Why Not Following Directions Leads To Rejection Letters

Let me first state something before a few people who read this start reacting negatively. Following directions on submissions or anything we do in the real world IS NOT a hoop to jump through. These are not trick questions. Directions are there for a reason.

So, with that said, let's move on...

We do so much digitally anymore. We apply for jobs, we buy groceries, we do our school work, we work from home., the list is endless. But to do this work it requires everyone being on the same page. To be on the same page, we all have to do things essentially the same way to insure successful communication and to get that work done. If someone is doing something different, it brings everything to a screeching halt.

If you think about it, when you apply for a job today, we do so buy uploading the documents online. We submit resumes, cover letters, references and any number of documents. But we have to remember, this is not just an alternate form of an email. This upload turns those documents into a digital package that is sorted in a database. It allows the employer to sort candidates based on skills and needs. It allows that employer to share that information with others on a hiring committee so they can make an accurate decision. And, when you apply it often tells you the format of the documents. Some only want PDF files. Some want MSWord files. But why?

It is because the system they are working with requires standards being met to make that transfer of data smooth and seamless.

Let me give you another example. One of the editors I work with sends out a deal memo to the agents and authors before completing a contract. It is essentially a form with boxes filled in with all of the information on the contract. If it is all correct, we initial it, scan it and send it back. But the reason this deal memo works so well is that when it is signed off, the editors can immediately fire off that memo to the contracts department who can upload the document and it will auto fill the contract. A lot quicker than re-typing the document.

For agents and editors, we ask for submissions to be sent to us in a certain format. We do so because it makes it easier for me to read those submissions and get an answer back to you quicker. When you submit partials or fulls to me, I ask for it to be a sent a specific way because I transfer the data to my iPad to read. If you do something different, it makes it impossible to get to your answer fast.

But there is another issue here. If you cannot follow these simple directions, will you be able to follow the directions from your editor or agent when you get revisions? Probably not.

In simple terms... Read and follow directions.