So for our mag specifically, we really only enjoy reading the cover letters to feel a bit more connected to the writers who submit That said (I'll let you all in on a secret), we have plenty of submitters who don't send a cover letter at all and it doesn't actually affect their submission in the slightest (i.e., we never factor in the cover letter when we send an acceptance or rejection, and have accepted tons of work that didn't have a cover letter)