by Eric Krause

Created on: June 24, 2009

Submission Guidelines

Most writers who are at the stage of sending their manuscript to publishers or agents know the basics. The story as a whole must be compelling. The characters should be both interesting and believable. The plot should tie everything up in the end and have a pace which neither lulls the reader to sleep nor spins so fast that it's uncomfortable to read. Above these considerations, the spelling and grammar should be impeccable. If you've gone over your manuscript so many times that you can recite it in your sleep, you wouldn't want to sabotage it so it gets rejected without even being read, right? The sad truth, though, is that many writers do just that.

The first step to avoiding rejection might be the easiest. The writer must find the submission guidelines and follow them. You can almost always get an up-to-date version on the publisher's or agent's website. If you don't see any mention of guidelines there, send away for them, either via email or using standard mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). Don't just assume that the publisher or agent doesn't care how you send in your work.

Submission guidelines tell you exactly how the editor or agent wants to see your work. Don't make the mistake of sending in your short story, for example, through email when the publisher only accepts submissions by standard mail. Or if they do want to see your work through email, understand if you should send it as an attachment (and what sort of attachment they want) or in the body of the email. Many publishers won't open submission envelopes sent through standard mail, and others will refuse to open an email attachment. Don't get your manuscript rejected sight unseen simply because you didn't read how to send it in.

Another common mistake that has to do with novels or other longer works can also be avoided simply by using the submission guidelines. After you've spent hours upon hours of writing and polishing your novel, don't just box up the entire thing and send it in. Most agents and publishing houses only want to see a query letter, or at most, a synopsis and the first few chapters. Make sure you follow what they want exactly. If they ask for a one page synopsis, don't give them five. If they ask for three chapters, don't give them two or four, and also give them the first three, not your favorite three chapters throughout the book. Not only do they want a quick peak at your writing to see if it warrants a look at your

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