Embarking on your job search, you've likely discovered that a persuasive writer cover letter is as crucial as your resume. This isn't a place to simply rehash your past positions; it's your chance to captivate with a compelling narrative about your crowning professional achievement. Crafting a formal yet original letter free from tired clichés can feel daunting—and all within the confines of one page. Let's unravel this challenge and make your cover letter stand out.
- Write a writer cover letter that helps you stand out (and get the job);
- Understand how to start and end your writer cover letter with the appropriate greeting;
- What to include in the body of your writer cover letter to put your best foot forward;
- Your most important achievements - how to present them as part of your writer cover letter.
And if you want to make your life even easier, simply drag and drop your writer resume into Enhancv's AI cover letter generator, and it will write your cover letter for you in just a few moments.
If the writer isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Writer cover letter example
Isabella Adams
Austin, Texas
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Alignment with role-specific requirements: Mentioning the experience with transforming career documents demonstrates clear relevance to the role at hand, which is essential in any cover letter.
- Quantifiable achievements: The cover letter effectively uses quantitative data (a 40% increase in client interview rates) to illustrate the candidate's previous success and impact, which adds credibility and conveys value.
- Knowledge of industry tools and trends: The reference to in-depth knowledge of ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) conveys a strong understanding of an essential tool in the career services industry, showing the applicant's technical competency.
- Evidence of problem-solving and innovation: Describing the development of an innovative resume optimization technique showcases the candidate's ability to innovate and adapt to the market's needs—key aspects for a role focused on career strategy and advisory.
Structuring and formatting your writer cover letter
Here's what the structure of your writer cover letter should include:
- Header (with your name, the position you're applying for, and the date);
- Salutation (or greeting);
- Introductory paragraph (or your opening statement);
- Body paragraph (or further proof of your experience);
- Closing paragraph (with a call to action);
- Signature (that is optional).
Use the same font for your writer resume and cover letter - modern fonts like Lato and Rubik would help you stand out.
Your writer cover letter should be single-spaced and have a one-inch margins - this format is automatically set up in our cover letter templates and our cover letter builder.
When submitting your cover letter, always ensure it's in PDF, as this format keeps the information intact (and the quality of your document stays the same).
On one final note - the Applicant Tracker System (ATS or the software that is sometimes used to initially assess your application) won't read your writer cover letter.
The top sections on a writer cover letter
- Header: Include your contact information, date, and the recipient's details to establish professionalism and make it easy for the recruiter to contact you.
- Opening Greeting: Address the hiring manager by name whenever possible to personalize the cover letter and demonstrate attention to detail.
- Introduction: Briefly mention your writing background and the type of writing you specialize in (e.g., fiction, technical, copywriting) to quickly align your experience with the role they are looking to fill.
- Body: Highlight specific writing projects or experiences, showcase your understanding of the industry, and express how your distinctive voice or expertise can be an asset to the company.
- Closing: Express your enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to their team, include a call to action such as inviting them to read your writing samples or portfolio, and thank them for considering your application.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Strong writing skills: Recruiters look for demonstrated proficiency in writing compelling, concise, and grammatically correct content.
- Creativity and originality: A unique voice or perspective can make a writer stand out, showing recruiters the candidate's ability to generate fresh ideas.
- Adaptability: Writers must often adjust their style to fit different genres, formats, or publication guidelines, and recruiters value flexibility.
- Attention to detail: Quality writing demands meticulousness in research, fact-checking, and editing, which is critical for creating credible and polished work.
- Portfolio of work: A collection of published pieces or writing samples allows recruiters to assess competence and versatility in the candidate's writing.
- Time management: Writers frequently juggle multiple projects with varying deadlines; the ability to manage time effectively is a trait recruiters seek to ensure productivity and reliability.
The writer cover letter salutation: how to address hiring managers
After covering the format of your writer cover letter, let's look at the salutation.
Back in the day, the cordial "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam", might have worked out fine.
But, nowadays, your cover letter should approach hiring managers on a more personal basis.
So, what to do about your cover letter salutation?
If you've messaged the recruiters and are on a first name basis or a more formal one, use the hiring manager's name in the greeting (e.g. "Dear Sophie," "Dear Ms. Givens", or "Dear Mr. Everett,").
Always aim to make the effort to find out the name of the hiring manager, who'd be assessing your application. Search on LinkedIn, double-check the advert on the corporate website, or message the brand on social media to find out more about the role.
If you can't find the hiring manager's name (and still want to sound professional), use "Dear HR Team,", "Dear Hiring Manager,", or the likes.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Specific Name of the Recipient],
- Dear [Job Title],
- Dear Members of the [Department or Team Name],
- Dear [Mr./Ms./Dr. Last Name],
- Dear Search Committee,
What to include in those first two sentences, or your writer cover letter introduction
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to present your profile in the writer cover letter introduction?
There's no right or wrong answer if you're being concise and authentic to yourself.
Some professionals start their writer cover letter by:
- congratulating the company - focusing on something impressive, whether that's an award, an industry-leading project, or a key event;
- aligning their passion for the field or industry with the job - if you're enthusiastic about what you do, you'd thus grow your skill set and value as a professional.
How to write an achievement-focused writer cover letter body
We've got the intro and greeting covered. Now, comes the most definitive part of your writer cover letter - the body.
In the next three to six paragraphs, you'd have to answer why should recruiters hire you.
What better way to do this than by storytelling?
And, no, you don't need a "Once upon a time" or "I started from the bottom and made it to the top" career-climbing format to tell a compelling narrative.
Instead, select up to three most relevant skills for the job and look back on your resume.
Find an achievement, that you're proud of, which has taught you these three job-crucial skills.
Quantify your accomplishment, using metrics, and be succinct in the way you describe it.
The ultimate aim would be to show recruiters how this particular success has built up your experience to become an invaluable candidate.
Ending your writer cover letter to avoid "Sincerely yours"
Yes, this sort of closing statement may work best before your signature.
But you want to give recruiters something more with your writer cover letter ending.
Some professionals choose to go down the path of promises. In a single sentence, they map out what they'd bring about to the role (whether that's a particular technical skill set or personal traits).
Others, decide to be more concrete by thanking recruiters for their time and prompting for their next interview.
Whatever path you choose, remember to always be polite and respectful of the opportunity you've had. Good manners go a long way.
What to write on your writer cover letter, when you have zero experience
The best advice for candidates, writing their writer cover letters with no experience, is this - be honest.
If you have no past professional roles in your portfolio, focus recruiters' attention on your strengths - like your unique, transferrable skill set (gained as a result of your whole life), backed up by one key achievement.
Or, maybe you dream big and have huge motivation to join the company. Use your writer cover letter to describe your career ambition - that one that keeps you up at night, dreaming about your future.
Finally, always ensure you've answered why employers should hire precisely you and how your skills would benefit their organization.
Key takeaways
Winning recruiters over shouldn't be difficult if you use your writer cover letter to tell a story that:
- Is personalized by greeting your readers and focusing on key job skills greets;
- Isn't spread all over the place, but instead focuses on one key achievement and selling your value as a professional;
- Introduces your enthusiasm for the role, passion for the job, or creativity in communication;
- Is also visually appealing - meeting the best HR practices;
- Ends with a nod to the future and how you envision your growth, as part of the company.
Writer cover letter examples
Explore additional writer cover letter samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
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