Submitting Your Manuscript to a Publisher: Things to Know, Before and After

You've finished the manuscript to a short story, article, novel, memoir or work of non-fiction and now you want to submit it. But before you send out that manuscript, make certain everything is in order. The quickest way to sink your chances of getting your story accepted by a publishing house or a magazine is by sending in work that reveals your unprofessionalism. Everything from typos to wrong format settings or addressing your manuscript to the wrong contact can undermine even the best work. Make certain that everything is in perfect order before sending out that manuscript. Here's a few things to bear in mind before you send your manuscript out in the mail:

Research

Did you do your research? Is the publication you're submitting your manuscript to the best one for your work? One piece of advice editors always offer to writers is to research the magazine itself to determine whether or not the piece will fit their needs. Check the submissions guidelines at the publication's site or in Writer's Market. Does the magazine accept or not accept genre writing-science fiction, romance, crime, etc.? Does it accept literary essays or only creative non-fiction? What is the word limit for submissions? Does your work exceed or fit within those limits? How about style? Some magazines like straight-forward, conventional writing; others prefer the experimental or dark. Read past issues of the publication you're submitting your work to and determine whether it fits the editors needs.