How to Submit Writings to Publishers

Some writers think that once they have completed their manuscripts of whatever lengths, then the rest of the work in getting published is done. A writer's job has just begun as preparations must be made to market any manuscript to publishers. Publishing houses are most of the time peculiarly staid and proper about what writers they publish, and writers should research publishers' websites before submitting their manuscripts.

Publishers are old school about rules and are actually quite stern about their principles for accepting manuscripts. Most major publishing houses do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, and it is the responsibility of writers to do their homework before issuing a mass mailing of their work to publishers.

• Research and scour the Internet to learn about the publishers who might give your book manuscript a glancing eye.


• Make sure that you choose publishers whose titles match or are similar to your story.


• Draft pertinent cover letters for the publishers that you send copies of your manuscript.


• Grab the attention of the publisher in your first paragraph.


• Immediately give the title of the manuscript.


• Summarize the story in a maximum of 4 to 6 lines in the first paragraph.


• Describe the highlight of the book in a second paragraph of 4 to 6 lines, and yes this can be done. Be brief and to the point, but make it an attention-grabbing second paragraph.


• Close out the letter by telling why you think your story will be embraced by readers, and do that in about two lines.

Overview

• Shine and polish your presentation of an overview of the story. The overview builds on what you have so far written in the cover letter, but you can do this in a little under two pages.


• Describe the conflict in the story.


• Describe resolution of the conflict.

Information Sheet

• Describe who you are in the information sheet.


• Emphasize your writing skills.


• Tell the publishing house if you have authored a book before.


• Give information about any other writing that you have had published.


• Tell why you like to write and who influenced you to become a writer.


• Praise English Language and English Literature if those were your favorite subjects in school.


• Mention your love of poetry and your favorite poets, if indeed you have always loved poetry and written poetry.


• Make the publisher understand that you love to read and mention the name of your favorite writer.


• Tell the person reading the contents of your package why you are qualified to write your book for a specific publisher.


• Give your educational background in the last paragraph on the information sheet

Marketing Information

• Zero in again about the story while highlighting the central character and the plot of the story, and contain the information in three brief but telling paragraphs amounting to approximately sixteen lines.


• Advise what markets the book will appeal to.


• Name markets that will definitely embrace the book.


• Inform the publishing house why you think the book would be a sensational read and page turner for the buying public.


• Submit that the book will be a wonderful and marketable piece of work.

Book Chapters

• List chapters and contents of the chapters.


• Include a copy of the first three chapters of your manuscript, if that is what the publishers require.


• Send the full manuscript to other publishers who express the wish to have a fully completed manuscript.