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!

 

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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.

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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.

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