Cover Letters and Stuff

Writing is a simple thing, on the surface. Come up with a topic and just let the words flow. Have a conversation with yourself, or pretend to be explaining something to someone else.

Writing with a purpose, that's something else entirely.

I'm drafting a cover letter for a QA position at a large games company, and I'm having difficulty even starting. I want to make it clear that I'm familiar with their work, and a fan, but I don't want to seem like every other fan that would just LOVE to work for you guys PLEASE? Being professional is certainly of utmost importance, but there must be just the right dash of personality and wit to grab the interviewer's attention. It's striking this balance that's really giving me issues.

At first I thought of remembering my first experience with their games. "Nah, too fan-letter," I said to myself. I wasn't even going to try all-out professionalism, that's certain to bore anyone. There has to be a quick hook. So now I'm struggling with just how exactly I can be strong yet clever in my opening two sentences.

I already have my game plan down for subtly indicating that I'm familiar with their work, which is to work in several oblique references to their next title. So long as that's in there, I believe my fan status will be recognized, but not so forcefully as to sound like a stalker. And by working the references in more like clues, I hope to win points as an intelligent writer. I mean, my ego thinks I can be, so why not?

Ultimately, I probably shouldn't stress about it too much. I'm pretty sure I can at least make it to the interview step. Getting through that, on the other hand, has always been, and will forever be, my weakness.