| You have finally finished your work and are | | | | really lucky it might be the whole thing. And once |
| suitably proud of it, so what next? Don't rush it | | | | you've sent it off you can hope to receive a |
| out, be patient, give plenty of thought to the final | | | | reply within a month. Don't waste your time and |
| preparation before you send it off. Try these ten | | | | theirs if your work is only half finished, and don't |
| top tips to help you on your way. | | | | pester them if you don't receive a quick reply. |
| Handwritten manuscripts are an absolute no-no | | | | Publishers are very busy people and don't take |
| Neither publishers nor literary agents will entertain | | | | kindly to being harassed. |
| them. Type out your work on a PC, and | | | | If you are lucky enough to be invited to send |
| double-check all spelling and grammar. Don't overly | | | | your entire work, do so as quickly as you can, |
| rely on spell checkers. Choose a standard | | | | and make sure you send it to the particular |
| typeface like Times New Roman, or Garamond. | | | | person who wrote to you. Mark your package for |
| Never pick an arty or ultra bold typeface as | | | | their personal attention: "Requested Material". That |
| some of them are nigh on impossible to read in a | | | | way you should avoid the dreaded slushpile. |
| long document, and are very annoying. The | | | | Grant them limited exclusivity |
| reader should never notice the typeface. It is the | | | | If a publisher invites you to send work, send it to |
| content you want them to see. | | | | them alone, at the very least for a short period. |
| Make sure the pages are numbered from 1 to | | | | Publishers and agents become annoyed if they |
| the end and do not bind in any way | | | | discover you sent the same work to five |
| Do not start renumbering each chapter from | | | | different people. If they find out, they might drop |
| page 1. The reason for this is that if the pages | | | | you forever. They like exclusivity, especially if the |
| were dropped, it would be very difficult to | | | | work is any good, which of course it is. Send to |
| reassemble them if you have renumbered each | | | | one house at a time. Once your masterpiece is |
| chapter starting from 1. Do not bind or staple in | | | | finished you want to see progress, but there is no |
| any way. The vast majority of publishers and | | | | great haste. Be patient. These things take time. |
| literary agents prefer to see manuscripts in loose | | | | Enclose a stamped addressed envelope |
| form, simply secured with an elastic band from | | | | If you want your work back, which you do, |
| top to bottom and from side to side. Make sure | | | | ideally with an encouraging letter, make sure you |
| there is a title page too which should include your | | | | enclose a self addressed envelope bearing |
| name, address, telephone number, and email | | | | sufficient return postage. When you get it back, |
| address. A word count is not a bad idea either. | | | | pay close attention to anything they say. |
| The reason they like it this way is because they | | | | Coping with rejection |
| can take a few pages out to read at their leisure, | | | | Coping with rejection or suggestions for rewrites |
| perhaps on the train or bus to work, while | | | | can be a difficult and painful process. But look at it |
| preparing dinner or even when using an exercise | | | | this way: it is never personal, and if the agent or |
| machine. They simply cannot do that with a huge | | | | publisher has suggested improvements, that |
| fancy bound tome. | | | | means they were interested in your work, |
| Place a header above the text | | | | however slightly. It could mean they see potential |
| Use the header and footer feature on your word | | | | in it. It certainly means they have read it, and that |
| processor, ideally the title of your work. That way | | | | in itself is a minor triumph. If they don't rate your |
| if any pages were dropped or become detached | | | | work, they probably won't offer any advice. Take |
| in a busy office where there may be hundreds of | | | | comfort from the fact that almost every |
| similar works, yours is immediately and easily | | | | successful writer has suffered rejection before |
| identifiable by the header at the top. | | | | you, the most recent and famous case being J K |
| Use a new cartridge | | | | Rowling who was rejected by half a dozen |
| Before you print out your work make sure your | | | | publishers and agents before being taken up. It |
| ink or laser cartridge is in good condition. If the | | | | comes with the territory. Writers get rejected. It |
| cartridge is faded or coming to the end of its life, | | | | makes it all the sweeter when you are accepted. |
| replace it immediately. You have one fleeting | | | | Take criticisms on board |
| chance to impress agents and publishers. Don't | | | | Identify where they consider your work could be |
| jeopardise that opportunity by producing work | | | | improved. Then do it. The worst thing you can do |
| that looks like the fourth or fifth printing of your | | | | is adopt the attitude: "I wrote it this way, and |
| book. Your best efforts definitely deserve a new | | | | that's the way it is!". Remember, those publishers |
| cartridge. | | | | and agents have probably been in business for |
| Always write to an agent or publisher first | | | | years, and they don't stay in business unless they |
| Contact them before you send out your baby. | | | | are good at what they do. They see hundreds if |
| They will tell you whether they are interested in | | | | not thousands of written items every year. They |
| seeing the entire beast or not. You are wasting | | | | know what the market will stand; they know |
| your time and money printing off dozens of | | | | what will sell, they know what is good enough, |
| complete copies and mailing them out scattergun | | | | and what is not. You either improve and compete, |
| style. They will surely end in the bin and probably | | | | or you don't. The choice is yours. |
| unread at that. Write first and briefly tell them | | | | Either way, keep at it, keep writing. All the very |
| what you have. Ask what they want to see, it | | | | best of luck with your work, I wish you every |
| might be the first three chapters and a synopsis, | | | | success. |
| it might be the first and last chapter, if you are | | | | |