Nice definitive answer, Thanks!

When you're reading lots of submissions, you want a concise, businesslike cover letter. Especially with fiction, what matters most is the actual manuscript.

Also, you don't want the agent to go into the manuscript attuned to the fact that you said there's no big datadump in the first 30 pages because then they'll be looking for it and anything that remotely smells like it will work against you.

Thanks.

Short story submitted. This is a small miracle.

Honestly folks, I've spent a good chunk of my life writing copy I didn't care one way or the other about, and another good chunk smiling away at this teacher and that neighbor who asked when I was going to write a book, and until this fall, I hadn't produced anything closely resembling a complete, crafted, readable story I'd call mine. Thousands of drafts, yes. Lots of starts, a whole stack of notes, and so very many articles for other people. So yes, I care that my work gets published, and hope that it will. But right now, I'm pretty grateful to get this far. And you guys are part of the reason. So I'll take an opportunity to be grateful now, because this is something - it's a start.

Gud, -t, and tommyrot, thanks for the reads this time around and all the comments. Thanks to Amy. Thanks to Raq.

Congrats on getting it off, Sox!

First query letter sent. Concise, formal, and straightforward.

Good job, guys!

Good job to both of you!

Good job, you folks!