Social media, SEO, marketing and writingThe Manuscript Submission Process: Improve Your Odds of Getting Published By Never Giving Up
Submitting your new book for consideration to a publishing house is every writer’s goal, second only to the aspiration of actually seeing your book in print. Perhaps a better phrase for the manuscript submission process is the numbers game. Practically all publishers these days state flat out that they absolutely want to be queried first. The numbers game is thus played with queries, proposals, or a partial to complete manuscript. Some authors claim they got a go ahead from at least a few publishers after sending 20 inquiries. Your results may vary from a few positive responses to none on query letters. This might improve somewhat by offering to send a proposal, but there is no assurance of this.
Author Aliske Webb tried to place her novel with 150 publishers and was rejected by all of them. Still, she refused to give up. “We went the usual route, sending the book to all 150 publishers.” Rejected but still game, Webb and her husband sold their home, self-published the book, and made a tour of quilt shows all over America. Some 2 1/2 years later and 25,000 copies sold, Webb signed with a small publisher in Pennsylvania.
By this time, some major publishers in New York finally realized the large untapped market for Webb’s book. Webb was soon offered a four-book contract for a substantial amount.
Author Darryl Wimberley offers his thoughts on submitting manuscripts: “You have to submit every place, all the time. Keep track of your submissions and never stop! Because you cannot know in advance which avenue, if any, will get your book placed.”
An author’s determination and faith in your work can make all the difference in success or failure. You can never give up but just live with hope, and the numbers game, that one day you will hit. Give up on the other hand, and you’re down for the count.
