A submission letter is a one-page letter that accompanies something you’re sending for consideration, whether that’s a job application, a book manuscript, or an academic paper. The format and content shift depending on the context, but the core purpose is the same: introduce yourself, explain what you’re submitting, and give the recipient a reason to keep reading. Here’s how to write one that works, broken down by the most common situations.
Basic Format and Layout
Regardless of the type of submission, stick to a few universal formatting standards. Keep your letter to one page with a font size between 10 and 12 points. Times New Roman and Arial are both safe choices, though Times New Roman reads as more formal if you’re unsure about the audience. Use block format, where the entire letter is left-justified and single-spaced, with a double space between paragraphs. This is the cleanest, most widely accepted layout for business correspondence.
Include your full contact information at the top: name, phone number, email address, and mailing address if relevant. Address the letter to a specific person whenever possible. If you’re applying for a job and can’t find the hiring manager’s name, “Dear Hiring Manager” is an acceptable fallback. For literary agents and journal editors, you should always use the correct name.
Submission Letters for Job Applications
A job submission letter (often called a cover letter) has three parts: an introduction, a body, and a closing. Each has a specific job to do.
Your opening paragraph should state the position you’re applying for and briefly explain why you’re interested in that specific role at that specific organization. If the listing includes a reference number or job code, mention it here so HR can track your application. In one or two more sentences, preview the main strengths you bring to the role. Think of this paragraph as your thesis statement.
The body takes up two or three paragraphs. This is where you cite specific examples from your experience that show you can do the work. Don’t just restate your resume. Instead, add context and detail that the resume format doesn’t allow. If your resume says you managed a team of eight, your cover letter might explain how you restructured that team’s workflow and what the result was. Connect each example back to a skill or qualification mentioned in the job posting.
Your closing paragraph restates your interest, thanks the reader for their time, and signals that you’re ready for the next step. Keep it to three or four sentences. Don’t introduce new qualifications here.
Query Letters to Literary Agents
If you’re submitting a book manuscript to a literary agent, your submission letter is called a query letter, and the rules are different from a job application. The entire letter should be much shorter than a page, typically no more than three brief paragraphs.
The Hook
Open with two or three sentences that capture the central question or conflict driving your book. This is not a plot summary. You’re trying to create the same pull that back-cover copy does: enough intrigue to make someone want to read more. Don’t try to cover every subplot or character arc. Your synopsis (a separate document you’ll include with your submission) handles the full plot.
Comparative Titles
Agents want to know where your book fits in the market. Mention two comparable titles that are current and commercially successful. Ideally, pick books represented by the agent you’re writing to. Avoid comparing your work to genre-defining classics or massive bestsellers. Saying your novel is “the next Great Gatsby” sets an unreachable bar and signals inexperience. If you genuinely can’t identify good comparison titles, mention one or two of the agent’s existing clients whose work resonates with yours.
Your Bio
Close with a brief note about yourself. Include any relevant publishing credits, professional background that connects to your subject matter, or writing program experience. If you don’t have formal credentials, keep this section short and confident. Agents care far more about the quality of the hook than the length of your bio.
Cover Letters for Academic Journals
Submitting a paper to a scholarly journal requires a cover letter with several specific disclosures that don’t apply in other contexts. The APA’s guidelines for journal submissions outline the key elements, and most journals in other fields expect similar information.
Start with the manuscript title and the full list of authors. Then include these assurances and details:
- Author agreement: Confirm that all authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript content and the order of authorship.
- Corresponding author responsibility: State that the corresponding author will inform all coauthors of editorial decisions, reviewer feedback, and any revisions.
- Simultaneous submissions: Disclose whether any closely related manuscripts have been submitted to the same journal or another journal at the same time.
- Conflicts of interest: Note any funding sources, affiliations, or activities that could be perceived as influencing the research.
- Ethical compliance: Verify that any research involving human participants or animal subjects followed established ethical standards.
- Permissions: Include copies of permissions to reproduce copyrighted material, or note that permissions are pending.
- Masked review: If the journal offers blind peer review and you want it, request it here.
If you’re resubmitting a revised manuscript after a “revise and resubmit” decision, your cover letter takes on an additional role. Include the manuscript number the journal assigned on first submission. Thank the editors and reviewers for their feedback, then outline the specific changes you made (and explain any suggestions you chose not to follow, with your reasoning).
Tailoring Each Letter
The single biggest factor separating effective submission letters from ignored ones is specificity. A generic letter that could be sent to any employer, agent, or journal signals that you haven’t done your homework. For job applications, reference the company’s recent work, its mission, or the specific challenges of the role. For literary agents, mention why you chose this particular agent, perhaps a book they represented that shares a sensibility with yours. For journals, explain briefly why your paper is a good fit for that publication’s scope and readership.
This doesn’t mean rewriting from scratch every time. Build a strong template for each type of submission, then customize the opening paragraph and any references to the recipient for each new letter. The body paragraphs, where you describe your qualifications or your manuscript, will need lighter editing between versions.
Polishing Before You Send
Typos, grammar errors, and stray punctuation create an immediate negative impression. They suggest a lack of effort, and editors, agents, and hiring managers notice them before they notice anything else. Read your letter aloud to catch awkward phrasing, then run it through a spelling and grammar check as a safety net.
Watch for wordiness. If you can say something in 10 words, don’t use 50. Replace phrases like “in order to” with “to.” Cut adverb pileups like “very quickly” down to a single precise word. Vary your sentence length so the letter has rhythm rather than reading like a wall of identically structured statements.
Finally, check that every claim you make is accurate. In a job cover letter, don’t inflate dates or titles that conflict with your resume. In a journal cover letter, make sure your author list and ethical disclosures match the manuscript. In a query letter, make sure your comparative titles are actually represented by the agent you’re writing to before you name-drop them. Small inconsistencies erode trust fast.