Every author who wants to sell their work will be required to craft either a query or cover letter at some point in their career. This is frequently a requirement for submission to a magazine or contest.

Some authors despise that process so much that they go indie, thinking they won’t have to leap that hurdle, only to find there is no escaping it.

Writing queries and cover letters can be an inconvenience if you don’t know what is expected or what you should include.

I’ve attended several seminars on the subject and have written many of them. The best place I have found with a simple description of what your query letter should look like is at the NY Book Editors website.

Boiled down, what they tell you is this:

1. If you are mailing it or submitting a cover/query letter as a separate document, be formal:

• Your address at…