Some are just contemplating the plan for their future book, not daring to type the first line on a blank sheet of paper. Some are passionate about writing. And some are already looking for a suitable publishing house. Why not? Gods do not burn pots. And to publish your work in a reputable organization for a fee is quite real, though not everyone can. Much depends on whether the requirements of the editorial office for a manuscript are met when it is sent.
Choosing the Path
Despite the fact that the Internet has made almost any information available, many authors often look for workarounds. On the one hand, this is understandable. After all, the book is their favorite child, and so want to hold it in your hands, wrapped in a beautiful cover with the author’s name on a prominent place. To stroke the spine, turn the pages that smell of printing ink and be sure to show your friends, or even take selfies with her and put on their pages on the Internet.
So the author begins to seek the most reliable, from his point of view, ways. For example, through many hands he managed to find the editor’s contacts, and then the text of the manuscript or just a description of it is sent to the editor’s e-mail address or to his personal account.
The author is sure that this way the text is guaranteed to get into the right hands. Yes, it will. But not the fact that it will be read. Imagine that a man works as a bricklayer in a construction company, and bricks are delivered and dumped under the windows of his house, or even in the living room. He is unlikely to be happy. Besides, there are a lot of such “business” authors, and if the editor reads all the texts that come to him personally, not to the address of the editorial office, he will have no time to live. So he doesn’t read.
Read the requirements carefully
Many publishers have a special section “For Authors” or “For New Authors” on their web site. There you will find a detailed description of the publisher’s requirements for the content and formatting of the manuscript.
After studying the requirements, see if your text fits them. If not, look for another publisher or redo it.
Next, after studying the requirements, pay attention to the conditions for sending manuscripts. Some sites have special forms. They include a questionnaire, in which the author enters data about himself and his previous publications (if any), as well as a “box” where the file with the manuscript is inserted. That is all. You do not need to do anything else. By the way, the site often lists deadlines for reviewing the text.
If there is no such form on the site If there is no such form on the site, the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of the editorial offices must be listed. Choose the one that corresponds to your topic and genre, so that the text does not get lost. And send it. Sending by mail, too, it is necessary to observe conditions of publishing house, but there are general requirements.
The text of the work is sent as a whole attached file. Not fragments, pieces, chapters, but the whole. If you fear that it will be stolen in the editorial office, read my article on myths. If I don’t convince you, send the text to yourself by email. This will be proof of your copyright.
In addition to the work itself, a synopsis and abstract are sent as an attachment.
Be very careful with both the abstract and the synopsis. It happens that, apart from them, the editor no longer reads anything else. If the synopsis doesn’t convey the essence of the book well, and the synopsis is a sloppy spoiler, it will be doubly frustrating. Not only because you were rejected without even reading it, but also because it’s your own fault for failing to present your work.
In addition to the attached files, of course, you also write the letter itself, where you introduce yourself, inform about the purpose of the letter (publication) and as briefly as possible set out the necessary information.
Very important. Don’t be verbose in the letter itself; save the editors’ time-they are very busy people. Excessive verbosity and self-praise is annoying. And why would you want an annoyed editor?
That’s it, the manuscript is sent, you just have to wait for the editors’ decision and hope. Well, perhaps, if no confirmation came within a few days, send another letter asking if the text has been received. If there are phone numbers on the site, you can also call. That’s even better.