A poetry cover letter is the short note that goes with your poems when you submit them to a literary magazine. It’s much shorter than a job-application cover letter, and it does far less work. Editors read your poems to decide. The letter’s job is to be polite, accurate, and out of the way.
Here’s what to include, what to leave out, and examples you can adapt.
What a poetry cover letter includes
A good cover letter has four parts and usually runs under 150 words:
- A greeting. Use the editor’s name if the masthead lists the poetry editor. Otherwise “Dear Editors” or “Dear Poetry Editors” is fine.
- What you’re sending. The titles of your poems, in the order they appear in your file.
- A short bio. Two or three sentences, written in the third person, that the magazine could print as-is if it accepts your work.
- A thank-you and any required notes. For example, a line saying the poems are a simultaneous submission, if the guidelines ask you to say so.
That’s it. Many submission forms, like Submittable, have a “cover letter” box. Paste your letter there instead of attaching a separate file, unless the guidelines say otherwise.
What to leave out
- Explanations of your poems. Let the poems speak for themselves.
- Praise for your own work (“I think you’ll find these poems powerful”).
- Long lists. If you have many publications, pick two or three.
- Apologies (“I know I’m not very experienced, but…”).
- Personal details that don’t belong in a bio, like your age, unless the call is for a specific age group.
- Anything that breaks blind reading. If the magazine reads anonymously, the cover letter is usually kept separate from the poems. Never put your name in the poem file when guidelines ask you not to.
A simple template
Dear [Editor’s name / Poetry Editors],
Please consider my poems “[Title One],” “[Title Two],” and “[Title Three]” for [Magazine Name]. [Optional: These poems are a simultaneous submission, and I’ll withdraw them promptly if they’re accepted elsewhere.]
[Your Name] is a poet from [place]. [One sentence about publications, if any.] [One sentence about something true and specific: your job, a project, or where you live.]
Thank you for your time and for reading.
[Your Name]
[Email]
Example 1: A first-time poet with no publications
Many poets search for “poetry cover letter no experience.” The good news is that it doesn’t matter much. Editors read new poets all the time, and some magazines especially want to publish first-time writers. You don’t need to mention that you’ve never been published; just write a plain, honest bio.
Dear Poetry Editors,
Please consider my poems “[Salt Year],” “[What the Field Kept],” and “[Inventory for a Small Kitchen]” for [Magazine Name].
[Your Name] lives in [city], where they work as a [job]. They write mostly about [subject].
Thank you for reading.
[Your Name]
[Email]
If you’d like company, Emily Dickinson made a whole poem out of having no public name: “I’m Nobody! Who are you?”
Example 2: A poet with a few publications
Dear [Editor’s name],
I’m pleased to submit three poems for your consideration: “[Title One],” “[Title Two],” and “[Title Three].” This is a simultaneous submission. I’ll withdraw any poem right away if it’s accepted elsewhere.
[Your Name]’s poems have appeared in [Journal A], [Journal B], and [Journal C]. They teach [subject] in [place].
Thank you for your time.
[Your Name]
[Email]
You can add one genuine sentence about the magazine, like a poem you admired in a recent issue. Keep it specific and true. Skip it if you’d be guessing.
Example 3: A contest or chapbook entry
Contests often read blind and may not want a letter at all, just an entry form. If they ask for one, keep it even shorter:
Dear [Contest Name] Judges,
Please find my manuscript, “[Manuscript Title],” attached for the [Prize Name]. The manuscript is [number] pages, and my name has been removed from the file as requested.
Thank you for reading.
[Your Name]
[Email]
Before you pay any entry fee, check the rules on eligibility, page count, and whether simultaneous submissions are allowed. Our guide to free vs. paid poetry contests covers how to decide which fees are worth it.
How to write your bio
Your bio is the part of the letter most likely to be printed, so it’s worth a few minutes.
- Use the third person. “Jordan writes…” rather than “I write…” Many magazines print bios as written, and Poetry Catalog’s submission form asks for a third-person bio too.
- Keep it to 50–100 words, or follow the magazine’s limit exactly.
- Lead with what’s true and specific. Where you live, what you do, what you write about.
- List publications sparingly. Two or three, the most recent or the best known.
- Include a website or social handle only if the guidelines invite it.
Common questions
Should I address the editor by name?
Yes, if you can find the poetry editor on the masthead. If not, “Dear Editors” is perfectly professional. Don’t use “To whom it may concern.”
Do I mention simultaneous submissions?
Only if the guidelines ask you to, or if you want to be extra clear. Either way, withdraw promptly if a poem is taken elsewhere. Our step-by-step guide on how to submit poetry explains simultaneous submissions in more detail.
Should I attach the cover letter as a file?
Usually no. Paste it into the form’s cover-letter field. If you’re submitting by email, put the letter in the body of the email and attach the poems as one file, unless the guidelines say otherwise.
Does a great cover letter get poems accepted?
No, and a plain one won’t get them rejected. A careless one, though, like the wrong magazine’s name or an ignored guideline, can make an editor read your poems less generously.
How do I write a cover letter for a magazine that reads blind?
Write it as usual. The submission system keeps it separate from your poems, and the editors see it after the reading or not at all. Just make sure your name isn’t in the poem file.
Ready to send?
Once your letter is ready, find a home for your poems. The Poetry Submission Deadlines Calendar lists contests and open calls for this month and next, each marked Fee or No Fee.
Get new deadline pages as soon as they’re published: subscribe to the Poetry Catalog newsletter at poetrycatalog.substack.com.