When submitting a piece of writing to an agent or publisher, the first sentence of your cover letter has to hook them, else it goes in the recycle bin. How do you captivate an audience given only one line? What will the reader gain from reading your work? Will they learn someone’s dark secrets? Go on an adventure? Learn the ways of the universe? How to cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey? Choose your words wisely, and don’t rush the process.