Thanks for offering this, Rachel! My cover letter is a bit different because it's for a writing residency instead of a magazine submission. Here's what they ask for:
*Cover letter*: A letter that introduces your writing; provides a description of the specific project you will undertake during your stay; and explains why you want to participate in this residency and how this residency will help advance your writing career
Here's what I've got:
Thank you for the opportunity to apply to the Atticus Hotel Artist in Residency program. My life is bounded by motherhood and poetry. My days are given over to educating my children and creating space for them to pursue their own art. But mornings are for poetry. The work of those quiet mornings is beginning to bear fruit.
The opportunity to deepen my connection to communities in the Willamette Valley comes at the perfect time. My first full length poetry collection, called The Fixed Hours, is forthcoming from Fernwood Press, located in Newburg. The book is anchored by poems about the English mystic Julian of Norwich.
In October 2023 my first chapbook was published by Bottlecap Press. The poems of Elemental are rooted in the natural world and the changing seasons. The poems are in conversation with both haiku and Imagist traditions. These compact poems show that transformation happens within the daily rounds of waking and sleeping, eating and caring.
In January 2024 my second chapbook was published by tiny wren lit. Every Broken Year is a beautifully produced micro chapbook. These persona poems retell the myth of Demeter and Persephone, imaging more agency for the characters even in the midst of unasked for changes.
Former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser said that if he had 12 new poems at the end of the year, he considered it a good year. For many years I too worked to finish 12 poems a year. I’ve decided to try to push beyond this goal. In 2024 I began the 52 x 52 project, looking to complete 52 new poems before I turn 52 in 2026. Time away from the daily round of responsibilities with space to explore, rest, dream, and write at the Atticus Hotel would be a boon to this project. Again, thank you for creating this vibrant space and for supporting writers.
I love what you have so far, Kortney! While I’m not a residency cover letter expert, I’m happy to offer a thoughtful read and some suggestions.
I always start with audience. Communicating about your writing outside of the writing itsels means remembering your audience and what you're aiming to persuade them to do. In the case of a residency application, the goal is to provide the selection committee with a clear understanding of who you are as a writer and why you are a great fit for their program. Your task is to persuade them to say "yes" and invite you to the residency.
Residency Audience: Selection committees or residency coordinators.
Purpose: To demonstrate your suitability for the residency, show how your work aligns with their program, and explain how the residency will support your creative goals.
Strategy: Highlight your current projects, explain how the residency’s environment will benefit your work, and show a clear understanding of the residency’s mission and resources.
(In contrast, cover letters for literary magazines target editors or readers who are looking for content that fits their publication. The purpose is to introduce your submitted work, show that you're intentionally submitting to the right place, and indicate that you’re easy to work with.)
So...to persuade the committee that you’re a good fit for the residency, here are some possible tweaks:
1. Introduction: Include a concise statement about your writing practice and how the residency aligns with your goals. This approach helps set the context for the rest of the letter, similar to how you would indicate intentionality in a lit mag cover letter.
Example:
Thank you for considering my application for the Atticus Hotel Artist in Residency program. I am excited about the possibility of contributing to and benefiting from the vibrant community you’ve cultivated.
My life is deeply intertwined with motherhood and poetry. While my days are dedicated to nurturing my children and their artistic pursuits, my mornings are reserved for my own creative work. This residency offers a unique opportunity to deepen my engagement with my current projects and expand my creative practice in a supportive environment.
2. Summary of Achievements and Projects: Emphasize the relevance of your recent achievements and current projects to the residency. This ensures that your accomplishments are clearly linked to how the residency will support and enhance your work. Explicitly state why the Atticus Hotel residency is ideal for your current project and how it will help advance your goals.
Example:
My first full-length poetry collection, The Fixed Hours, forthcoming from Fernwood Press in Newburg, is centered on the English mystic Julian of Norwich. This collection represents a significant milestone in my career and reflects my ongoing exploration of spiritual and historical themes in poetry.
Additionally, my recent chapbooks, Elemental (Bottlecap Press, October 2023) and Every Broken Year (tiny wren lit, January 2024), explore themes of nature and myth through haiku, Imagist traditions, and persona poems. Elemental engages with the changing seasons and the natural world, while Every Broken Year reimagines the myth of Demeter and Persephone, offering new perspectives on these ancient narratives.
Currently, I am undertaking the 52 x 52 project, aiming to write 52 new poems before I turn 52 in 2026. This ambitious goal represents a significant push in my creative practice, and time away from my daily responsibilities to focus on writing, rest, and reflection would greatly enhance this project. The Atticus Hotel residency’s inspiring environment and resources are perfectly suited to support and advance my work.
4. Opening Address: Like all cover letters, directly addressing the right people in your opening is a great way to set the tone.
Your achievements, by the way, are brilliant and it seems to me they'd be very lucky to have you.
Well done on putting this together and good luck with your application!
WOW! Thank you so much for the attention you gave my words. I am printing out your notes right now so that I can incorporate them. I know my submission will be stronger because of your careful work.
Thanks for offering this, Rachel! My cover letter is a bit different because it's for a writing residency instead of a magazine submission. Here's what they ask for:
*Cover letter*: A letter that introduces your writing; provides a description of the specific project you will undertake during your stay; and explains why you want to participate in this residency and how this residency will help advance your writing career
Here's what I've got:
Thank you for the opportunity to apply to the Atticus Hotel Artist in Residency program. My life is bounded by motherhood and poetry. My days are given over to educating my children and creating space for them to pursue their own art. But mornings are for poetry. The work of those quiet mornings is beginning to bear fruit.
The opportunity to deepen my connection to communities in the Willamette Valley comes at the perfect time. My first full length poetry collection, called The Fixed Hours, is forthcoming from Fernwood Press, located in Newburg. The book is anchored by poems about the English mystic Julian of Norwich.
In October 2023 my first chapbook was published by Bottlecap Press. The poems of Elemental are rooted in the natural world and the changing seasons. The poems are in conversation with both haiku and Imagist traditions. These compact poems show that transformation happens within the daily rounds of waking and sleeping, eating and caring.
In January 2024 my second chapbook was published by tiny wren lit. Every Broken Year is a beautifully produced micro chapbook. These persona poems retell the myth of Demeter and Persephone, imaging more agency for the characters even in the midst of unasked for changes.
Former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser said that if he had 12 new poems at the end of the year, he considered it a good year. For many years I too worked to finish 12 poems a year. I’ve decided to try to push beyond this goal. In 2024 I began the 52 x 52 project, looking to complete 52 new poems before I turn 52 in 2026. Time away from the daily round of responsibilities with space to explore, rest, dream, and write at the Atticus Hotel would be a boon to this project. Again, thank you for creating this vibrant space and for supporting writers.
I love what you have so far, Kortney! While I’m not a residency cover letter expert, I’m happy to offer a thoughtful read and some suggestions.
I always start with audience. Communicating about your writing outside of the writing itsels means remembering your audience and what you're aiming to persuade them to do. In the case of a residency application, the goal is to provide the selection committee with a clear understanding of who you are as a writer and why you are a great fit for their program. Your task is to persuade them to say "yes" and invite you to the residency.
Residency Audience: Selection committees or residency coordinators.
Purpose: To demonstrate your suitability for the residency, show how your work aligns with their program, and explain how the residency will support your creative goals.
Strategy: Highlight your current projects, explain how the residency’s environment will benefit your work, and show a clear understanding of the residency’s mission and resources.
(In contrast, cover letters for literary magazines target editors or readers who are looking for content that fits their publication. The purpose is to introduce your submitted work, show that you're intentionally submitting to the right place, and indicate that you’re easy to work with.)
So...to persuade the committee that you’re a good fit for the residency, here are some possible tweaks:
1. Introduction: Include a concise statement about your writing practice and how the residency aligns with your goals. This approach helps set the context for the rest of the letter, similar to how you would indicate intentionality in a lit mag cover letter.
Example:
Thank you for considering my application for the Atticus Hotel Artist in Residency program. I am excited about the possibility of contributing to and benefiting from the vibrant community you’ve cultivated.
My life is deeply intertwined with motherhood and poetry. While my days are dedicated to nurturing my children and their artistic pursuits, my mornings are reserved for my own creative work. This residency offers a unique opportunity to deepen my engagement with my current projects and expand my creative practice in a supportive environment.
2. Summary of Achievements and Projects: Emphasize the relevance of your recent achievements and current projects to the residency. This ensures that your accomplishments are clearly linked to how the residency will support and enhance your work. Explicitly state why the Atticus Hotel residency is ideal for your current project and how it will help advance your goals.
Example:
My first full-length poetry collection, The Fixed Hours, forthcoming from Fernwood Press in Newburg, is centered on the English mystic Julian of Norwich. This collection represents a significant milestone in my career and reflects my ongoing exploration of spiritual and historical themes in poetry.
Additionally, my recent chapbooks, Elemental (Bottlecap Press, October 2023) and Every Broken Year (tiny wren lit, January 2024), explore themes of nature and myth through haiku, Imagist traditions, and persona poems. Elemental engages with the changing seasons and the natural world, while Every Broken Year reimagines the myth of Demeter and Persephone, offering new perspectives on these ancient narratives.
Currently, I am undertaking the 52 x 52 project, aiming to write 52 new poems before I turn 52 in 2026. This ambitious goal represents a significant push in my creative practice, and time away from my daily responsibilities to focus on writing, rest, and reflection would greatly enhance this project. The Atticus Hotel residency’s inspiring environment and resources are perfectly suited to support and advance my work.
4. Opening Address: Like all cover letters, directly addressing the right people in your opening is a great way to set the tone.
Your achievements, by the way, are brilliant and it seems to me they'd be very lucky to have you.
Well done on putting this together and good luck with your application!
Anyone with more relevant experience reading residency applications is welcome to chime in on this one, too.
And thanks too for the super quick turn around time! Thoughtful, professional, timely.
WOW! Thank you so much for the attention you gave my words. I am printing out your notes right now so that I can incorporate them. I know my submission will be stronger because of your careful work.
You are amazing! Let them know it. And HUGE congratulations on taking this step to apply. Good luck, Kortney.
Thank you so much for trusting me here and this space. I know you mentioned it's nerve wracking, which I completely understand.