Cover letter question

[lnmorton]

I hope this isn't a played out question - I googled to see if it had been covered before and didn't find anything.

What I was wondering about is what constitutes a relevant credit in a cover letter. I just sold a poem to an sf publication (yay!), but I'm primarily a fiction writer. I'm wondering how/if to include the credit when writing cover letters for fiction, since I am about to send out a couple of stories looking for homes.

Since the publication also accepts fiction, it seems misleading to say "My work has appeared in XXX", so I'm going to skip that. But is it a relevant credit to say "My poetry has appeared in XXX", if what I'm trying to sell is fiction?

[RJK]

I'm far from an expert, but I believe "My poetry has appeared in XXX" would work. At the very least, it shows your work is publishable.

[bonitakale]

"I've sold fiction and poetry to X, XX, and XXX."

Ditto Yay!

[Danthia]

You can say that. General rule of thumb, is any credit that shows someone paid you for your work is worth mentioning. Relevance is also important, as a job as a newspaper reporter doesn't mean you can write SFF fiction (different skill sets), even though it does show you got paid for writing.

Credits are nice, but in the end it's the story you're trying to sell that will matter the most. If the story isn't working, no one will buy it regardless of your credits (unless you're so utterly famous and published your name a lone will sell). If you have the space and the credit is a boost, feel free to mention it.

[Jamesaritchie]

Paid, relevant credits are always worth mentioning. If nothing else, a good credit can get you past a first reader, and a paid credit can lead an editor to read the story with a better expectation of finding something worthwhile.

Whether an SF poem is a relevant credit for an SF short story is anyone's guess. Probbaly not, but I doubt mentioning it can harm anything.

Juts be plain and honest about the credits.

[Cathy C]

I'd include it. If it's a known print SF mag, their standards for poetry are just as tough as for fiction. The purpose of providing information about credits is to show that: a) You have the writing quality necessary to interest a paying audience; b) You can handle the editorial process on a strict deadline; and c) You're serious about your writing.

Definitely include it. :)