Don't Rush Your Submissions

I know I have talked in the past about taking your time before submitting, but I want to take this in a different angle today. Let me explain some scenarios.

• Yesterday, I was answering submissions and one author sent in several submissions. No, let me back that up. There were 7 proposals all in one submission. 
• I will often see multiple submissions from authors in different emails on the same day or days apart.
• I have had email submissions and then submissions using my form from the same author containing either the same submission but in different versions, or different projects.

I get that these authors think they are showing me how ready they are to be a professional author. I know they are trying to show me how diverse they can be and how they can really be able to work for anyone. Unfortunately, this does nothing to help.

Let me first tell you that the author who sent 7 submissions received 7 rejection letters. In this author's case, the work was not anything I represent (another huge problem).

But let's focus on those who are submitting projects that might work. Rushing to keep submitting is not allowing you the chance to get feedback from the editor or agent. The information you get for that first submission might be something you can fix in the second one.

For example, you send a story to me that has a trope I really do not connect with. Now you look at your next two projects. One has the trope, the other doesn't. Which one would you send? Send the good one and take the time to see if you can tweak the other one to make it more compatible.

How about this example? You send me a project that is a bit too short for the lines you are thinking about. You have two versions of your second story (a longer one and a shorter one). What do you do?

The key is to use the information you get and move on from that data. When I send in projects to editors, I will send in one, but will tell them about the other projects I have available (essentially small 2 sentence blurbs). This gives me the time to get that feedback and adjust those later projects.

Just something to think about for a Thursday.