Free tool
Cover Letter Autopsy
A cover letter can't get you accepted. It can get you read with a frown. Editors want three things: your name, the word count, and a short bio. Everything else is a chance to hurt yourself. Paste yours below.
Your letter
75 words · 6 sentences
Report
Length75 words
Short enough to be read in full.
Addressed by nameno
Look up the fiction or poetry editor on the masthead. 'Dear Editor' reads as a mass mailing.
Word count statedno
State it plainly: 'my story, “Title” (3,400 words)'.
Plot summaryfound
The story should speak for itself. Most magazine guidelines ask you not to summarize.
Apologiesfound
No publications? Say nothing. Absence is neutral; apology isn't.
Hedges5
“just”, “i think”, “i believe”, “i feel”, “humbly”
Self-praise5
“amazing”, “masterpiece”, “perfect fit”, “page-turner”, “readers will love”
Sentences starting with “I”50%
A column of I's down the margin. Lead with the work.