Every author who wants to sell their work will find themselves crafting a query or cover letter at some point in their career. This is frequently a requirement for submission to a magazine or contest.
Some authors despise that process so much that they go indie, thinking they won’t have to leap that hurdle. But there is no escaping it.
The difference between queries and cover letters is this: while both are letters of introduction, cover letters assume the editor will read the attached work. Editors ask for them when they have open calls for short stories.
Queries are letters requesting permission to submit unsolicited work to an agent or publisher. They have not requested it, so don’t assume the attached synopsis and first chapter will be read—your query must convince the editor to look at your work.
Writing these kinds of personal introductions is a pain—but only because we don’t know what is expected or what we should include.
I’ve attended several seminars on queries and cover letters. While I no longer query agents, I have written many cover letters. Submissions to anthologies, contests, and magazines all require cover letters.
The best place I have found with a simple description of what your query letter should look like is at the NY Book Editors website.
Boiled down, what they tell you is this:
- If you are mailing it or submitting a cover/query letter as a separate document, be formal:
- Your address goes to the right and should be justified.
- The agent’s address goes to the left.
In an email, you don’t do step one. However, you DO make sure your contact information is in your signature.
- Be personal and polite. Greet and acknowledge the agent or editor by name:
- Dear Ms. Stuart
The body: This is important – the body of your query letter should not exceed three to five paragraphs. The 1st paragraph is where you introduce yourself. Perhaps you met at a convention or seminar or are a fan of one of the authors they represent. If you have a connection with the agent or editor you are approaching, mention it but be brief.
If you have no previous connection, NY Editors suggest you get down to business right away with your attempt to sell your short story or book. Their point of view on this is that you only have a few paragraphs to sell your work, so make those words count.
The 3 most important things to include in the 1st paragraph are:
- Title of the story (or novel)
- Genre
- Word count
The 2nd and possibly 3rd paragraphs must briefly describe the work. Showcase the plot and tell them why you believe it fits their publication. Make it as brief as possible—do NOT write a 3,000-word synopsis.
ALL prospective publishers, whether for magazines or larger houses, want the hook and the essence of that short story/novel in these paragraphs. They want to get a feel for who you are as an author.
Please do NOT give it the hard sell. The www.NYBookEditors.com website says: “You must walk a very fine line between selling your manuscript without coming across like the parent who knows his kid is the best player on the bench.”
In the final paragraph, you post a short (as in BRIEF) bio of yourself. Mention your published works and whatever awards you have acquired. If samples of your work are available on your website, say so.
The submission guidelines will differ when submitting queries to anthologies or magazines. They are widely different, and their editors seek specific kinds of work. However, the basic cover or query letter will be the same.
Magazines: Most magazines are available online nowadays rather than in print, and they usually want electronic submissions. Many publishers use Submittable, a service offered by a submissions manager software that makes the process simpler for both authors and editors. If they want their submissions sent via email, the body of the email is your cover letter.
Large Publishing Houses: Large traditional publishers want agented submissions only. On the rare occasions they open the doors to unagented authors, their editors expect a 1-page, 300-word description of your novel. This is the query letter, as described above. Your manuscript is not attached to this—if they like what they see in the query, they will look at the synopsis and possibly ask for the first chapter.
Every magazine, publisher, editor, or agent has a website detailing how they want things submitted. In general, the larger publishers and agents want to receive letters and/or emails formatted to the rules posted on their websites. You must read and follow those guidelines carefully.
I have mentioned the word “brief” numerous times in this post—and hopefully, you see why. Choose your words carefully so that your brief paragraphs showcase you and your work in the best way possible.
Most importantly, don’t forget to double-check your letter for typos and spelling errors. We all make them and don’t want them to be our legacy.
A sample email cover letter might read:
Dear Ms. Editor,
My name is Connie Jasperson. I was introduced to you at the 2022 PNWA conference during the book signing event. I hope my story, A Cold and Dangerous Place, might fit the theme of your proposed anthology.
A Cold and Dangerous Place is a quest tale about forgiveness and human frailty, with some elements of high fantasy. It has a strong female protagonist and is 3,500 words in length. It has never before been published. I have attached the manuscript as a Word document in Vonda McIntyre’s manuscript format, as specified in the submission rules.
I live and write in the Olympia area of Washington State and am active in several writing groups. I am a founding member of Myrddin Publishing Group, an indie cooperative, and have independently published nine novels. My short stories have appeared in several anthologies. One of my stories was included in the 2019 anthology Swords, Sorcery and Self-Rescuing Damsels, featuring stories by authors such as Jody Lynn Nye and Katie Cross.
Thank you for your consideration,
Connie J. Jasperson
123 Writer Rd. SE.
Buymybook, WA 01234
c.jasperson@writer.com (email)
123-456-7890 (phone)
The body of any cover or query letter will be laid out in the same fashion. Title, word count, and genre are important. Agents and editors want to know that you offer the kind of work they specialize in.
Sometimes my queries get good results, and sometimes not. I’ve said this before, but query letters are like ice cream. Everyone likes certain flavors and must be pushed to try new ones.
You can only cross your fingers and hope your manuscript and letter arrive on a day when the editor or agent in question is in the mood for a story exactly like what you are selling.
Rejection only means that editor isn’t the right one. Keep trying.
Every author, indie or traditionally published, comes to a point in their career where they must craft a query letter. For many, avoiding having to do that is one of the reasons they went indie in the first place.
Life in the Realm of Fantasy 