10 points for the best answer!! Cover letters!!?

Question

Hi , does anyone know any good websites that give help and tips on how to write a cover letter for a publisher or literary agent?

Answer 1

A cover letter or a query letter? You don't send a manuscript unless it has been requested by a publisher following the submission of a query letter. If you are sending a manuscript and a cover letter without being asked for the manuscript, it ends up in the trash.

If you have been asked for a manuscript, the cover letter simply states, "Thank you for you interest in My Book Title. Enclosed, please find a copy of the manuscript you requested. If you have any additional questions or require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, The Author.

The query letter is a much more complicated document. The author Nicholas Sparks has been kind enough to post a sample of an excellent query letter along with information regarding how to send a query.

http://www.nicholassparks.com/WritersCorner/Query.html

Hope that helps. Pax - C

Answer 2

Here are some useful ones:

The Association of Authors' Representatives
(tips from agents on how to get one)
http://www.aar-online.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=10336#2

Wordsmitten
(cover letter info and tips on getting an agent)
http://www.wordsmitten.com/coverletter.html
http://www.wordsmitten.com/tips.html

Preditors & Editors
(click on "Submissions" and then scroll down)
http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Here are also some comments from editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden on advice that you shouldn't follow:
http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/005212.html

And comments from author Neil Gaiman about literary agents, including getting one:
http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2005/01/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about.asp

Answer 3

http://www.warnercnr.colostate.edu/careers/coverletter.htm

Great stuff here