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| WRITING A COVER LETTER |
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- The cover letter should always include all of your contact information: name, address, phone number, and email.
- You should also include the date; this is helpful to editors as they track/sort submissions.
- You should address the cover letter to the person(s) indicated by the magazine in its submission guidelines. You can find submission guidelines online (on the magazine’s website), in print (in resources such as Poet’s Market), in sample issues (often listed at the bottom of the masthead page), or by requesting a copy from the magazine (send a SASE with your request). Some magazines ask that you address the cover letter to a specific person (usually the magazine’s editor or the poetry editor). Some magazines tell you NOT to address the cover letter to a specific person (unless you know the person or have some sort of established relationship with him/her). Some magazines tell you to address the cover letter to the appropriate editor(s)—i.e., Poetry Editor, Poetry Editors, Book Review Editor. Some magazines don’t tell you whom they want the letter addressed to; in such cases, the safest bet is to address the letter to “Poetry Editor.”
- There are only two things you need to provide in your cover letter: the number of poems you are submitting (include their titles—this is helpful for tracking purposes) and a short biographical statement (in case your work is accepted). You can include the titles of the poems in the body of the letter or at the bottom beneath your signature. The bio should be kept relatively short. If you have previously publications, you can list a few of the magazines your work has appeared in or is forthcoming from. You can also include where you live and/or what you do. (DO NOT list every magazine your work has ever appeared in; this is often the quickest way to get editors to roll their eyes at your submission.)
- You may also wish to include instructions in your cover letter about what you want the editors to do with your manuscript if it is not accepted for publication (to return it or recycle it). Some magazines return or recycle all manuscripts automatically. It is best to make your wishes explicit if you truly have a preference in this matter.
- Below are two sample cover letters. Either one is acceptable. Try to keep it to half a page.
Jane Smith
555 Elm Street
Omaha, NE 51515
(303) 555-5151
jane@aol.com
October 2, 2005
Peter Stitt, Editor
The Gettysburg Review
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA 17325-1491
Dear Mr. Stitt:
Enclosed are five poems to be considered for The Gettysburg Review. My poems have
appeared in Poetry, Crazyhorse, and Ploughshares, and are forthcoming from Indiana
Review and Hotel Amerika. I live in Omaha, where I work as an editorial assistant at the
local newspaper.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I have included an SASE for your response.
There is no need to return unused portions of the manuscript.
Sincerely,
Jane Smith
enclosed poems: "Chicago, Burning"
"Last Chance"
"After the Mourning"
"Your Name Here"
"October 1979"
Jane Smith
555 Elm Street
Omaha, NE 51515
(303) 555-5151
jane@aol.com
October 2, 2005
Poetry Editors
Harpur Palate
English Department
Binghamton University
PO Box 6000
Binghamton, NY 13902-6000
Dear Poetry Editors:
I have included five poems for your consideration: "Chicago, Burning," "Last Chance,"
"After the Mourning," "Your Name Here," and "October 1979."
I live in Omaha, where I work as an editorial assistant at a local newspaper. I am a recent
graduate of the MFA program at Southern Illinois University. If accepted, this would be my
first poetry publication.
I have included an SASE for the return of my work and for your response. Thank you for
your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jane Smith
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