Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Resubmitting - Cover Letter/Email question

This is topic Resubmitting - Cover Letter/Email question in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by redux (Member # 9277) on :

In March I submitted a short story to a magazine. It got rejected but they said they would be happy to consider more of my work in the future.

I have a new story to send.

My questions are the following:

How should I phrase the cover letter?

Also, should I send it to the general submissions email or should I email the editor who replied to my first story directly?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

-redux

Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :

If they have not given you instructions otherwise, send to the normal submissions email.

Personally, I would not say anything about the "we'd like to see more" on the cover letter, but it's a matter of choice. If they said "we would be happy to see more", then to some extent they are leaving it in your court. If they actually say "please send us something else", then that's really when they are actively asking for a story and in that instance I would say something about "As requested, I am submitting another story for your consideration". I think I've only done that once, and I did sell the story, and thought I'd made a good connection with the editor... and then the magazine changed editors

Posted by JohnColgrove (Member # 9236) on :

This may be just me, but I would phrase the cover letter like the old story never happened. Also probably send it through general submissions.

Posted by redux (Member # 9277) on :

Despite the rejection, the editor took time out to send actual detailed feedback on the first story. Then added this line to the reply: "We would be happy to consider more of your work in the future."

That's why I'm not sure if I should mention anything or just submit "fresh" like JohnColgrove suggested.

EDIT: Scratch that - I might not send anything at all. The story I had in mind is 3161 words and they accept stories up to 3000 words in length. It's only 161 over, but not sure if I really want to cut those or if it would be bad form to submit over the word limit.

[This message has been edited by redux (edited May 06, 2011).]

Posted by Natej11 (Member # 8547) on :

If the editor signed his name then definitely send the new submission specifically to him. You'll have a much better chance of getting it read quickly and with actual interest if you send it to someone rather than just "to whom it may concern."

You could probably even mention his previous message, maybe thank him for his feedback and express that you hope this one is more to his tastes.

I got positive feedback for a submission and was somewhat frustrated that the person giving feedback didn't give their name. It would have made resubmission easier at least :/.

Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :

Nate, I don't know what market you're referring to, but many markets have multiple slush readers and the submitter does not control who any given piece goes to.

By all means "address" a cover letter to an editor by name (that is, in fact, normal practice), but do not try and send to any email other than the normal submissions one unless you have been EXPLICITLY told otherwise (e.g. at IGMS, they have one route for normal subs, one for Boot Camp graduate subs, but there are cases where people are instructed to use the Boot Camper route - this bypasses a stage of slush reading).

Redux - can you name the market? I'm not clear whether detailed feedback is the norm for that market or not (e.g. it is for Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and in my experiences IGMS; it isn't in the majority of other cases).

Posted by redux (Member # 9277) on :

tchernabyelo - The market is AE - The Canadian Science Fiction Review. The feedback I received was from the Editor, D.F. McCourt.

I checked duotrope and they list the following stats:

Rejections: 84.88 % (16.4 avg. days per rejection) | 17.81 % personal, 67.12 % form, 15.07 % unspecified

[This message has been edited by redux (edited May 06, 2011).]

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

What can you say in the cover letter beside "Here's the manuscript"? If you've remembered to enclose it, they already know that...

Posted by izanobu (Member # 9314) on :

just send them a normal submission. When an editor says that, they mean they would like to see more, however, they likely say that to quite a few writers, so unless it is a rewrite request, just treat it like a normal submission.

Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :

Redux - my experience on Duotrope is that the proportion of personal rejections is ususally overstated (many peple think that a boilerplate rejection is actually a personal one) so it looks as if the editor was pretty enthusiasti about your writing, which is a great sign.

Nevertheless, I'd just approach then with the next story as normal. If you also get detailed rejection notes on that, you can give good odds the editor remembers you and really wants you to succeed. If you get a sale, then you can guarantee it! But you may also just get a normal form rejection; it certainly does happen. If so, don't let it get you down. It happens to all of us.

Posted by redux (Member # 9277) on :

I want to thank everyone for their input. I truly appreciate it!