Seven Deadly Sins of a Submission

By Teresa Basile

      What was he thinking? was the first thought that crossed my mind when I opened a submission and found a request for a donation along with his query. His fiction novel is sure to be a bestseller and I’m so lucky to be offered a chance to publish it. Oh, and by the way, how about a donation to some obscure organization mentioned in the book?

      Huh?

      My job is never dull. As owner and editor of a publishing company I see all kinds of submissions. Most are cordial and professional and receive a response in kind. Others make me cringe like fingernails on a chalkboard and take a direct route to the trashcan. Here are some pitfalls to avoid when submitting a manuscript.

Guideline Fouls

      Most publishing houses have guidelines they’d like you to follow. Stick to them. Word counts can sway by some degree but 120,000 words definitely won’t fit an 80,000-word maximum. And don’t expect an editor to want to edit it down to size.

      Genres can also be a touchy area. It’s a romance but the plot revolves around a murder mystery. What genre do you choose? Cross-genres are popular and most publishing houses that publish either or both will accept them. Do not, however, submit a subject matter they specifically say they don’t want.

Query Blunders

      A cover letter or query letter is the first opportunity to sell your book. I repeat: to sell your book. Not to sell your profession, your friend’s comments on your writing or the books you published before. Yes, these things will enhance your letter, but they should not overpower the main object of your query—your book!

      I receive countless queries that list quotes from admirers, career achievements and successes of prior books and then nothing about the book they’re trying to sell. I need something more than just the title to go on. A little pitch goes a long way.

NETiquette No-Nos

      With the proliferation of the Internet, online submissions are becoming the norm. This does not mean you should use emoticons and language reserved for close friends. Online queries should be composed just like paper ones. Your cover letter should be in the main body of the e-mail. Manuscripts should be attached to the e-mail, not included in the main body.

      If you want a reply, make sure your address has no blocks on it. I was interested in a story from a gentleman who only listed his e-mail address in his online query. When I tried to respond to his e-mail address it bounced back because he had a blocker on it. He sent another e-mail two months later asking why I ignored him. Of course, my response bounced again.

Cold Calls

      I don’t receive very many calls. Most submissions are via mail or e-mail, which I prefer. I like to read submissions when my brain is primed for it. Although I don’t mind calls for information or even to query, you had better be prepared for the conversation.

      Case in point: I received a call from a gentleman at a public relations firm on behalf of a prominent businessman who wrote a book. The businessman was not a client of the PR man, he was just an acquaintance. (Strike one: Make your friend call for you.) “Okay,” I said. “So what is the book about?” A pause followed. “I don’t know,” he replied. (Strike two: You can’t talk about what you don’t know.) He didn’t know anything about the author’s book or writing, he was just trying to sell me the man himself (see Query Blunders above). This was a major fumble on many counts but I was feeling generous and told PR man to send in the manuscript.

      The project was eventually rejected, mostly because communication between the businessman and myself was always through a third party, usually a secretary or assistant to the secretary. (Strike three: Two is company. Three is negotiable. Four is an unruly mob.)

Deadline Deals

      I know authors are anxious about seeing their books in print but timelines are unpredictable. Putting an ultimatum like “I want to have this book published within three months so you have to let me know this week if you want it or I’m taking it somewhere else” will get you the fastest answer in history—no thanks!

      Pressuring an editor to read or buy your book will get you nowhere fast. Now if the editor has been sitting on your book for over six months then that’s a different story. A nudge or polite reminder is acceptable.

Improper Approach

      This covers a broad spectrum anywhere from bribery to showing up at an editor’s doorstep uninvited. We’ve all heard the horror stories and yet they still happen. I became an editor because I love books. I like to meet authors and talk about the writing profession during an appropriate time. I don’t like to be hounded, harassed, bullied, lied to or ambushed. An honest professional approach, whether on paper or in person, will impress an editor more than a grand spectacle.

Rude Response

      This goes along with Improper Approach. When an author sends in a submission it’s an open invitation for an editor to give an opinion. This is why you send in a manuscript in the first place. These opinions are not open for critique. You are welcome to agree with my opinion or not. That’s the beauty of free speech. Sending a scathing rebuttal doesn’t win you points. It may ease your bruised ego but it won’t get you a second reading.

      The quest for a perfect submission is an elusive one. But avoiding the sins of the past may yield you a sale in the future.

Teresa Basile is an editor and owner of WigWam Publishing Co. Her imprints, New Leaf Books and ProseMark, can be found on the web at www.newleafbooks.net and www.prosemark.com respectively.  She is a member of Windy City Romance Writers.