Creating a Cover Letter That Creates Interest: A Back to Basics Post

Good morning, Seekerville! Ruthy here. I initiated this post, but read it through because at the end I've got additional ideas from several other Seekers.... and these are women who get the job done. Every aspect of writing is important. Sure.... your manuscript is clutch. But that's only the first step, my friends. So here's another "bead" in the intricately woven necklace of publishing.

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is your letter of introduction to the editor/agent/publisher you're approaching, a missive whose purpose is to capture enough of their interest that they pause to read your manuscript.

When I began writing, everything was done by snail mail. EVERYTHING. And editors would have months of big envelopes in their offices, piled high, waiting for their turn in the queue.  And am I the only person on the planet that sees this wretched word "queue" and wonders first:

Whose idea was it to invent a word like this???? (Britain)

And why isn't it pronounced "quay" like so many French words because it looks French, right? Parquet? Croquet? 

But that's a different day's convo. Today we're talking cover letters and I'll enjoy having other Seekers and authors offer their opinions.

Assuming you've done your homework and researched who is looking for what... and honestly on Facebook and Twitter they're often having Looking For The Next Big Thing-type parties to see who "hearts" this and that... So that gives you an idea.  Assuming that, now you want your letter to reflect the professional's needs/desires/wishes.... if she or he wants thriller fiction and you send them sweet romance, you are dead in the water, so let's make this first part a checklist:

1. The publisher publishes things similar to what you write
2. The editor doesn't hate you
3. The editor works with authors you really like
4. The agent is accepting new clients or avidly looking
5. The agent actually works for the clients, not simply lip service
6. You've actually worked & re-worked and edited and done your best on your manuscript.
7. You've checked the website for guidelines and followed them

Okay, now you're ready to move on to your cover letter via email, snail mail, etc.

Here's how I wrote killer cover letters, and I'm not bragging to say that nearly 60 books later, I'm not afraid to grab an editor's/agent's/publisher's attention because I want that foot in the door.

Ms. Senior Editor
My Most Wanted Publisher
Nashville, TN  37207

Dear Ms. Editor,  (Romantic suspense version)

He spent a decade fighting for a truth that turned out to be a lie, a lie so deeply entrenched that he may never see daylight again, a lie that not only means his life-- but hers.


(Notice I didn't introduce myself.... if she loves this/me/the concept, she'll find out the rest later. It will matter then. It's of little consequence right now)


Dear Ms. Editor,  (Romance version)

He'd promised her father he'd die for her and that might be exactly what happens, so why did he have to fall in love with her first?


Dear Ms. Editor,  (Young Adult/Futuristic/Must Kill the World Version)

His actions didn't just send a message. They catapulted a realm of destruction into being, a destruction so final that he couldn't possibly save his life... but he was determined to save hers.

Opening with a killer/wonderful/gripping tagline is a great way to gain attention.

Then your job is to keep it.

If your agent/editor/publisher has a certain way they like cover letters and says so, then follow their lead... but most don't do that anymore. I think. It's not like I'm out there looking, guys, so it's always good to check their blogs, posts, etc.

But aside from that, here's what I'd go with.

1. Tagline and make it count. Practice by writing taglines for hit movies/books. Then if you can't write one for your story, it might mean the story lacks depth, so you should address that first.

2. Brief synopsis, back-cover blurb style.  If you have two versions (I usually do) use the shorter one. You want this to be a one page wonder, resist the urge to drone on about how he really was misunderstood as a child and wanted to help his mother (Michael Westen, Burn Notice) because that backstory will come out in a well-written book & synopsis. (Link to Writing a synopsis, read blog & very useful comments)

3. Appreciation for author/agent/publisher (keep it specific to the person you're approaching) showing why you're approaching them, why you're impressed by them, why it's a good fit. Here's an example:

"As a woman who was originally inspired by Catherine Marshall's "Christy", I was drawn to your recent release of Jan Drexler's "Roll of the Drums" and Mary Connealy's "Aiming for Love". Set in 1874 Nebraska, "Risking Her Heart" pits a spinster school teacher against rugged conditions as she keeps six orphaned children alive through a season of raging blizzards. When a drunken hero wanders along, Marie can either shoot him or help him, and that's only one of a series of tough decisions she's going to make that season."

4. Who is your competition for shelf space in bookstores, Walmart, or on mass market paperback shelves? You don't want to compete with the publisher's authors or eat into their market share, so pick authors from other publishers to show where your story will harvest likely readers. Editors and marketing want to visualize how your work is going to gain ground for the publisher's sales figures. Don't fool yourself that heart outranks numbers. That's generally an industry fiction. Publishers need to make money. So do you. Show them why your story will stand its ground vs. other publishers' historical offerings.

5. Close with a brief author bio.  "MIT graduate Aspiring Author abandons the geekiness of her "Big Bang Theory" real life to immerse herself in her first love, historical fiction, as often as she can. Her work has won or finaled in multiple romance contests including (list wins/finals here), she has an interactive blog with over a thousand followers and a Facebook presence with over two thousand friends, offering her a great launch spot for her beautiful Western fiction series."

I'm going to leave this here and invite other authors to add whatever advice they'd like to in the comments.

Remember that you often get ONE PARAGRAPH (according to an agent panel at a major conference) to catch the target's interest.

Make it count.

And here are some thoughts from bestselling Bethany House author Mary Connealy:

Cover letter advice.

If at all possible, find out the name of the acquiring editor and target that person specifically. Better to say, "Dear Dave Long," Than Dear Bethany House Acquiring editor.

This is a whole lot easier now than it was before the internet when I started. Oh, there was internet, I just didn't have it. 

I started writing BEFORE GOOGLE.

Targeted cover letters: This also applies to sending the letter to the right publisher.  Market research can be done online, find the right publisher for YOUR BOOK. No matter how great your book, Love Inspired is not going to publish your 100,000 word cozy mystery. You can also do this by going to a book store, finding similar books and finding out who published those books.

Sound familiar? And here are Erica Vetsch's thoughts on cover letters:

I think of them as a four paragraph essay. 

1. Opening greeting that says what you are doing: My name is ______ and I am the author of ____________ that I am submitting for your consideration.

2. Describe the project. __________ is a ___________ word novel that tells the story of _______ who wants ________ but __________ is preventing her from getting it.

3. Your bona fides. Tell why you're qualified to write this story. List writing credentials, professional organizations, awards, etc. I am a ______ Best selling author of _________ books, a member of ________ and winner of ___________. Or, if you don't have any books published yet, I am an active member of __________ writing organization, and have finished _________ manuscripts.

4. The wrap up that tells your expectations. I hope you enjoy ______________, and I look forward to hearing from you. The full manuscript of ___________ is available upon request.

Then thank them again and sign off. :) 

And there you have it, authors. Once you have an agent, or a group of editors, you don't have to write many of these.... maybe none. But you'll always have to have the chutzpah to put yourself out there via your synopsis and/or bio so writing this letter, presenting yourself is huge.

And a momentary but wonderful commercial announcement!!!!

The first book of my North Country Romance series releases as an indie on Friday! Preorder is available, this whole series will be released this summer for $1.99 each and I'm so excited to give them this new exposure! PREORDER LINK HERE!!!!

Multi-published, USA Today bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne has nearly sixty published novels and novellas and admittedly loves to write about as much as she loves coffee and chocolate. Her unforgettable characters touch hearts and souls because Ruthy loves to write real people... the kind you live near, the kind you pass on the street or sit next to in church (when you're not socially distant, of course!!), people that embrace the race that knows Joseph. Email Ruthy at loganherne@gmail.com, visit her website ruthloganherne.com or friend her on Facebook where she loves to talk to readers and writers. You can also see the other side of Ruthy and four other Seekers at the Yankee Belle Cafe where five delightful authors share their time, homes, thoughts, ideas and recipes with readers weekly!