How to Create a Winning Submission
Things to Remember When Submitting a Manuscript
© MD Weems
Sep 23, 2007
After working for a long time on that literary piece, it is finally completed. It sits there on the desk, fully edited, primped, printed, and ready to send out. Next step, the writer searches the internet for publishers that print titles that are similar to the one that they have written, copies down the information, and gets ready to send the work out, assuming that all they need is a complete manuscript, a submission letter, and that's it. But, this couldn't be farther from the truth.
In the publishing world, there are tons of people in play on both sides - publishing and writing. The competition is fierce for an author's spot with any publisher, and most writers don't realize this. To help narrow down the potential authors, almost every publishing company has a strict set of guidelines that authors must adhear to when they send in their works. If a potential author doesn't follow these guidelines, then their manuscript is simply tossed aside, or tossed in the garbage, no matter how wonderful the book is.
To avoid this happening to a manuscript when it is submitted, there are a few rules that every writer should always follow:
1. Look over the publisher's web site completely. Make sure to check their submission guidelines and either print them out, or write them down.
2. If the publisher requires certain items, such as a query letter first or only the first three chapters, make sure that is all that is sent to them. Most publishers have an assistant in the editorial section that screens all of the manuscripts that come in, and if they don't follow the guidelines to the letter, the submission is simply tossed out before it ever makes it to an editor's desk.
3. Remember that the competition for a spot on a print schedule is fierce. There are literally thousands of other authors out there competing for the same spot. To ensure that a manuscript submission makes it to the editors and then passes an editor's test, follow all the guidelines completely and make sure that any query or submission letters are completely original and unique. The editors will be on the lookout for letters that grab their attention and leave them wanting to read the manuscript.
4. Editors want to see manuscripts that don't need a lot of editing or other work. If possible, try to find an outside source that can go over a manuscript before it is sent to a publisher. Make sure that the entire manuscript is error free, including spelling, grammar, and typesetting errors. The less that an editor has to do on a manuscript to get it ready for publishing, the faster the writer will see results.
5. Be a professional writer. No matter if a manuscript is accepted or rejected, be professional about it. If a writer is professional about a rejection, the editor is more likely to contact them in the future if the written work is good. There just may not have been enough room on the print schedules at that time, or the editor may know another publisher who would be interested.
6. Keep in mind that publishing houses are always a flurry of activity and they receive thousands of manuscripts. If a writer doesn't hear an answer within a couple of months, or within the length of time that the publisher lists on their web site, then call to check. But, don't call a week later to see if the manuscript has been accepted.
By following simple rules and guidelines that publishers set in place, an author can turn a simple submission letter into a great working relationship. Good luck!
