Once you’ve written, revised and edited your story, it’s time to submit the manuscript to a publisher, whether online or by hard copy via postal service. You’ll want to make sure that your submission is in its best possible form. Hiring professionals to read, recommend revisions, and edit is the easiest way to ensure that it is. It’s also imperative that you include a great cover letter with your submission.
Many people in the writing industry refer to a cover letter as a “pitch” letter. Think of salespeople, marketing teams and others who “pitch” their product, idea or campaign to executives, who then decide whether to offer a deal. When asking an agency to publish your novel, your cover letter is basically your “sales pitch” as to why your book is worth publishing.
If your cover letter doesn’t contain these 3 elements, rewrite it
Submitting a manuscript to a publisher means you must convince people that your work is worth the time and effort it will take to review it. A well-written cover letter can help get your foot through the door. Before submitting, make sure your letter contains these three elements:
- It must be concise.
- Your letter should be persuasive.
- It should have a professional tone.
If your cover letter is more than 300 words, it’s too lengthy. The content of your letter should compel the publishing team to want to read your entire submission package. Keep your tone professional but not too formal—analogous to wearing “business casual” attire to a job interview.
Follow a basic structure
Strive for simplicity when writing a cover letter to accompany your fiction manuscript submission. The introduction must include your book’s title, genre, and word count. Provide a synopsis, which is the “hook” where the goal is to pique the agent’s interest in the story. It’s debatable whether this section should reveal the ending of a story; some people think it’s best to do so while others believe a cliff-hanger style is more effective.
It’s always best to include a short bio featuring basic background information, as well as your experience as a writer. If your manuscript is the first novel in a series that you are planning, provide this information in your cover letter. Always end a letter by expressing gratitude to the agency for its time and attention.
