I wish I could say I loved writing covering letters and considered myself a genius at them but the truth is, I hate them. It's the attempt to instil an entire novel, that you've given all you energy, thoughts and time to, into one paragraph and then find the relevant, interesting facts about your life to squeeze into another.
Then there's the issue of the paranoia and dread you feel, knowing someone will be judging your personality and marketability on one A4 sheet. I'd rather write an entire novel than a covering letter and synopsis.
So, I was very pleased to come across these top tips, from Vicki Le Feuvre, on the Darley Anderson blog. Well worth a read to anyone considering submitting a manuscript. The only problem - Number 10 hasn't been posted yet.
Darley Anderson: Top 10 Tips
Short Stories and novel extracts in women's fiction genre. Photos from around Northern Ireland that have inspired or appear in writing.
I Know exactly what you mean. I took a tutorial on writing the cover letter, how to sell what I'd written. Once you've done that, put everything into the most polished snapshot possible, it's even worse to get the rejections. I hope you get an acceptance!
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