TIPS ON MAKING A GOOD IMPRESSION ON A PUBLISHER

I'm recycling this blog because I think it has good advice for anyone wanting to be published.

The following are comments made by publishers on a panel at a conference I once attended:

When submitting, always tell each publisher if you are multiple-submitting. If you make a sale, be sure to withdraw that submission form all the oth

Always follow the publisher’s submission guidelines. If you can’t follow those instructions, you aren’t likely to get a publishing contract.

Wait at least twice the amount of time the publisher’s guidelines say it takes for the writer to hear anything, before contacting the publisher. Do not keep asking via email. The time it takes to respond to you, takes time away from the publishing process. Don’t ever query before the time the guidelines say. If you have the kind of email that makes the person sending you something fill out a form for you to be able to get the email, turn that off. A publisher won’t fool with it and you won’t hear anything from him or her.

Help with the editing process. Consider the feedback. Stand up for yourself, if necessary. Remember, the editor is the reader’s advocate. If the editor says something you’ve written is illegal, you better make the change. The author needs to be able to revise his/her work to please the editor and him or herself.

The editor may tell the author ahead of time that major changes must be done to the book. If the author makes a good effort, the publisher will send a contract. If you don’t like what the publisher or editor is asking you to do, you can always withdraw the book.

Learn from your editor for the next submission, so you don’t have to make the same changes.

Don’t keep arguing with your editor. Publishers don’t have time to fool around with someone who steps out of line or is annoying. There are far too many authors out there waiting to take your place.

With small publishers, some will make changes in their contracts, others will not. No matter the size of the publisher, most of the promotion will be up to you as the author.

Almost all publishers expect you to have a marketing platform planned at the same time you are submitting your manuscript.

Some of the biggest pet peeves of publishers, are authors with no respect for the publisher or the readers, query a second time too soon, and authors who brag about themselves too much.

My advice as an author is, once you’ve submitted your work, get started on your next manuscript. If you’re busy writing, you won’t be worrying so much about when you’re going to hear something from the publisher. If you do receive a rejection instead of an acceptance letter, query somewhere else. The difference between a published writer and one who isn’t is, the published writer didn’t give up.

Marilyn Meredith

http://fictionforyou.com

Comments

Good advice as always, Marilyn. Thank you for posting this information.

Monti
NotesAlongTheWay
Thanks, Monti. I see too many authors messing up their own careers, hoping to help a few along the way. Marilyn

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