How to Submit your Manuscript to a Publisher
After slaving over the thing for months, you finally have
that treasured opus finished and you want to rush it to every publisher on the
horizon.
Wrong!
As an editor and book reviewer, some submissions that came
across my desk made me cringe. And it is for one reason only: the author has failed
to follow submission guidelines, and is an immediate turnoff. Your chances
of getting that manuscript accepted will increase dramatically, quality of your
work notwithstanding, if you follow the publisher’s guidelines. It is as simple
as that. It might be simple, but I am constantly amazed how many authors
overlook this basic fact.
Most common mistakes
The following points are not an absolute rule, as each
publisher may have their own standard, but I found these useful. Okay, what are
the most common mistakes and triggers for rejection?
- Incorrect margins
- Embedding tags
- Using the Tab key to start a new paragraph
- Using the Enter key to center a chapter heading
- Using the Enter key to get to a new page for a chapter heading
- Using a double space between sentences
- Leaving double or multiple spaces at end of the last sentence in a paragraph
- Not using a spell checker
- Not using double spacing between lines
- Inconsistent text formatting
Why are they a problem
These days, publishers receive lots of submissions, and most
end up in the slush pile for a variety of reasons, mostly because of bad
writing, not necessarily because the story was bad. If he is a kindly soul, a
submissions editor may overlook your setup mistakes - but I wouldn’t bet on it
- and dive into evaluating the quality of your story. However, more generally
than not, a sloppy presentation will invariably add to his slush pile
regardless of how good your novel might be. Why? A submission that doesn’t
follow the defined guidelines tells the editor the following about the author:
- Did not bother reading the guidelines
- Did not bother following the guidelines
- Shows disdain for the guidelines
- Shows lack of discipline
- Raises questions about the quality of the submission
The major problem with a sloppy submission, if the work is accepted, it adds
enormously to the workload of the proofing editor, distracting from the primary
task of technical editing of the manuscript. In such cases the work will be
sent back to the author to fix these problems before further editing is done,
which generates frustration, makes work for everybody, and delays publication.
Moreover, the submission would have created a negative image in the editor’s
mind and reduced the author’s chances of being accepted down the track.
What to do
It all begins with the author as part of starting that opus!
All the setup mistakes I mentioned should have been eliminated during the
writing and final proofreading before thinking about making a submission.
Properly setting up and formatting the manuscript should be an automatic
process for the author, part of being a disciplined professional, and cognizant
of the fact that editors are also people who appreciate a properly structured
submission and don’t enjoy having their time wasted.
Okay, let’s say you have done all these things and you are
happy with your manuscript. Ready to submit, is it? Definitely not! Once
you select a publisher, read his submission instructions! That really
helps. Most publishers have similar submission requirements and formatting
guidelines, but some have their own specific demands. Regardless of how onerous
or unreasonable they might seem, if you want to get accepted by that publisher,
it behooves you to follow their instructions - or don’t bother making a
submission. It will save everyone concerned some angst.
Read the submission guidelines
All publisher websites will have a submissions icon. If they
don’t, I would consider carefully before submitting to them. Within the
submission page, the publisher will outline their requirements for making an
initial query, sending the manuscript - either a sample or complete copy - and
formatting instructions. Look for these instructions always, read them
carefully and follow them! If your manuscript has been written that avoids
mistakes I already mentioned, in most cases you will be ready to make that
submission without having to do anything. But if the publisher asks for a
specific format, comply! Remember, resistance is futile.
To learn more about Stefan,
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Website: www.stefanvucak.com
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