Covering letter

Well, after many eons of finishing the pilot of my sitcom, deciding to keep that back and instead write (and send off) episode 2, then abandoning that and starting episode 3, then realising the plot was tripe and going back to complete episode 2 (still with me?), I'm FINALLY ready to send my baby off into the world.

However...

how the hell do I constuct the covering letter? I feel a bit stupid here - I've spent months and months pouring effort into my script, and am pretty happy with it, yet have got a total mental block with the covering letter. From what I've read, how it's worded can sometimes mean the difference between your script being considered and being rejected instantly. I don't really want to leg myself up at this stage.

So, does anyone have any experience in this matter? Any definate no-nos (or indeed, any yes-yes's?) I'd be very grateful for any advice at all.
Cheers

It took me hours to perfect my covering letter, until finally I got it perfect. Hope that helps.

This pretty much covers it:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/screenwriting/query_quandary.htm

Quote: Simon Stratton @ July 29 2008, 11:38 AM BST

I'd have to say the covering letter was pretty important about how keen I was to read a script. If it had a looog detailed description of the sitcom and its characters, I would be bored and thinking 'surely the script should speak for itself?'
If it started with one or two lines - this is a sitcom about..., and then straight into a list of the writer's acheivements, I'd be impressed and excited about reading the script. The better covering letters were about the author's writing CV rather than expositions about the script that usually just killed it.

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Find out who you're sending it to, address it personally. Tell them why you're impressed by their company in a non-patronising, non-crawling way.

Don't send it off with 6p too little postage *sob*. Why God, why?

I guess you've got your info and buggered off. Bloody part-time posters.

Quote: Simon Stratton @ August 22 2008, 8:57 PM BST

I guess you've got your info and buggered off. Bloody part-time posters.

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Simon, your boredom shows. Cover up, please!

I know, I should be writing. But I'm off out in a min and then who'll abuse the new peeps? Nobody, that's who.

Off out? In Cardiff? Watch yourself, my lad. I've seen documentaries.

Thought he was in Bristol, or was he lying?

No, Nil, you're the one in Bristol.

My memory started going at 35, too.

I'm from Bristol. God, I hope we're not related...

Bound to be.

It's not my age that's affected my memory but years of naughty stuff.

I'm not sure everyone in Bristol is related. It's not Norfolk.

Where you off to Simon. *lays out stalkers map on floor*

He might know my brotherdadauntnan David Stratton.

Quote: Nil Putters @ August 22 2008, 9:27 PM BST

It's not my age that's affected my memory but years of naughty stuff.

I'm not sure everyone in Bristol is related. It's not Norfolk.

Where you off to Simon. *lays out stalkers map on floor*

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Cardiff.

Go back far enough and your family trees will probably link up.