COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Submission Cover Letter That Will Wow Literary Agents

    Use a standard business letter format with your contact information at the top, followed by the agent's details and the date. Address the agent by name if possible, as it shows you've done your research and personalized the letter. Next, introduce yourself and mention the title of your manuscript.

  2. How to write the perfect pitch letter to an agent

    When you write your query letter, tailor it to the individual - even though this means you'll have to rethink your pitch letter for each agent you address it to. Don't write to 'Dear Curtis Brown' or 'Dear Sir' or 'The Submissions Department' etc. Always write to a person. 2. Address the agent by their first name.

  3. How to Write a Cover Letter for

    For example, author and editor Phoebe Morgan shared her sample cover letter here, and agent Juliet Mushens has published one here. Of course, making it all the way through to bagging your dream literary agent and getting a publishing contract means your manuscript will need to live up to the promise of your perfect pitch letter.

  4. Hints for a Great Cover Letter

    The 4-part Cover letter: 1) A simple introductory sentence is sufficient. Basically, you are saying "Hi. Thank you for the opportunity…". 2) Use a "sound bite" statement. A "sound bite" statement is the essence of your novel or non-fiction book idea in 40 words or less. The fiction sound bite could include:

  5. The Perfect Cover Letter: Advice From a Lit Mag Editor

    When submitting your short-form literature to a magazine or journal, your cover letter is often the first piece of writing an editor sees. It serves as an introduction to your thoughtfully crafted art. As such, it is significant, but it shouldn't be intimidating or even take much time to write. As editor at 2 Elizabeths, I see a variety of ...

  6. Read A Sample Literary Agent Query Letter, With Hints & Tips

    A sample query letter. First up, however, here's a query letter of a sort that would make any sane agent want to start reading the manuscript in question: Dear Agent Name. I'm writing to seek representation for my first novel, TALKING TO THE DEAD, a police procedural of 115,000 words.

  7. How to Write a Stand-Out Cover Letter

    Literary agents and many literary competitions require a cover letter along with your sample chapters and synopsis. This is a formal introduction to you and your novel. Note: It is not a CV, a bio or a blurb for the book. It's a letter, written from one professional to another, that should make the agent or judge want to read more.

  8. The Perfect Cover Letter

    Of course, the cover letter is just the first stage - designed to entice the agent to read on quickly - and the writing itself is what makes me want to read a full manuscript. However, the example I have written should help you when trying to structure your own cover letter for your novel. I hasten to add, THE LISTENER exists nowhere except ...

  9. How to write the perfect letter to a literary agent

    This letter should be written to a specific agent. Your aim in this letter is to make the agent you're targeting feel as though you've singled them out above all others to represent your novel, so don't use 'Dear Sir', Dear Madam', 'To whom it may concern' or - worst of all - 'Dear agent'. Using the agent's first name ...

  10. Writing a cover letter

    First impressions count, so make sure it's brilliant. (No pressure, then). Check there are no errors in the letter, such as spelling or grammatical mistakes and also ensure you have the correct name (and spelling!) of the person you're writing to. Don't distract an overworked editor or agent with fancy fonts or gimmicks.

  11. Example Cover Letter For Manuscript Submission

    Writing a Strong Cover letter for Manuscript Submission When you send your manuscript to a publisher or literary agent, you will need to include the following information; - A letter of motivation - A biography of the author - A synopsis of your manuscript - Selection of sample chapters The first thing the editor or

  12. Writing a Cover Letter

    The cover letter (otherwise known as a Query Letter), by comparison, should actually be pretty simple. The main aim of your cover letter is to give the agent/publisher more detail about your manuscript and you, the author. Things like: manuscript title; genre; word count; manuscript blurb; market placement; target audience;

  13. My submission letter to my agent

    Dear Ms Wray, I would like to submit to you a sample of my novel, 'The Architect's Daughters.'. This is a piece of literary fiction which tells the tale of how a mother's loving lie kills her own daughter. Thirteen years ago, the death of the famous London architect Richard Hawes left his two daughters reeling with grief.

  14. 5 Agent-Approved Query Letter Examples

    5 Agent-Approved Query Letter Examples. A great query letter — one that gets an agent to request your manuscript — is one that both checks all the boxes and is unique to you, your book, and the agent in question. To give you an idea of what this might look like, we're sharing some query letter examples, which we polished up with the ...

  15. BFLA OPEN WEEK: Writing a Cover Letter and Synopsis

    Cover Letter. The main goal of your cover letter is to make an agent want to read your sample chapters and to convince them of the marketability of your book. All agents handle their submissions in different ways, but I always read the cover letter/email first. If that convinces me that this book might be what I'm looking for, I'll turn to ...

  16. How to pitch your book to an agent

    Have a nuanced 200 words that really crystallises what the book is about. A smart, to the point submission letter, that gives a clear overview of the material that is being submitted, is vital to capture an agent's interest. A sense of where your book would sit on the shelves if it were to be published today.

  17. Writing Tips: How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter

    Firstly, make sure you address the specific agent you are submitting to. Include an enticing pitch in the body of your email. This should include a one-line hook outlining the central premise of your book; a short, back-of-the-book type blurb; three comparable books in the market today; a short bio; and any other information relevant to your ...

  18. Cover Letters for Literary Magazines • Mandie Hines Author

    The cover letter serves a function, which is to give the editors the information they need at a glance. That's it. Cover letters are far different than query letters you write to a literary agent or publisher. There's no explanation of what the story is about, and there's hardly anything, if anything, about you in the letter. Let's ...

  19. How to Write a Query Letter: 3 Paragraphs That Hook a Literary Agent

    Don't query an agent until you've finished your manuscript (or written a nonfiction book proposal). Research and build a dream agent list (seven to ten). Query a specific literary agent, not just any agent. Use the preferred three-paragraph format: Hook, Book, Cook. Add a P.S. to make your query letter stand out.

  20. How to Write the Perfect Pitch Letter

    Submit to a literary agent with confidence and style, using TLC's top tips on how to write the perfect pitch letter. Over the years at TLC, we've worked with thousands of writers through our editorial services, and a significant percentage of those writers have one goal in mind: getting published.Whilst of course this isn't the only measure of success for a writer, if it's something ...