5 Ways to Really Make Your Manuscript Stand Out from the Crowd

©Rachel Carrington - All Rights Reserved 

 

When you’re trying to get published, you might want to know a secret to getting your book in front of an editor without having to go through the regular submission channels. Or maybe you want a back door into the publishing house where you can just sail past the other submissions. Unfortunately, there is no magical trap door to ensure publication of your work. There are, however, ways to make your submission really stand out from the crowd, thus catching an editor’s eye more easily.

 

First, always address the editor/agent/publisher by his/her given name. Try to avoid Dear Sir or Madam. Instead, do a little research and find out the name of the person to whom you will be sending your manuscript. It might seem like something little, but it really does make a difference.

 

Two, present a professional presence. Even if you’re submitting your manuscript via e-mail, you should treat it as business correspondence. Keep the text professional and polite at all times. Never end your letter with Talk to You Soon or some other type of casual ending. Remember that this is a person you’re trying to impress, and think of it as a job interview for your manuscript.

 

Third, know and follow the guidelines. This seems so rudimentary, but it really isn’t. So many writers submit their manuscripts after taking only a cursory look at the guidelines. So what if the publisher wants the manuscript attached in rtf, right? I mean, they have to have Microsoft Word so surely they’ll be able to open a doc right? They might be able to, but the simple fact is they don’t want to, and they have their reasons. So follow the guidelines.

 

Fourth, proofread, edit, and proofread again. Make sure your query letter and submission is as error-free as possible. It is so easy for your fingers to hit additional keys when typing so it’s extremely important to read your query letter more than once before submitting it. In fact, save it as a draft once you’ve finished it and come back to read it once more before sending it in. If you’re not familiar enough with grammar, etc., get someone else to proofread your letter and synopsis for you. Just make sure you send in a polished copy.

 

Fifth, follow the basic guidelines for a query letter, i.e., introduction, information about your submission, and information about you. Don’t try to veer off onto another topic. Don’t include extraneous information the editor/publisher/agent doesn’t need. Don’t get too casual. Don’t try to be cute. Just follow the rules.

 

You can make your submission stand out. You just have to follow the rules to do it. Good luck!

 

 

 

About the Author:  Dawn Carrington is the editor-in-chief of Vinspire Publishing (www.vinspirepublishing.com)as well as a published author.