Cover Letter Clinic Day 7
Please bear with me today - my cable keeps going. Again. I’m going to post as fast as I can so I can get some work done before it goes again.
The person who sent in today’s letter actually sent in two, but I’m going to only post one at a time to keep things less confusing. People are still sending in letters, so don’t think there’s a cut off. I’ll keep this going as long as you like. Though I think I’m going to mix it up a bit only do the clinics a couple of times a week after this week.
Dear [Insert Name]:
I am a professional freelance writer/editor with 10+ years experience in both print and online media. My work has appeared in numerous publications, including [Insert Names of Relevant Magazines and Websites].
My published articles have focused on many different topics, including [Insert Topics Related To Specific Job]. I recently published [Insert Specific Related Example].
You’ll receive original, quality work from me that’s written to fit the style and tone of your publication. My assignments are always delivered on deadline, so you’re assured of timely material.
Samples of my work are attached for your review, and additional clips can be viewed at www.mywebsiteURL.com.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
My Name
Here it is. A career in a nutshell. This writer has the gift of brevity. This is what I’m talking about when I mention a few short paragraphs. I’m intrigued and it makes me want to move on to the resume or website. When I get inundated with cover letters and resumes, I want to read one like this. It tells me everything I need to know at a glance without my eyes glazing over.
Be careful when listing clients and areas of expretise - you don’t want it to go on forever. List a few noteables, but don’t run down the entire resume. This writer did note that she adjusts this letter to suit each client so examples are tailored for each. There’s no need to go into too much detail, -If this information is included at the website and/or writer’s resume, there’s really no need to list it all.
This writer also gives a little hint of what’s in store for the client - timely material, quality work - I do wish she’d touch a little more on how much the client will benefit, however. That would be my biggest criticism - I’d like a little more about how the client can benefit from hiring you. Timely material is great, but lots of writers deliver that - what makes you the best person for MY business and why.
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Thursday, October 25th, 2007 at 1:04 am under
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October 25th, 2007 at 1:04 amtesting….
October 25th, 2007 at 1:06 amMaybe no one’s leaving comments because there just isn’t anything to say.
It’s a pretty good cover letter.
I have only two minor things to say about it. The first is that the letter seems a little (or maybe more than a little) general; I’d tailor at least a sentence or two to the specific job or company being targeted. Also, I don’t think the writer needs to mention that the work s/he produces is “original.” I know not everyone’s is, but we would all like to at least hope….
October 25th, 2007 at 1:23 amI think the writer is quite skilled in creating cover letters that aim to catch the recruiter’s eye.
I do agree with adjusting the letter to suit each company’s needs, even if it is only a minor adjustment it shows you have a dynamic approach and are aware of what each company is looking for in a writer/editor.
I did feel it needed livening up a little though, may be by adding a work related accomplishment or a statement proving your ability to meet strict timelines.
May be you have been commended for your timely approach or had an increase in work load due to your strong work ethic. Perhaps you were given an important project to write and edit over other writers… these are just examples.
October 25th, 2007 at 2:45 amJust wanted to add, if you’re not listing too many publications you could tell the reader how big the magazine was by way of circulation (if it matches the one you are applying to), or if it was a leading magazine(s), etc.
October 25th, 2007 at 2:55 amI agree with what others have said - the person indicates that they’ll write to fit the style of the publication - a sentence or two indicating that she’s familiar with the style would be a plus (though maybe she’s responding to one of those annoying ads with very little details about the biz).
A brief rant of the day on that one - why is it that companies or even individuals think they can expect you to share personal info and yet not provide any info in return to allow you to gauge if theirs is a legitimate biz.
October 25th, 2007 at 3:51 amDiane,
On the ones you mention, I usually ask for more information (I do give a little of my own), telling them I want to see if it’s a good fit.
If they don’t provide it, they’re likely to be a problem client anyway. Who needs that?
October 25th, 2007 at 3:56 amI like this cover letter, but I think it’s much harder to write a letter along these lines when you’ve only recently become a freelancer.
Please offer some suggestions in future clinics for those of us just starting out.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:36 amI liked this cover letter too. I’m more for a brief overview when looking over a cover letter.
October 25th, 2007 at 12:55 pmThese are getting really, really boring. If a writer can’t write their own damn cover letter, how in God’s name are they going to write decent material for a client. I understand that this is all lovey dovey ‘let’s help everyone’ rubbish here, but the fact is, people who are too dense to write a good cover letter have no business being writers. There are enough half witted, unqualified, and untalented “writers” out there as it is, do we really need to hand hold them so that they can more effectively screw up potential job offers for others who can write, but simply get lost in the rush?
I write this as a professional writer who has also written for major print publications as well as many, many websites. I like this blog not because of the job postings, but because you Deb, used to have more to say about things. Now it’s all about how the writer should have said more about how they can better serve the company or person they want to write for. Blah blah, move it along. It’s very boring filler.
October 25th, 2007 at 3:04 pmRequired brings up an interesting point: One would think that a good writer would be able to write a knock-out cover letter.
This clinic is valuable for those writers who are not comfortable with marketing themselves; those of us who stammer through job interviews.
Many writers can produce outstanding content and concise, informative articles and still not be able to write well about themselves.
October 25th, 2007 at 6:30 pmWell said Tammi.
I liked the letter (I noticed that the author mentioned s/he tailors each letter where possible).
As a new freelancer, I appreciate seeing other, more experienced writers have their query letters critiqued (since I’m not yet brave enough to offer up my own
Agreeing with a previous poster, I too would love to see more information about how to get comfortable with self-marketing (it eventually gets easier, right?).
October 25th, 2007 at 6:54 pmHey, ‘Required?’! I’ve got a few responses to your little rant. First of all, who’s forcing you to read all the cover letters Deb chooses to post? That’s right–no one. If you’re bored, then spend your time somewhere else.
Despite your self-serving attitude, the “‘let’s help everyone’ rubbish” you mention IS actually helping people. I personally agree with you in that there are way too many unqualified writers out there, but I also firmly believe that it’s sometimes impossible to judge someone’s writing skills based solely on his or her cover letter. However, that’s often the way it has to be, and some very talented fiction writers or features writers or creative writers or bloggers or ANY kind of writers, really, have trouble with cover letters. Your thought that a writer who can’t craft a good cover letter also wouldn’t do well on an assignment is akin to thinking that a bestselling romance novelist should be able to do technical writing or grant writing just as successfully. It’s ridiculous. Being “dense” or being brilliant has nothing to do with writing a good cover letter. It’s a skill that needs to be taught and it takes practice, regardless of intelligence level.
Deb has said herself that she’s going to be mixing up the blog content in the near future and posting cover letters at greater intervals, so don’t despair. Your rich intellectual food for thought should be returning soon. In the meantime, though, you might want to pick up a grammar book. Did you know that most questions beginning with “how” end with a question mark?
October 25th, 2007 at 10:40 pmI enjoyed this cover letter because it was brief and said the writer was interested and talented, but without being arrogant or too wordy.
I am learning more about cover letters because of this clinic. While it was getting a bit “boring” only seeing the cover letters, I do hope to see more every several days for a while.
It is impossible to know EVERYTHING, even for the best writers. Some writers are experts in a field, but lack in others (such as marketing themselves), just as every occupation has.
Maybe if Required? spent less time making rude comments on blogs and concentrate on marketing properly then he (or she) might not get “lost in the rush”.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:46 am