Is Your Submission Covered?
By D.L. Winchester
*Note: this post is about cover letters for short story submissions. If you’re submitting a manuscript, that’s a whole different beast.
You’ve spent hours on your story: researching, writing, editing, cursing, and all the other parts of the process (but let’s be honest—mostly cursing). Now you’re ready to send it to an editor, and you find out the publication expects a cover letter.
More cursing.
But a cover letter isn’t something to dread or curse; it’s an essential part of the submission process, and one you should always include (unless the publication specifically says otherwise).
So what should go into a cover letter? And how can you make it as easy as possible?
Read on.
Why Do You Need A Cover Letter?
Your cover letter is your introduction to the publication, whether it’s read by a first reader, an acquisitions editor, or (at Undertaker Books) the editor themself (namely me).
Contrary to popular belief, I am not a story-rejecting robot with no emotion (and I’d appreciate it if people would stop saying I am). I do read the cover letters on submissions, and they can set the mood for the story I’m about to read.
If done right, a cover letter piques my interest in your story and makes me want to see the positives in it. It will make you stand out in the slush pool, and make me want to see your story succeed.
So What Should Be in a Cover Letter?
I like to use a five-part cover letter. And don’t panic—two of the parts are short, and the other three should be no more than a paragraph—it’s an introduction, not your life story.
Greeting
Begin by greeting the person reading your story. There are those who say you should make it as personal as possible, going to the masthead and trying to figure out who the ultimate decision maker for the publication you’re submitting to is (ask me how many cover letters I’ve gotten addressed to Rebecca). They say this effort makes you stand out.
Personally, I don’t care. I’m fine with “Greetings,” “Hello Undertaker Books Team,” “Dear Editor,” or even “‘Sup, F-ckface McDumb-ss” (please note that not all editors will be fine with the last one, but if you use it when submitting to us, I’ll know you read our blog). I barely notice the greeting in most cases.
Not every editor feels this way, of course, and there are those who want you to find their name, or at minimum, make some effort to personalize the greeting (“Dear Famous Press”). But I’m the forgetful type, and will inadvertently forget to update who I’m addressing the cover letter to. So when I submit my own work, my cover letter begins “Greetings!” If that keeps someone from publishing me, well, they’re probably not someone I’d be excited to work with.
Story Information
Your first paragraph should be dedicated to information about your story. I like to start by giving the details about my submission. “My flash fiction piece, ‘Super Awesome Story,’ is 800 words and is [a simultaneous submission][not a simultaneous submission][previously unpublished][whatever other details the call mentions they care about].”
Moving on, the next line should be your elevator pitch. “My story explores what would happen if a mutant kangaroo was rampaging through Moscow.” Keep this short, especially for short story submissions. I’m about to read the story—give me a taste, not the whole meal.
Bio
Next, I include a short bio, in third person (not first!). That means you will use your name, not "I," each time you refer to yourself. There are some who like to write their cover letter bio in first person, and I'm personally not opposed to that. But since most of the places that ask me to include a bio with my submission want it in third person, not first, I format mine in third person to make updating my cover letter easier.
Now, what do I mean by short? Less than 75 words. A couple sentences of interesting personal information, my latest release, and two or three relevant or impressive publishing credits.
Again, it’s an introduction, not your life story. You’re trying to simultaneously grab an editor’s interest and respect their busy schedule. Keep it short and stick to the highlights, especially when it comes to publishing credits.
There is an exception on this: some calls ask for you to submit your bio with your submission. In those cases, I format this section to match what they're requesting.
Appropriate Platitudes
This is the part where you brown-nose the editor.
But you have to be careful, because editors can tell when you’re full of sh-t and trying to use compliments to overcome a weak submission.
I usually limit myself to: “Thank you for considering ‘My Amazing Story.’ I look forward to hearing from you.” If the press or magazine recently put out something you enjoyed, you could mention that, (“I loved the story ‘Smoking Kills’ in the last edition of Stories To Take to Your Grave, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to submit to this edition.”).
But that’s as far as I would go. Again, the key word here is appropriate. If you butter an editor up too much, they’ll slide away.
Farewell
Keep this simple.
“Sincerely,
D.L. Winchester (writing as F-ckface McDumb-ss)”
A short note of farewell, and your name. If you use a pen name, here’s the place to mention both it and your legal name (some people put a sentence about this in their first paragraph. I don’t, because I want the editor thinking about the story then, not what to call me).
Why Put The Story First?
You may have noticed that I put the information about the story ahead of my bio. That’s because that’s the information an editor will be looking for. Some editors may look at the rest (like me), but for the most part, they want to know what they’re about to read, and I don’t want them to have to put too much effort into finding it.
Do I Have to Do This Every Time?
Yes. Unless a call specifically tells you not to, include a cover letter in the body of the email.
But, you can use a template for your cover letters. When I’m preparing a submission, the only thing I usually change is the first paragraph (story information). Everything else stays the same.
There may be some who don’t agree with using a template, but the way I see it (as a writer and editor), most publications are going to reject or accept you with a form letter. So using one for your cover letter shouldn’t be an issue. Besides, how am I going to know if you use the same cover letter for me and every other place you submit to?
Some General Notes
-Do not put the cover letter in the actual submission file unless the call says to—all that’s going to do is annoy the editor. Your file should include your story (in the requested format) and nothing extra. Not even a bio—it should be in your cover letter!
-If you have an email signature, keep it short and sweet. I’ve seen email signatures that are longer than the email itself, listing what seems like every book, publishing credit, and accomplishment the writer has ever achieved. That stuff belongs on your website. A good signature is your name and contact information (website and social media links included).
-Don’t get creative with font and color. A cover letter is an introduction, but it’s a professional introduction. Use a legible font like Garamond, Georgia, or Times New Roman, and save the flashy colors and backgrounds for your friends.