Q is for Quality Submissions

When submitting to an editor of a magazine or a book publisher, it is important to produce quality submissions to avoid an immediate rejection. When sending your manuscript, after ensuring it is ready, be sure to prepare a cover letter – even if you are submitting through electronic communication. The cover letter maintains a professional quality to your submission. Be sure it includes the title, what it’s about, and how it fits in with the publication.

When writing the manuscript, keep the publishing company’s guidelines in mind. What is the suggested age level? Word count?Topic or theme? No matter how well written the manuscript is, it will be rejected if it doesn’t meet the guidelines.

Before submitting your work, it should have gone through several rounds in a critique group. This helps catch spelling, grammar and syntax errors. If an editor has to correct too much,he or she will pass on the manuscript.

Keeping all these tips in mind will help you produce a quality manuscript – one that is hopefully on its way to publication.