re in need of an expert-approved example.)

Subscribe to  HBR Ascend on YouTube  for more videos on work, life, and everything in between.

Transcript 

ELAINY MATA: So you want to know how to tackle the cover letter. I do too. I actually really hate cover letters. I hate cover letters. I hate cover letters.

But the cover letter is important. It’s time to face our fears, and just figure out how in the world we are actually going to write it.

I got you, and we’re going to do this together. These tips are going to help you go through the process a lot easier. So if you are ready to tackle the cover letter, stick around and keep watching.

In front of me right now are three cover letters that I’ve written in the past, for three different jobs. And I’m just embarrassed. I’m embarrassed to read these.

To whom it may concern, to whom it may concern, to whom it may concern.

I would like to respectfully submit this cover letter.   I would like to respectfully submit this cover letter.

I am a passionate, detail-oriented person. I am passionate, detail-oriented person.

This sounds like I’m — this doesn’t sound like me at all. I think you want me to talk this way. Here we go like. Hire me.

I talked to Amy Gallo, an HBR editor, and the author of one of our most popular articles, “How to Write a Cover Letter.”

AMY GALLO: First of all, you’re not alone. I write about how to write cover letters, and I also hate them.

ELAINY MATA: She’s done the research. She’s talked to the experts. And I’m going to tell you exactly what she told me.

Make it one page

ELAINY MATA: So how long does a cover letter actually have to be? Just one page, one.

AMY GALLO: Don’t play with the font, and make it like eight point font, and like make your margins really wide. Just really figure out what is the most essential things that need to go on one page.

Do research, find a name

ELAINY MATA: This should be a no-brainer, but let’s get specific. Let’s say you’re applying for a job here, at Harvard Business Review. Go on the company’s website, go to their “About Us” section, and read what they’re about, see their mission statement, see their tone, see what that company is actually looking for, and what they stand for.

So you’ve got the broad stuff, but let’s dig a little bit deeper. What is the company that you’re applying for talking about now? You should actually go into their LinkedIn, their Twitter, see what they’re sharing, see who are they’re talking to, see what they’re talking about, so you can get a sense of what is currently happening. Lastly, find that hiring manager. It is so much better to address your cover letter to an actual person and a name rather than, to whom it may concern. So I have to kind of creep a little bit, and be like a private investigator.

AMY GALLO: Yeah, creeping is definitely part of the process. Usually, with LinkedIn, you can see who’s posted the job, who is sharing it with their network. You may not know for sure that that’s the hiring manager, but at least it’s a little more personable. Sometimes, I’ve heard people just reach out and say, “Who’s the hiring manager for this job? I’d like to address my cover letter to that person.”

Start strong

ELAINY MATA: You’ve probably written this 100 times before. “Hi, my name is this. I’m based here, and I’m applying for this job.” No, no, no, no, don’t do that. The hiring manager has a stack of cover letters. So you have to write yours to grab their attention. Amy, can you please give me an example of a strong, bold, opening line for cover letter. I promise I won’t steal it.

AMY GALLO: You’re allowed to steal it. Anyone should be able to steal it:

“I saw your listing on this website, and I was thrilled to see it, because it’s exactly the kind of job I’ve been looking for to apply my skills in X.”

Write something that’s short, to the point, but shows both enthusiasm, as well as experience that’s relevant to the job.

Emphasize your value

ELAINY MATA: Figure out what problem the company is facing. They’re hiring for a reason. Figure out what that reason is, and how you can best solve that problem. Amy also found the top two qualities that people generally look for is adaptability, and the ability to learn quickly.

How about if I just got out of college, and I’m looking at these jobs that are asking for three to five years or more of experience. How can I write a cover letter if I feel like I don’t have enough to write about?

AMY GALLO: Yeah, so that’s a good question, because the cover letter shouldn’t be focused so much on the past. That’s the resume’s job. The cover letter is really about the future. So how are you going to take what’s in that resume, your past, and apply it to where you’re going.

Convey enthusiasm, not desperation

ELAINY MATA: This is really hard to balance. You want to show them that you’re excited to work there, and that you’re going to bring a lot of energy to the team. But don’t be too strong, because over eagerness can actually work against you.

Find a proofreader

AMY GALLO: Write the letter you want to write. Then share it with someone else, someone who knows you well, but someone who also will tell you like it is. We’re not good judges of our own writing.

ELAINY MATA: So getting a second pair of eyes will help you look for any errors, typos, and most importantly, they can tell you if you make sense.

Amy, this sounds like a lot. Is there even like a sort of a shortcut to this, or a sort of scalable way that I can do this for multiple different jobs?

AMY GALLO: I mean, you’ve probably heard the phrase looking for a job is a full-time job. It does take a lot of time. You’re tweaking some things. You’re not writing a whole new letter. So you’re going to have a template. Write your best cover letter for the first job you apply for. Share that with your friend to check the tone. Do the research on the company, right? Do that the first time. Then and adjust the cover letter accordingly. Does that seem more reasonable?

ELAINY MATA: Yes, much more reasonable.

So my task is to apply for a job here at HBR, and to write a new cover letter using the advice that Amy gave me. Let’s do it.

This is hard. I never said it was going to be easy, maybe easier than what you were doing before, but definitely not easy.

The first draft

Dear Maureen and hiring team,

I saw your listing on Linkedln and am excited because this is exactly the job that I’ve been looking for to showcase my skills in video production and production management to assist the creative center in producing compelling content.

Working in news and movie production has taught me to hear an idea and a concept and be able to fully plan out the logistics needed to make the desired final visual product. I have been able to work with software like Adobe Creative Suite and TriCaster, and have worked with other team members to write scripts and compose story boards.

Being part of the Creative Center team will give me the challenges to grow as a skilled producer and assist in production, help the production planning process, create a quick tum around for video publication, and manage content.

AMY GALLO: You did well on length. It is very short. That’s good.

ELAINY MATA: My gosh.

AMY GALLO: I read this, I’m like, that first sentence is spot on. And then it gets a little bit stilted. And then it goes into what’s probably on your resume. And I want a little more personality.

The final draft

ELAINY MATA: So Amy, after many back and forths — How do you think I did?

AMY GALLO: All right. So I’m looking at it right now. And I think you did a really good job.

You’ve got the main components here. There’s some personality in it. There’s some flattery in it about the company you’re applying to, but it’s not like over the top. I have to tell you, I would have you in. I think it’s a great letter.

ELAINY MATA: That’s it for me. I wrote the cover letter. You got to see the whole process. And I feel like I definitely have a better outlook on how to approach it. These are not easy to write, so good luck out there. Watch as many times as you can. Practice makes perfect. I’ll see you soon.

Cover letter example 

I was so excited to see your post on LinkedIn because it’s exactly the type of job I’m looking for: an opportunity to bring my experience with video production and enthusiasm for storytelling to an organization that sets the standard for high-quality management content.

In addition to five years of experience in broadcast journalism, research, and video production, I would bring an organized and systems-level perspective to this role. I view video production as a puzzle, and like to think about which parts need to come together in order to make a great final product. My approach is to have in-depth conversations with my team members, and the various stakeholders, before each project. This helps me nail down the logistics — from location to talent.

From there, the fun begins: fleshing out the concept and identifying what visuals will best represent it. Ideation and storyboarding are essential in this step. I know I’m not right all the time, so I enjoy working with a diverse team that can bring in new perspectives, brainstorm, and pitch ideas that will make the final product stronger. Whenever possible, I also try to seek out other sources for inspiration, like magazines, which allow me to observe different ways of expression and storytelling. This approach has served me well. It’s what has allowed me to enter the film industry and grow as a creator.

On my website, you can see examples of how I use the above process to create fun, engaging content.

Given this experience and my enthusiasm for the work you do, I believe I’d make a great addition to your team. I recently had a chance to try out your Patient Zero product at my current organization. The simulation is both challenging and engaging. I was impressed by your ability to apply  different storytelling methods to an online training course (which, let’s admit, can often be a little dry). Your work exemplifies exactly what I believe: There’s an opportunity to tell a compelling story in everything — all you have to do is deliver it right.

I’d love to come in and speak with you more about what I’d be able to offer in this role. Harvard Business Publishing is my top choice and I believe I’d make valuable contributions to your team.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

• Cover Letters , Featured

A New Teacher’s Guide To Writing A Winning Cover

Home » Cover Letters » A New Teacher’s Guide To Writing A Winning Cover

Updated on 5/29/2024

Applying for a teaching position with limited experience may seem difficult, especially when it comes down to what to include in your resume and cover letter. But keep in mind that every relevant experience you detail in your letter doesn’t have to have a direct connection to teaching. 

Have you volunteered as a tutor? Have you worked as a camp counselor? You likely have much more to offer as a new instructor than you’re giving yourself credit for!

What to Include in Your Cover Letter Outline

Your cover letter for a teaching position should showcase your passion and personality and reflect your enthusiasm through the language that you use. It should include what your goals are and why you decided to become a teacher.

Research the school’s current needs then explain what you can bring to the table to help address them. Similarly, examine the job posting and highlight the various skills and experiences that make you the perfect candidate that it’s describing. Lastly, talk about what makes you unique and sets you apart from others. What will you bring to the job that the hiring manager hasn’t heard a hundred times before?

Cover Letter Checklist

• Contact information – address, phone number, email address, etc.
• A proper salutation 
• Your education and other qualifications
• Your relevant training experience
• Your skills, strengths, etc.
• Why you’re interested in the position
• Why you will be an asset to the school district
• Your goals for your prospective students

Writing a winning cover letter for a new teacher seems daunting, but in reality it’s as easy as showing the hiring committee your enthusiasm for the school and the students, and running down this list!

Click here to view a sample of a new teacher cover letter that you can use as a guide. To find more teacher jobs with K-12 schools, register with OLAS .

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