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"Manuscript: something submitted in haste, and returned at leisure."
~Oliver
Herford
It's done. It's as
good as you can make it. You've polished it within an
inch of its life. You've walked around with these
characters in your head for months, maybe years, and now
finally, you've typed the two most beautiful words in
the English language.
THE END.
But it's not quite the end, is it? I
mean, there it is, all 400 glorious pages of it. All
your blood, sweat and tears reduced to ink on wood pulp
and it's just sitting there waiting for you to do the
thing that requires even more courage than writing in
the first place.
You must submit it.
Where to start? Do your homework.
Which publishing houses already publish works that are
similar to yours? Check out their websites for
submission guidelines. Are there any publisher sponsored
contests you can enter?
Find a published author who writes
in your sub-genre and check out her acknowledgements
page or her website. Did she list her editor? Her agent?
These are people who might also be interested in you.
If you're very trepidacious, dabble
your toes in the water by entering a few contests.
Target contests with editors as judges. Check the RWR
for contests where the final judges are agents or
editors you think would be a good match for your work.
If you want a writing career, you
will want an agent at some point. Several major houses
do not accept unagented submissions.
So ask for
recommendations, check the websites, query some of their
clients (most reputable agents list their clients on
their websites) and if you like what you hear, follow
the submission guidelines on their website to the letter
and submit. This involves a query letter, probably a
partial (first 3 chapters) and synopsis. If the agent
accepts simultaneous submissions, let them know if you
are submitting elsewhere. That's just good manners.
Expect to wait. For a long time. You
may, after a few weeks, call or write or email to
inquire whether your submission was received. Do not
badger them into a decision because I promise it will be
no. If an agent decides he/she loves your work (yes, I
used the "L" word. You don't want an agent who's
lukewarm about you) they will make an offer of
representation. If you still want them to represent you,
sign an agreement.
But a word of warning. You're
getting into financial bed with this person. No agent is
far better than the wrong agent. Be wary. Once a
publisher pays your agent, their responsibility is
fulfilled. All your writing income will be funneled
through your agent. Make sure you've signed with someone
whose financial house is in order and whose ethics are
spotless.
If you receive an offer directly
from a publisher, do not yell and scream orgasmically,
"Yes, oh, yes, I'll take anything." Calmly thank them
and ask if you can have a few days to secure
representation. They'll respect you for it. Then you can
scream once you hang up. And call the agent of your
dreams. It's amazingly easy to get an agent with an
offer on the table.
While you're waiting to sell, your
job is to start the next project. Once you receive an
offer, the publisher's 2nd question is always "What else have
you got?" You want to have an answer ready.
Good luck!
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