Submitting #6 - Submitting do's and don't's

This is a topic that has a few hard and fast "rules" we'll call them and then a bunch of "guidelines" as well as a few "never hurts to do" points. We're going to focus on the hard and fast "rules" or the do's and don't's about Submitting in this post. The others were already covered, to a degree, in the previous posts under this topic so we won't harp on them.

The Do's:

• Spell & Grammar check - You won't catch everything so don't freak, but at least give it a good once over read to ensure that you haven't used a word that makes no sense in the midst of a sentence. Again, you won't catch it all but at least if you've done your best you've provided a good first impression.
  
• Follow their guidelines - Publishers ask for a very specific list of items to be part of your submission. Follow the list to the letter and if you have a question, ask - especially if this is your first submission, you'll pick it all up as you go so don't freak.
• Don't be too "wordy" - When they ask for something like a brief synopsis or a page synopsis or blurb or whatever it might be they are asking for keep it tight. This means to hit on all your key points of the story and not get lost in a retelling. Names, conflict, danger(s), trial(s) and resolution(s) are the best ones to put in. You're trying to sell your story in under, roughly, 300 words OR LESS. Think it through and then write it out. Once you have it written go back and edit and whittle it down to whatever their count requirement is. If you're over a word or two - DON'T FREAK. We've cheated and squeezed in a couple here and there a time or two, it's not a deal breaker
• Re-read your email - Before you send off your submission ensure you read the email or, if you have someone there with you, have them read it. Check the spelling of your name, your pseudonym if you're using one, your mailing address and phone number for contacting you. This is VERY important and we often overlook the simplest of errors especially when it comes to an address and phone number. Then you can quickly breeze through the other stuff with an eye to the details.
• Double check - Have you put in every single thing the publisher requires? ie: Name, Pseudonym, Address, Phone Number, Synopsis, Blurb, and so forth. Have you attached your manuscript? This is a biggie, you would not believe how often an author has sent off a submission only to realize, mere milliseconds later, they forgot to attach the most important piece - the manuscript. This is embarrassing since you now have to resend the entire email - just don't forget it a second time. Cause if you do you might as we just go into a closet and lock the door behind you.

The Don't's:

• Mass email - You may have a series written. You may have them all ready to go at the same time. What you may NOT do is mass email. This will just piss off your publisher and, if you're lucky, have them stick everything at the bottom of the received pile for the month. Unless you have specifically talked to and discussed it with your publisher, send no more than one email a week - just our guideline. If you HAVE talked to the publisher and s/he says to send them through one after another - do it. Do NOT take the initiative upon yourself.
• Play the field - This means submitting the same story to multiple publishers, don't do it. Submit to one publisher and if they refuse it then you can move on but if you do submit to two or more at the same time you have to think, what happens when two or more want it? Play it safe and don't be a douche bag.
• Oversell - Every author wants to believe their story is the next big thing to make or break the industry. But in this day and age, with so many publishers out there and so many dedicated e-book authors, it's doubtful. So don't be one of "those" authors that gets all cocky and oversells their story. Be honest, be sincere and let it speak for itself.

There you have it, some more stuff for you to consider when you send in a story. The above holds true for new authors and seasoned vets. No matter how many books you have under your belt, no matter how many publishers you write for, keep yourself humble in all your dealings. The publisher doesn't care that you sold 5, 500 or 5,000 on your last book. All they are looking at is what you've sent them in the now. Be in the now and not in the clouds.

The Moderator