Cover letter/Bio info?

HeyBooBoo · Jul 12, 2006

I'm going to attempt to submit some fiction to a few mags that prefer email attatchments. I have nothing in the way of a bio, so what exactly do I send in the email? Do I do a query for a short story the same way as a novel? Do I format the short story the same way as novel, such as with a header and page numbers? I'm so new at this that I don't have clue, any information on submitting short stories would be appreicated, thanks!

Sassenach · Jul 12, 2006

Do they have submission guidelines? If so, follow them explicitly.

Kate Thornton · Jul 12, 2006

Many short story submission guidelines ask for a short bio - these are *really* short - usually no more than a line or two: "Fine Writer lives in Iceland, where he runs a small banana farm when not writing. He has been published in Sewage Monthly and most recently won the Pritzker Prize."

Sassenach is right - follow the guidelines exactly!

Siddow · Jul 12, 2006

Here's what I usually do when submitting a short story as an attachment. I put Submission\"Story Title" as the email heading, then in the body I'll put a short note: Dear Mr. Esteemed Editor, Attached is my submission "Greatest Story Ever." I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
A. Good Writer
My Land Address
With State and Zip
Email addy
(phone) num-ber

I usually get rejected, but I have sold some, too. Good luck, and congrats on getting to the submission stage. It's a big step.

Oh, and author bio! Almost forgot. If they ask for one (I assume they did), just put "Hey Boo Boo lives in Sassenach, NJ and is working on her first novel."

HeyBooBoo · Jul 12, 2006

Thanks for the great examples! The submission guidelines for one I'm looking at is pretty vague, they just said to email the story as an attachment, and include contact information and one to two sentance bio in the attachment. Nothing about what to say in the email, or what do if one is first-timer. Thanks for clearing up my questions.

Kate Thornton · Jul 12, 2006

HeyBooBoo & Siddow - I guarantee that while editors are picky about adherence to the submission guidelines, the thing they *most* want to see is a really good story, a well-written, grab-and-don't-let-go story.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 12, 2006

Bio

When a magazine asks for a bio in a cover letter, rather than one for use when the story is published, most editors are really looking for a list of credits, contest wins, workshops attended, type of college degree, etc. They're looking for any straw that tells them you can write.

jchines · Jul 12, 2006

Dear Mr. Editor,

Attached in RTF format is my story "Jack and the Bean Stalker," which I hope you'll consider using for "Pay Lots of Money Magazine."

My writing has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, and I have two novels forthcoming from DAW Books.

I hope you enjoy the story, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Me

---

If they don't specify a format, I'd stick with standard manuscript formatting and attach as a RTF (Rich Text Format) document, which is pretty universal.

maestrowork · Jul 12, 2006

Cover letter with bio:

- state the title of the story you're submitting, maybe genre and word count

- provide your name and contact information (but those should be on the first page of the ms. already)

- bio should be 1 to 3 sentences listing your publishing credits and awards

billyf027 · Jul 13, 2006

also

some publications want word count in cover letter also

onerocketgirl · Nov 20, 2006

I'm a little late to this thread ... but if you're submitting something for the very first time (and have no credits yet), what are you supposed to include? Is there a protocol for that?

Kate Thornton · Nov 20, 2006

Most editors will want to know your name, address, email & phone number and a little one-liner about yourself "I write short stories in my garden in Muncie, Indiana" or "I am a nuclear physicist who writes science fiction based on quantum mechanics" or "I am studying Kabuki acting and write about Japanese history" - you get the picture.

In addition, the title of your story, the statement that it is original and hasn't been published before (unless it has, of course!) the word count and that you are submitting it for their consideration.

If you don't have any credits, don't worry - everyone started off with no credits!

And always check the guidelines for other instructions and formatting.

johnnysannie · Nov 20, 2006

Jamesaritchie said:
When a magazine asks for a bio in a cover letter, rather than one for use when the story is published, most editors are really looking for a list of credits, contest wins, workshops attended, type of college degree, etc. They're looking for any straw that tells them you can write.

That's normally been the case but some of the places I've made recent submissions to have asked for a short bio WITH the submission to use in the event the work is accepted.

onerocketgirl · Nov 20, 2006

Thanks for the advice!

scottVee · Nov 21, 2006

Of the batch, I think the sample from JChines is the cleanest. I completely agree that it's the story that matters, though. The cover letter is mostly a friendly hello. I've seen them get bogged down by dozens of mostly laughable little credits. That's not going to sell a story. Only a good story will sell the story. I've also seen rude, offensive cover letters, which make me wonder what on earth the author was thinking.

Asking for the bio first "in case the story is published" is lame. Just extra work. Those details get hammered out after acceptance, regardless of the wishful thinking of the editors.

Good luck with your subs.

= scott
(former editor of Alpha Adventures, AlphaDrive, etc, most recently Appalling Limericks from SamsDot Publishing)

Mike Coombes · Nov 22, 2006

Jamesaritchie said:
When a magazine asks for a bio in a cover letter, rather than one for use when the story is published, most editors are really looking for a list of credits, contest wins, workshops attended, type of college degree, etc. They're looking for any straw that tells them you can write.

Maybe... maybe not. Not personally. I go back and check the bio's after I've read, if the story's interesting. It's too soul destroying to read a sparkling bio listing a bunch of credits and workshop attendances followed by a story that's way below par.

A good story shows you can write. A good bio shows you have written.

Cover letter/Bio info?

HeyBooBoo

Sassenach

5 W's & an H

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

Siddow

I'm super! Thanks for asking

HeyBooBoo

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

Jamesaritchie

jchines

Got the hang of it, here

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

billyf027

onerocketgirl

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

johnnysannie

onerocketgirl

scottVee

Mike Coombes

Guru