You’ve had a grand idea for a story and you’ve managed to do what you thought would be impossible – put it down on paper. Now you’ve typed “The End”.
What do you want to happen now? It’s okay if you write your story for yourself and happy to put the manuscript away in a drawer. It’s also okay if you want to have a few copies printed for just you and a few friends. But if you want your manuscript to be seen and published, you still have some work to do.
It goes without saying that you need to edit your work and make it as free of errors as possible. Truthfully, few manuscripts go to an editor totally error free, but your chances of being taken seriously go down drastically with EACH error. Use spell check, but don’t rely on it – manually check your work and if possible have someone else read It through as well.
Each page should be numbered and identified. Many publishers will offer submission guidelines and may even specify what corner of the paper should be numbered and identified – take it seriously and follow the rules. Word programs make it easy with the use of Headers and Footers.
Formatting is important and each publisher may have a different preference, so do your research and show how cooperative you are by following the rules. Some of the things you may need to concern yourself with include line spacing, tabs, size of margins, font and size, and chapter headings.
Formatting and appearance is important whether the publisher wants to see a hard (print) copy or an electronic copy. If you are submitting electronically then you also need to know what file format to save the manuscript in (.doc, .txt, .rtf).
Some things NEVER to do: Don’t use fancy fonts or mix several typefaces, it makes it hard to read. Do not justify your lines, use left justify. Clean white paper is best. Even if the “next” publisher wants a hard copy in the same format as the previous, do not use the same submission packet if the paper edges show any signs of wear. Use black print. Don’t bind your book (a rubber band around the packet is acceptable). Don’t package your manuscript with gifts or bribes.
Look at the publisher’s website for their submission guidelines and policies. If you can’t locate a website check books like Writer’s Market. Magazines may have their guidelines on their “flag page”. Other places to look include blogs or the Publisher’s Marketplace. Some publishers will accept queries without agents. If you need an agent, check The Literary MarketPlace. Sometimes you have to send a query and wait for an invitation to send your partial or complete manuscript.
Usually you will find details in the submission guidelines like waiting periods for responses and the actual name of the editor to submit to. Spell the names correctly! If you need to follow up, be polite and brief. Never berate the publisher or editor if they take too long to respond or even, heaven forbid, rejects your efforts. Always be professional.
Writing exercise: Disguise yourself and get into character (wear a cowboy hat, a feather boa, tin foil…). Write a one paragraph bio about the character you are pretending to be. Make up two friends for your character and write bios for them.
Writing prompt: What do you remember about history? Without referring to a textbook (or looking it up on the web), write a paragraph about some significant historical event that happened in your hometown – even if you have to make it up.
