Lweven
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« on: April 17, 2012, 10:24:52 PM » |
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I am confused. :/
I know a query letter and a cover letter are different...but what exactly goes into a cover letter? The only think I really understand about them is publication history...but I have like one contest I've won and that's it...and I don't think that makes a very good cover letter. I've written cover letters for jobs, but not for my book. I don't think it's the same.
Does anyone have a good website/blog they know about that will tell me this?
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MittensMorgul
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« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2012, 02:24:09 PM » |
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I've been told to think of the cover letter as the second phase of querying. When you get a request for more pages, you include your original query to remind the agent who you are and why you sent them these pages. The cover letter is basically a thank you letter for requesting the enclosed pages. It's step number two.
If your whole transaction takes place in email, rather than snail mail, your cover letter would be the three or four sentences you put in the body of the email, before attaching (if that's what the agent asked for) the requested pages.
I usually write a quick thanks, sign it, and then paste my original query below it.
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Website: mittensmorgul.blogspot.com
Twitter: @mittensmorgul
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edelweiss
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« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2012, 03:36:33 PM » |
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Mittens is spot-on. If you need details, check out Anne Mini's blog: www.annemini.com |
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Clever as a Fox: Animal Intelligence and What It Can Teach Us About Ourselves (Bloomsbury USA, 2001; paperback, Harvard U. Press, 2002) Housebroken (novel) - represented by the Maria Carvainis Agency The Trail (novel) - WIP www.sonjayoerg. |
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Falen
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« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2012, 03:55:57 PM » |
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... i don't always include a cover letter...  Is that bad?  |
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Lweven
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« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2012, 04:07:41 PM » |
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Thanks guys! You are awesome!  Falen, I'm not sure...because I've noticed only a few agents say they request you send a "query, cover letter, and 3 chapters" or something like that. |
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edelweiss
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« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2012, 04:21:49 PM » |
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I know, those query guidelines can be a headache. Like querying isn't hard enough without second-guessing what they want. My feeling is that if their guidelines are vague or confusing they are probably used to getting all sorts of stuff, so you'll be fine whatever you do. Good luck!  |
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Clever as a Fox: Animal Intelligence and What It Can Teach Us About Ourselves (Bloomsbury USA, 2001; paperback, Harvard U. Press, 2002) Housebroken (novel) - represented by the Maria Carvainis Agency The Trail (novel) - WIP www.sonjayoerg. |
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Lweven
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« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2012, 07:52:16 PM » |
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lol. I like your style!
Thank you!
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Casper
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« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2012, 11:05:00 AM » |
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... i don't always include a cover letter... Is that bad? I've never done one either! Requests I had just got sent right away in whatever form they requested them. I would think a simple 'Please find attached...' would be sufficient. |
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Falen
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« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2012, 11:28:45 AM » |
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Yeah that's what i do, unless they specifically ask for a cover letter, or the query pasted in the MS. Then i follow through
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