Not too Savvy when it Comes to:

[trumancoyote]

Sending short stories to magazines for publication.

Is it standard procedure to include a cover letter, or is it wise to just send the story itself?

Zach doesn't know these things.

Please inform.

Thank you.

[MacAllister]

Zach, I usually include a very brief cover letter, with my contact information, any relevant prior publication history, and restating the title/word count of the story, (I know it's on the manuscript, too--but nonetheless.)

[trumancoyote]

Awesome. Thank you very much :)

Any other helpful hints from anyone else would be greatly appreciated.

[Joni Holderman]

Any other helpful hints from anyone else would be greatly appreciated.

Zach- I've heard from editors that it is important to include the title of the submission (story), along with your contact information in the cover letter. So, if they like the story but mysteriously lose the first page, they are still able to contact you.

There is a sample cover letter in the front of Writer's Market (available at the library).

Best of Luck!

[trumancoyote]

Would it be silly to include an explication of the story, as one might do when submitting a longer text/novel?

[MacAllister]

Not really silly--just unnecessary, and you might be shooting yourself in the foot, unless you can write a truly killer story summary.

[Lyra Jean]

I always include a one or maybe two sentence synopsis of my short stories in the cover letter

[trumancoyote]

That's what I thought. But since I'm so hideously uninformed, I was afraid that not including one might similarly shoot me in the proverbial foot.

[pdr]

Before you submit check what the magazine editors say in their writers' guidelines.

Some editors hate a covering letter. Some demand a one sentence summary of the story in a covering letter, some want American style submissions with all your details on the first page and some want the Rest of world style submissions where a separate cover sheet is a must.

If you submit what the editor wants you really help yourself.
Good Luck!

[Jamesaritchie]

Some editors like cover letters, some have no feelings one way or the other, and some actively hate them.

The best rule I know is that if you have nothing worth saying, don't include a cover letter.

Most editors I've known want cover letters only to learn about the writer, as in does he or doesn't he have a publication record, or anything else that can make me believe he can write?

It's not only pointless to talk about your story in the cover letter, it can cost you sales. If the editor doesn't like what you have to say about the story, odds are good he won't it.

The thing to remember is this: no cover letter, even if it's wonderfully written, will sell your story. The wrong cover letter, however, can kill your story.

Check the guidelines first, and then use common sense. A cover letter that says nothing that matters is one you don't need to include.

[triceretops]

Anything else that might relate to your experience or accomplishments, such as a runner up or finalist in a major national contest. For example:

I used "finalist in L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest," as well as my indocrination into the SFWA. For sci-fi short stories, most publishers and editors of magazine short fiction are aware of these titles. So it helps a little.

Triceratops