How To Write A Cover Letter

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from ghostwriting clients who are looking to become authors is, how do I write a cover letter? And, since I have now ventured into the world of publishing myself, I felt it necessary to go over the basics of what an acceptable cover letter looks like. 

Even though, what is acceptable and unacceptable to publishers and literary agents changes as frequently as a hygienic person changes their underwear. The one thing, throughout my fifteen year career as a ghostwriter, that has not really changed that much is the cover letter.  This is one of the most crucial elements to presenting yourself as a writer with potential to a publishing editor or literary agent. Much like the strength of your handshake and your appearance at a job interview. It will, and should, tell them in a brief summary everything they need to know about you as a writer and what you are trying to sell through them. Also, your enthusiasm for the project. And last, but not least, why you believe they are the best person or company to sell you and your product. Because when you boil it all down, you and your brainchild are a business with inventory that you are trying to move in large quantities. I know that writing is a form of art that we spend painstaking hours pouring our blood, sweat and tears into, in hopes that people will receive a higher message that will resonate with them on some deeper level. However, at the end of the day, all a publisher or literary agent is going to be concerned with is whether or not it will sell copy. 

So, the first thing you need to do is sell yourself.  The best way to do this is to craft your author bio. This will be similar to what you will see on the back cover of a paperback or in the insert of the dust jacket on a hardback novel. It does not have to be very extensive or detailed. However, it must contain a summary of how you got started and if you have published anything previously. Also, if you have already begun to build some kind of a platform for yourself as an author already before presenting yourself to them, and how many people are following you. This will help to show how passionate you are about yourself as a writer and the craft itself. Plus, showcasing how well your passion connects with an audience. 

The next thing you will need to do is sell your story. Write a short synopsis of what your novel is about, as well as a brief summary of how you believe the story will resonate with an audience. Also, if you have employed beta readers of any kind and their thoughts on your work.

Finally, tell them why you have chosen them specifically. This is the time where you show them you have done your research on them as a company or an agent. Much like what you would do for a job interview, once again. Showing how you have taken interest in them, as well as your knowledge of the industry. Thus, telling the agent or publisher you are serious about moving forward with your career as an author because you took the time to make an informed decision, which ultimately led you to them. Another great way of doing this is to be sure that you address the cover letter to the specific editor or agent you are trying to pitch yourself and your manuscript to. The quickest way to get a rejection before they even look at you right manuscript is to address the letter “To whom it may concern,” or addressing it directly to the company itself. It shows them you did not care enough about yourself to make a good impression, so therefore they should not care that much about you or what you are trying to sell them.

In closing, remember your appearance may capture their attention, but it is your personality that will capture their heart. So above all things you must do when presenting your craft and your passion for it to either a publisher or agent, is be yourself! Allow your unique brand of you to shine through in your cover letter. For it is through honesty that you will truly sell yourself, not only to them, but to your readers.

For more helpful tools like this, as well as exclusive content from our great canon of authors, you can find us on Patreon. www.patreon.com/fortenitepublishing

How To Write A Novel In 14 Days Or Less!

How to Write a Novel in 14 Days or Less is a book on all of the critical fundamentals of writing, as well as the keys to unlocking your own personal process. The tools which will help you become the veritable store of content you desire to be. This book will also help you do some creative soul searching to discover your exact process and what medium of storytelling is most comfortable, as well as effective for you.

On this journey of creative self-discovery, we will go over everything from why you really want to write, what your motivation is, and if writing is your true calling. Or is it just a skill you wish to acquire in hopes of making some extra cash on the side? No matter the answer to these questions, once you have the chance to root out your intentions, we will move on to the next most crucial ingredient to your writing success. What kind of storytelling is best for you? What kind of writer are you? Or, do you indeed see yourself as a writer at all? Perhaps you feel your strengths lie more in editing and shaping. This, in itself, is a skill, helping others to refine and translate their creativity is also a form of storytelling. Maybe you are a more visual story creator, possibly a budding illustrator or graphic novelist. Everyone's creative style is different. These are all things that need to be considered when undertaking an endeavor such as this one. 

For those of you who are more visually inclined, this course will give you the ability to translate your more graphically detailed ideas into polished prose that will assist your readers in creating images of your desired aesthetic in their mind's eye. Which is the Holy Grail of any writing style, am I right?

We will also talk about how avid of a reader you are, how that influences your writing, and why it is essential to the longevity of your career to expand your own reader's palette. When you grow your market, you keep yourself from being pigeon-holed into one niche. The more genres you write in, the bigger your audience.

Moving forward, we will dig into discovering your personal creative process. What gets you in the mood? As well as what will keep you there? Also, finding your signature voice and what you can do to wield these tools to turn yourself into a store of content. So you never have to worry about ever running out of projects again.

Finally, once the foundation of your own process has been uncovered, we will get into the nitty-gritty and what it will take to produce a complete novel in the time the title of this book promises.

I am in no way proposing this to be any magic formula that will create these results overnight. Even though for some, this may be the case, that being said, everyone's learning style is different and unique to them. We all learn at a different pace than others, and this is nothing of which to be ashamed. Remember it is called a process for a reason, because these things do take time. The important thing is that you are doing what it takes to put the tools in place to create the best rhythm of writing for you personally. The method that will help you put the soul into your work craft a plot from your hook, and make all of your freewriting productive.

This comprehensive guide is a peek into how, over the years, I was able to craft my own personal process and harness my creativity to work for me. Hopefully, my sharing this with you will help you to unlock your creative groove and find the method in the madness that is crafting a manuscript. Thus, allowing you to move forward in your writing career, whether you are a pre-published or currently published author. Also, giving you the chance to become the writer you always wanted to be, who can go above and beyond content demand without sacrificing the quality of your story crafting.

Thank you all for taking this creative journey with me! I sincerely hope to see all of your creative dreams come true. I believe in you!

https://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Novel-Days-Less-ebook/dp/B083ZWTX6P/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=how+to+write+a+novel+in+14+days+or+less&qid=1579785579&sr=8-1