5 Ways to Really Make Your Manuscript Stand Out from the Crowd
When you’re trying to get published, you might want to know a secret to getting your book in front of an editor without having to go through the regular submission channels. Or maybe you want a back door into the publishing house where you can just sail past the other submissions. Unfortunately, there is no magical trap door to ensure publication of your work. There are, however, ways to make your submission really stand out from the crowd, thus catching an editor’s eye more easily.
First, always address the editor/agent/publisher by his/her given name. Try to avoid Dear Sir or Madam. Instead, do a little research and find out the name of the person to whom you will be sending your manuscript. It might seem like something little, but it really does make a difference.
Two, present a professional presence. Even if you’re submitting your manuscript via e-mail, you should treat it as business correspondence. Keep the text professional and polite at all times. Never end your letter with Talk to You Soon or some other type of casual ending. Remember that this is a person you’re trying to impress, and think of it as a job interview for your manuscript.
Third, know and follow the guidelines. This seems so rudimentary, but it really isn’t. So many writers submit their manuscripts after taking only a cursory look at the guidelines. So what if the publisher wants the manuscript attached in rtf, right? I mean, they have to have Microsoft Word so surely they’ll be able to open a doc right? They might be able to, but the simple fact is they don’t want to, and they have their reasons. So follow the guidelines.
Fourth, proofread, edit, and proofread again. Make sure your query letter and submission is as error-free as possible. It is so easy for your fingers to hit additional keys when typing so it’s extremely important to read your query letter more than once before submitting it. In fact, save it as a draft once you’ve finished it and come back to read it once more before sending it in. If you’re not familiar enough with grammar, etc., get someone else to proofread your letter and synopsis for you. Just make sure you send in a polished copy.
Fifth, follow the basic guidelines for a query letter, i.e., introduction, information about your submission, and information about you. Don’t try to veer off onto another topic. Don’t include extraneous information the editor/publisher/agent doesn’t need. Don’t get too casual. Don’t try to be cute. Just follow the rules.
You can make your submission stand out. You just have to follow the rules to do it. Good luck!
manuscript submission query letter agent editor publisher professional email correspondence grammar edit proofread
Focus Your Submissions
You’ve written one novel, and you’d like to get it out to as many places as possible. So you tediously make a list of your top sixteen publishing houses. Unfortunately, you receive sixteen rejections in the space of two weeks. Some of those rejections have given you feedback on how to improve your novel, but they didn’t invite a resubmission. So if you’ve already exhausted your list, where do you send your novel once you’ve improved upon it? And should you resubmit to those publishing houses without invitation?
You can always send an e-mail to the editor who rejected your manuscript, asking if you can resubmit once you’ve polished it, but if you have several houses giving you several different ways to change your manuscript, you need to review the notes, decide which ones you agree with the most, and resubmit only to those houses if you’re allowed.(Side note: If you don’t agree with the changes, don’t make them just on the off-chance you might receive an acceptance. You need to be true to yourself and your voice.)
Because there are so many possible scenarios that can happen when you’re submitting a manuscript, it’s best to query only one to three publishers or agents. (Another side note: If you intend to submit to an agent, it’s generally best to not submit to publishers as agents like fresh material they can pitch to editors/publishing houses.) This is not to say don’t be aggressive about sending out your work. Just leave some doors open so you’re not out of options when you’ve refined your novel.
If you approach three publishers/agents and receive rejections without notes, proceed to the next three publishers/agents on your list. If you’re wondering what you can do while you’re waiting to hear back from the publishers/agents, work on your next novel or try writing a short story. Write an article and submit it. Read some books on writing and the genre you’re interested in.
And the final side note, if you can, try to keep at least two or three manuscripts or submissions (including articles or short stories) in the pipeline. This will give you a sense of purpose and help to keep you motivated.
submissions focus publishers agents editors queries articles short stories
Why Do You Write?
For every book that’s published, hundreds more are rejected every day. Will yours be one of them? Probably, at least at first. Will yours be a breakout hit which will take the world by storm? Maybe, but in reality, you’ll go through your fair share of rejections. Many times over, you’ll wonder why you ever decided to enter such a tough and tedious field. The answer is simple. Because you love to write. It’s not just what you do. It’s who you are.
It’s your talent, the creative muscle which allows you to build a fictitious world or reveal a powerful bit of knowledge. It’s your never-ending desire to see your words in print that makes you a writer. Add to that your zeal for the printed word and the heart-pounding excitement you get from knowing someone loves what you’ve written.
Being a writer can be frustrating, daunting, and even overwhelming, especially as you try to learn what is required and just what you’ll have to sacrifice. Unfortunately, in the publishing industry, there are not a lot of shortcuts, but reaching your ultimate destination (being a published author) is all that matters.
writing rejections acceptances goals destination published
Giveaways—a helpful way of promoting?
Right now, Vintage Reflections has two giveaways underway to celebrate our latest children’s book release, When My Grandma Sings by Robena Egemonye (illustrated by Judi Spooner). We’ve received a lot of entries in these giveaways which got me to thinking of authors believe this is a good promotional vehicle.
So what are your thoughts? As a writer, do you think it’s worth the cost of two or three books to help get your name out there, especially with so many people have thousands of friends on Facebook?
As a reader, do you enter giveaways because you’re looking for new authors to read, you like to win things, or the book is written by your favorite author?
How much of an impact do giveaways have, and do you think giving away a book is enhanced by the author and/or illustrator’s signature?
Post your answers in the comments’ section and then be sure to enter the two giveaways for When My Grandma Sings. Links provided below.
http://www.vrpublishing.com (front page)
http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2010/09/giveaway-when-my-grandma-sings-by-robena-egemonye-and-illustrated-by-judi-spooner.html
In Memoriam—Jennifer Rardin
Jennifer Rardin, a truly creative author, passed away on September 20, 2010. As a writer’s legacy, she leaves behind an army of readers and fans, her written works that will live on forever in print, and gratitude for those who used her books to escape into a fantasy world for the sheer pleasure of reading.
May she rest in peace, and may future generations continue to enjoy the Jaz Parks series of books for years to come.
Her family is in our thoughts and prayers.
The Write Team by Teryl Cartwright
Of course you’ve heard that writers work alone. You’ve probably also heard what a lonely job it is. But one of the best kept writing secrets around is that you are not alone. The best writers work with a team. Sure, you may have to sit in front of the computer by yourself and each word comes from your hand, but you need a team to make it to the next step.
I’m not referring to writers’ groups or classes. I don’t mean the online friends who give you research tips or like your status on Facebook. And please say “no” right now critique clubs and authors’ events. I’m talking about the team you recruit to help you write. You will need a cheerleader (to save your world), a mentor, a coach and finally, Simon Cowell. And you need these people in that exact order.
When you begin to write and the words gush freely and so beautifully, who do you go to share this wondrous miracle? Who gets as excited about you writing as you do? Whether it’s your BF, your spouse, your mom or the cheerful checkout gal, this person is vital to keep the spark alive, to get you to actually put the words on paper and get started. Their enthusiasm feeds yours and you need this person to be there and be energizing for you.
Yet even as you begin your writing adventure, you may start to have doubts or get stuck on how overwhelming it is to try to write when so much else demands your attention. Do you ever find it impossible to keep typing because you can’t get the image of the weeds in the backyard out of your head? Do you ever feel guilty when the kids get their snack ten minutes later than normal because you didn’t want to lose your train of thought and had to get it on paper first? Think about who you can call to listen to your struggles. You need a different person from the cheerleader who would tell you everything is great or going to be fine. In fact, at this stage, cheerleading might be annoying to you because that person “just doesn’t get it.” Find a mentor, someone who listens without advice, someone who cares without trying to solve your problem for you. Their support will help you balance writing with living and let you go through the process yourself.
In the next stage of a book (which is often the before the middle), you’ve been writing but you’ve lost the first glow of enthusiasm and your persistence is waning. You can see you’ve gone far, but you are not at the top of the hill, you are still in no man’s land. It’s at this point many writers give up and leave a half finished book to start another with a “better” idea or put their book down to finish later since “there’s not much more left to do.” Let me warn you now that half finished books are the hardest to finish because you will forget the ideas and the reasons you wrote the first part if you stop now. You need someone to hold you accountable. While you might consider this next person a personal trainer, a coach might be a better term to use. Personal trainers can’t make you do the exercise, but a coach is someone you admire and respect enough to want to impress. Get that someone, whether another writer or a co-worker, to ask you how much writing you’ve done each day. Don’t ask someone really close to you such as a spouse or parent to do this job—you will only resent their questions. Ask someone who will get you to keep going. Your coach will get you working through the middle of the book, through the writer’s block and help you set your sights on the goal, the homestretch.
Finally, you’ve finished the book. Is it time to celebrate? Yes! But there’s still one member left on your team to see. Still one more person you need for your book. I saved Simon Cowell for last. This person is not merely the critic; this person is the honest voice. You do not want to talk to or even recruit Simon until AFTER the book is done and AFTER all of your other three teammates have read it. To let Simon comment on a work in progress will guarantee you won’t finish it. Ever. Your Simon shouldn’t even know you are working on a book until you are done. This is really important. There are enough critics in the world, why let one judge you before you want anyone else’s opinions?
Choose your Simon wisely. Don’t pick someone with an agenda (such as a rival writer) and don’t pick someone who would like to take over or tell you what to do. Pick someone neutral and fair, someone who reads all different types of writing, because that person can speak from a broader base of experience.
If you can let your team help you write, you will find success and hold a finished first draft. You will cherish the joy of the cheerleader, the support of the mentor, the push of the coach and finally, the measured and deserved words of your critic as you start to revise your book into the next bestseller. Just go through the same process listed above for your book again…and again. With your team helping you “write” along.
Simon Cowell writing team writing enthusiasm mentor coach book critic first draft Teryl Cartwright Courting Constance Inspirational Romance Romance Vintage Reflections Publishing writing writing process
Perseverance after Rejections
I wrote an article for FarmLife magazine on my rescue dog Rocky. He is a beautiful black and tan Husky that was hit by a car and left for dead. His back leg and tail had to be amputated, but the day after his surgery he walked out of the veterinarian’s office and into our hearts.
When I saw my article about Rocky’s harrowing experience in print I was hooked. I set an original writing goal to have something published to honor each of my beloved family pets for all eternity.
With the success of publication came the inevitable rejection. Oh the devastation of receiving those initial rejection letters in the mail hurt deeply. I could have given up, I wanted to give up a few times, and then my stubborn nature took over. When I received a rejection in the mail I would immediately submit the story to another publisher, or magazine, based on the theory that ten separate publishers could give me ten different reactions to what I had crafted. Perseverance means determination, and I was determined. The key in writing is to find the right match for your manuscript, short story, or article. A rejection doesn’t mean your writing is lacking it could mean the publisher has met their quota for your genre at the current time. I received enough rejections for my first novel that I could have wallpapered my den with them. If I would have abandoned my determination I would never have received the publishing contract from Vintage Reflections for my first picture book, What If a Zebra had Triangles?
Rejection can arrive in many forms, some rejections are a form letter, sometimes you don’t get a response, and sometimes the letter contains a glimmer of hope such as, good premise, shows promise, but…
Take the “but..”, fix it and re-submit. Don’t scream artistic talent, or writer’s prerogative! Publishers have been in this business long enough to make informed requests for changes.
Set your goals, be determined, and persevere. Rejection is part of the process of publication but if you are lucky enough to get a suggestion from a publisher, take it with a grain of salt and a shot of─perseverance, and resubmit. Please feel free to visit my website at www.victoriaroder.com
Victoria Roder lives in Central Wisconsin with her husband Ron and a house full of pets. She is the author of The Dream House Visions and Nightmares, Asylett Press, Bolt Action, Champagne Books and coming soon from Vintage Reflections Publishing, What if a Zebra had Triangles?
perseverance dealing with rejection motivation Vintage Reflections Publishing epublisher ebooks traditional publisher romance Inspirational Romance magazine articles publication success determination What If a Zebra Had Triangles Victoria Roder
Good Author References
Sometimes when people find out that I am an author, they ask me a lot of questions. Usually this comes from those who say they always wanted to write a book, but just somehow never got around to it. They might ask me where I get my ideas. For me ideas can come from anywhere. I might see something on TV and it will bring an idea to mind. For example, at the beginning of the Iraq war a female soldier named Jessica Lynch made headlines when she got captured and later rescued. I really admired her service and those of other brave soldiers, both male and female. But I really wondered what would make a woman sign up to join the army and march off to war. Since I really love historicals, I did some research and found out that lots of women did just that during the Civil War. Thus, my character, Charlotte “Charlie” Garrett was created as a woman who follows her husband into the Confederate army.
Once you open your eyes and your ears to the world around you, there will be no end to the story ideas that can come to mind.
People also ask me how I was able to get published and other questions dealing with the publishing industry. I tell them you have to first finish that book and write it the best you can. Then you have to learn some of the business involved. I’ve put together a list of books and links that I hope will be helpful to anyone just starting out writing that book or trying to get one published. Don’t give up!
~Diane Wylie, author of four historical romances
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Great reference books to have on hand:
Good dictionary
Thesaurus
Any style guide, example: Chicago Manual of Style
The Writer’s Guide to Character Traits by Linda N. Edelstein, Ph.D.
Good websites for writing information:
Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials – http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm
Grammar Usage and Style –
http://www.refdesk.com/factgram.html
Guide to Grammar and Style –
http://www.andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html
The Word Detective –
http://www.word-detective.com
Publishers Marketplace –
http://publishersmarketplace.com/search.html
Preditors and Editors –
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
Writer Beware –
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/
Directory of ePublishers –
http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/epublishers.html
http://www.dianewylie.com
Secrets and Sacrifices – 4 1/2 stars Romantic Times
Jenny’s Passion – 5 Angels and Recommended Read
Lila’s Vow – “Extraordinary story” 5 Cups and Coffee Time Reviewers Recommend
Adam’s Treasure – Out now from The Wild Rose Press
http://dianewylie.blogspot.com
author reference question and answer authors helping authors writing help writing ideas where do ideas come from published authors epublisher traditional publisher Vintage Romance Publishing Romance Inspirational Romance
Where, Oh, Where Did My Manuscript Go?
Keeping Track of Your Manuscripts
We calendar our doctors’ appointments, our children’s ball games, social engagements, and vacations because, if we didn’t, we might miss one. It makes sense that we need help with our busy lives. As an author, though, you have the added stress of keeping track of those pesky manuscripts you’ve sent out, especially if you’re a prolific writer.
Have you ever been waiting to hear back from a publisher only to realize you had never sent it to that publisher? Maybe you thought you had or you had intended to. Regardless, you’ve been waiting three months, and that’s time wasted.
What if you write articles, short stories, and books? What about the contests you’ve entered? How do you keep track of those? How do you remember if you’ve sent out a query letter, a query with synopsis, a partial manuscript, or a full manuscript?
How can you be expected to remember the approximate turnaround time? Do you know when it’s okay to follow-up with an editor or agent? You would if you keep track of all of your submissions.
Some authors choose to use a spreadsheet or just a regular document to keep track, but a lot of authors are now turning to the more helpful manuscript trackers. I’ve included a few links below:
http://www.manuscripttracker.com/
http://quickbrownfox.org/sw/tracker/ (for Mac users only)
http://www.spacejock.com/Sonar3.html (free program)
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads/manuscript_software/ (Publisher Tracker 1.5—freeware)
(This list does not constitute an endorsement of any of these products.)
Of course, if you do use tracking software, you do have to be constantly vigilant with backing-up your information.
If you want to go old-school and keep a hard copy of your submissions, you can’t go wrong reading this article: http://www.ehow.com/how_5020644_keep-track-written-articles-websites.html. Though it’s geared toward articles, it can easily be applied to manuscripts.
Whichever way you choose to go, make sure you have a system that works for you, especially once you have three or more articles or manuscripts circulating. With our busy lives, it’s so easy to forget, and your writing is your future paycheck. Don’t forget to take it to the bank!
manuscripts trackers scheduling partials queries synopsis
Contests—Worth an unpublished author’s time and money?
Contests can be a great way to win recognition for your work if you’re a struggling writer, a way to break into the industry, and just a thumbs-up, especially if you place. They can also be costly unless you only enter the no-fee contests which are few and far between. So the question is should an aspiring author enter a lot of contests while they’re waiting on a publishing contract?
The simple answer is there isn’t one, but here are a few suggestions our staff has come up with that might help you make wise choices when it comes to choosing the right contests, how to know you’re getting the most bang for your buck, and how often you should enter.
1. Choose wisely and frugally. An author who has yet to be published can get so caught up in the excitement of potentially winning in a contest that he/she loses focus on the big picture which is getting a publishing contract. So set a limit of the number of contests you will allow yourself to enter every six months (or whatever time frame you choose). A good rule is to never have more contest entries than you have books sent out for consideration to publishing houses.
2. When you’re first beginning in your career, choose the no-fee entry contests. Even if you don’t place, you might get some feedback on your writing that will help you grow as an author.
3. If you’re looking to get into a certain publishing house, pay attention to their contests. Some publishers offer yearly contests that will earn you a spot in their stable of authors, and usually, the entries are free.
4. If you’ve entered three or more entry fee contests and haven’t placed, consider refining your work before you enter another contest. Also, you might consider going the no-entry fee route to see if you can get some feedback.
5. And finally, get as much information as you can about the contest before you pay that entry fee. Make sure it’s an established contest and not some fly-by-night contest eager for money. Before you spend money, do your research.
We wish you the best of luck with your entries, and should you place, make sure that figures prominently in your future query letters!
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