stephenspower
Inkling
I happened upon the Publishers Marketplace page for Al Zuckerman (agent for Ken Follett and Michael Lewis, among many others), and noticed what he wants in a cover letter:
"If you think I would be interested in your work, please write me a one page letter. First paragraph should tell what about your book is wonderful and exciting, the second should recount the essence of its content, and the third should tell why you’re the best person to be writing it."
I don't think I've read a more succinct summary of what a cover letter should have. I especially like the order: what's wonderful about it, what's it about, what's wonderful about you. The challenge, of course, is making the first good without the reader knowing the second yet, but if you can't write about what transcends what a book's about then it doesn't matter what the book's about.
"If you think I would be interested in your work, please write me a one page letter. First paragraph should tell what about your book is wonderful and exciting, the second should recount the essence of its content, and the third should tell why you’re the best person to be writing it."
I don't think I've read a more succinct summary of what a cover letter should have. I especially like the order: what's wonderful about it, what's it about, what's wonderful about you. The challenge, of course, is making the first good without the reader knowing the second yet, but if you can't write about what transcends what a book's about then it doesn't matter what the book's about.