A Check List Before Submitting

I hate to break this to you but typing the words "THE END" does not mean it is time to submit your story to an editor or an agent (or even to send it out to those companies who will self-publish it for you at a cost). Before you even think about submitting the story, there are a few things you need to consider.

IS YOUR BOOK 100% READY TO GO This is a basic one. Don't even think about submitting to an editor or an agent if you are not 100% finished. No, you cannot say you want to send it to your BETA READERS or your CRITIQUE GROUP. Ready means ready. We can stop right here if you are in that situation. 

DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOUR GENRE IS? No, I am not talking about what you "think" you are writing. I am talking about knowing exactly what your specific genre is. We are not talking about what others have told you they think it is. In all honesty, I reject so many authors simply because they have no idea what they are writing. They simply sat down, wrote a story and then tried to figure it out. 

Here is a good hint. If you don't read the genre, you are probably not writing it. 

I would also add that you cannot claim your book falls into multiple genres. Quit deceiving yourself. People who claim they write a novel to fall under multiple genres to increase readership are pretty much delusional. And no, you cannot claim your novel is simply "FICTION" so it fits with everything. If you have not taken the time to fully learn your genre, then you are not read!

HAVE YOU RESEARCHED YOUR PERSONAL GENRE FOR TRENDS AND IS YOUR STORY MEETING THOSE TRENDS? So, let's assume you know your genre. Are there current trends in that genre? This industry is constantly changing. There are days when certain things are hot and then those trends are no longer something that the market wants? Does this mean you should write to a trend? Absolutely not. Just know that if your story is not in the current trend, it is not going to be bought. Oh, and by the way, if you have someone telling you they are going to be the first in the industry to start that trend, check to see if that is really coffee they are drinking? The odds of that happening are slim to none. So, have you checked and is your book meeting those trends? If you haven't checked, you are not ready. If your book is not in that current trend, don't waste your time. 

DO YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY? Do you have any clue as to how a book goes from your computer to the bookshelves? Do you have any clue of the time it takes to produce a book? Do you have any clue of how books are purchased or how you are paid? If not. Go back to the classroom and learn this. 

DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOUR NOVEL SHOULD GO? If you just wrote your book and are going to start throwing darts to see where it lands, you are far from ready. Before you even started writing your book, you should have taken the time to know exactly who you want to write for. Once you did that, you took the time to fully understand that publisher. This means you know everything about them and the voice they are expecting to see. 

HAVE YOU RESEARCHED THE EDITORS AND AGENTS YOU WANT TO SUBMIT TO? Other than their submission guidelines, do you have any idea who these people are? Have you taken the time to know these editors and agents as people? Sure, we all do the same thing, but we have different approaches, different likes and different dislikes. If you have not done this, you better get going. This is going to take a lot of time (we're talking months here of stalking the editors and agents to really learn who they are). 

HAVE YOU DETERMINED IF YOU ARE READY TO BE A PROFESSIONAL WRITER? You may have started as a hobby writer. You sat down to the computer and typed when you felt like it. But remember, this IS A JOB! Are you ready to work on your craft daily? Are you willing to give up your writing time to market your book? Once we get out of Covid, are you ready emotionally, physically and financially to travel around the country to promote your book? 

HAVE YOU LEARNED TO WRITE? Writing is truly something everyone can do. But you have to know how to write. This means that you know why you write the things you do. This means you know when to add a plot device and when not to. If you are just putting things in your story because someone out there on the internet said this works, or a book you read said to do so, or a workshop you took hyped it up, then you are far from ready. Knowing how to write TAKES TIME. It is a learned craft. If this is your first book ever, the odds are, you are not ready. 

HAVE YOU DISCUSSED WITH YOUR FAMILY HOW THEY ARE TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR CAREER? I have lost a lot of writers simply because the family was not ready to see you spend hours away from them. Your family needs to understand the business. Your family needs to pick up the slack around the house for you to have the time to write. Your family needs to know that you will be away from them a lot. They also need to know that these conferences that you can attend to promote your books WILL COST MONEY. If you have not spent this time with them, this is not the time.

Consider this list people. It is not just about 1 story being good. It is a matter of truly being ready to move forward!

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.

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.

Submission of the Day #5 - (Harlequin Heartwarming)

For those of you who are not heading off the the RWA conference this year and feel like you are missing out, this week is about you! Each day I will focus on looking at one genre or line that I am interested in. Dust off those submissions and get 'em ready!

Today's Focus is HARLEQUIN HEARTWARMING


Make sure to read what this line is looking for. Target your Query Letter and Submission material to this line only.

SUBMISSION DIRECTIONS:

1. Email your submission to specialrequests@greyhausagency.com
2. In SUBJECT LINE: [TITLE OF YOUR NOVEL] - HEARTWARMING
3. Attach The first three chapters of the manuscript in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - FIRST THREE
4. Attach three to five page synopsis in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - SYNOPSIS
5.  In the body of the email, please feel free to include any additional information that you would feel would be helpful to me.

Please note, this is only for the week of July 22-26, 2019. Emails after this week will not be responded to.

If you have a project other than for the Submission of the Day, please submit through normal channels.

Submission of the Day #4 - (Harlequin Dare)

For those of you who are not heading off the the RWA conference this year and feel like you are missing out, this week is about you! Each day I will focus on looking at one genre or line that I am interested in. Dust off those submissions and get 'em ready!

Today's Focus is HARLEQUIN DARE


Make sure to read what this line is looking for. Target your Query Letter and Submission material to this line only.

SUBMISSION DIRECTIONS:

1. Email your submission to specialrequests@greyhausagency.com
2. In SUBJECT LINE: [TITLE OF YOUR NOVEL] - DARE
3. Attach The first three chapters of the manuscript in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - FIRST THREE
4. Attach three to five page synopsis in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - SYNOPSIS
5.  In the body of the email, please feel free to include any additional information that you would feel would be helpful to me.

Please note, this is only for the week of July 22-26, 2019. Emails after this week will not be responded to.

If you have a project other than for the Submission of the Day, please submit through normal channels.

Submission of the Day #3 - (Harlequin Romance)

For those of you who are not heading off the the RWA conference this year and feel like you are missing out, this week is about you! Each day I will focus on looking at one genre or line that I am interested in. Dust off those submissions and get 'em ready!

Today's Focus is HARLEQUIN ROMANCE


Make sure to read what this line is looking for. Target your Query Letter and Submission material to this line only.

SUBMISSION DIRECTIONS:

1. Email your submission to specialrequests@greyhausagency.com
2. In SUBJECT LINE: [TITLE OF YOUR NOVEL] - H-ROMANCE
3. Attach The first three chapters of the manuscript in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - FIRST THREE
4. Attach three to five page synopsis in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - SYNOPSIS
5.  In the body of the email, please feel free to include any additional information that you would feel would be helpful to me.

Please note, this is only for the week of July 22-26, 2019. Emails after this week will not be responded to.

If you have a project other than for the Submission of the Day, please submit through normal channels.

Submission of the Day #2 (Harlequin Desire)

For those of you who are not heading off the the RWA conference this year and feel like you are missing out, this week is about you! Each day I will focus on looking at one genre or line that I am interested in. Dust off those submissions and get 'em ready!

Today's Focus is HARLEQUIN DESIRE

Make sure to read what this line is looking for. Target your Query Letter and Submission material to this line only.

SUBMISSION DIRECTIONS:

1. Email your submission to specialrequests@greyhausagency.com
2. In SUBJECT LINE: [TITLE OF YOUR NOVEL] - DESIRE
3. Attach The first three chapters of the manuscript in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - FIRST THREE
4. Attach three to five page synopsis in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - SYNOPSIS
5.  In the body of the email, please feel free to include any additional information that you would feel would be helpful to me.

Please note, this is only for the week of July 22-26, 2019. Emails after this week will not be responded to.

If you have a project other than for the Submission of the Day, please submit through normal channels.

Submission of the Day - #1 (Graydon House Publishing)

For those of you who are not heading off the the RWA conference this year and feel like you are missing out, this week is about you! Each day I will focus on looking at one genre or line that I am interested in. Dust off those submissions and get 'em ready!

Today's Focus is GRAYDON HOUSE PUBLISHING

Make sure to read what this line is looking for. Target your Query Letter and Submission material to this line only.

SUBMISSION DIRECTIONS:

1. Email your submission to specialrequests@greyhausagency.com
2. In SUBJECT LINE: [TITLE OF YOUR NOVEL] - Graydon House
3. Attach The first three chapters of the manuscript in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - FIRST THREE
4. Attach three to five page synopsis in .RTF format. Please rename the file [TITLE] - SYNOPSIS
5.  In the body of the email, please feel free to include any additional information that you would feel would be helpful to me.

Please note, this is only for the week of July 22-26, 2019. Emails after this week will not be responded to.

If you have a project other than for the Submission of the Day, please submit through normal channels.

Special Submission Opportunities

For those of you not heading to RWA this coming week, Greyhaus will be offering daily special
submissions. Each day, I will focus on one publishing line. You will have the opportunity to submit more than the standard query for this coming week.

Please understand, this is a one time offer. At the end of the week, the standard submission process will be used.

Take the time this weekend to review the guidelines below. The blog post each day will have the specifics you need to include.

Monday - Gradydon House

Tuesday - Harlequin Desire

Wednesday - Harlequin Romance

Thursday - Harlequin Dare

Friday - Harlequin Heartwarming

Sparks Fly When...

Everyone has pet peeves.

When it comes to query letters or story ideas, I, like other editors and agents, have lists of things that just make us cringe when we read those submissions that come in daily. Does this mean we will immediately reject you? Not necessarily, but, I can say, you have already started off on the wrong foot.

Think of it this way. Are there things that someone may put in a meal, or a way that someone may prepare something that immediately turns you off? Does it mean the entire meal is bad? No. Does it mean that single dish is inedible to you? No. Does it cause you to focus in on that one ingredient and completely ignore the rest of the really good parts of the dish? Probably.

It is the same with submissions...

Consider the following:

CHEESY PHRASES - These are those single sentences authors put in stories or query letters that have become so overdone, that we just cringe. "Sparks fly when..." or the whole electricity buzzing between characters hands when they touch.

The same goes for authors who try to come up with titles that are "witty" but in the end, start sounding like stupid dad jokes. Look, I fully get the publisher will probably change the title, but if this is the first thing we hear is that stupid title, then frankly, I would rather you keep it untitled.

AWKWARD WORDING IN QUERY LETTERS - "Our heroine is..." or "When we first meet our hero..." You are not narrating your novel. Heck, if you are going to go to this level (which I would not recommend) consider A.A. Milne's approach "Chapter 5 in with Pooh is in search of a pot of honey."

THE GAY FRIEND OR PARTY ANIMAL GIRLFRIEND - Why?????? Maybe it is a gender thing, but just because you want the heroine in your story to have a friend she talks to when there is an issue does not mean you have to take it to the extreme level. Making the guy gay so he can "understand her better without becoming involved" is cheesy. Making the heroine's friend the party animal just to have her suggest that tiny piece of lingerie for the first date and to talk trashy is too much.

REFERRING TO YOURSELF IN THE 3rd PERSON - We all remember the episode of SEINFELD when George does this and how we thought it was the most ridiculous thing ever. We still think that. Do you refer to yourself in the 3rd person when writing a resume? Probably not.

STEREOTYPICAL STORYLINES - This is one of those where you really need to follow that editor or agent to know his or her likes and dislikes. I'll keep this one simple for you and just make a list of those that I will likely pass on:

• He's in a band and she is a groupie.
• She catches her husband in an affair and that is what starts the story out.
• The corporate lawyer making a ton of cash giving it all up to start a bakery or run a bed and breakfast in small town USA (and she doesn't know how to cook).
• A character walks into an antique shop, touches an old clock and is suddenly in a time travel sequence.

This list can go on and on. The point of today is pretty simple. Look at what you write? How is this coming out? What would someone on the outside think? 

What Is The Right Way To Submit Your Manuscript?

I really felt like I spent a lot of this last weekend "putting out fires." OK, maybe that is not the right phrase to use, but I think you will understand what I mean. As I was reading submissions from authors and judging contest entries, I was constantly bombarded by new submissions coming from every direction BUT the normal submission process. I had people reaching out to me on LinkedIn, on the agency Facebook Page, on people going through my personal Facebooks Page, on Twitter, and so forth. I also had people submitting projects as links to their personal Google Docs, pasting full projects in emails, going through the CONTACT ME page on my agency website and pasting full queries in that email... The list was endless.

Editors and agents have a submission process. They request certain material in a certain format and through a certain route for a reason. It is how they handle the massive amount of submissions they get on a daily basis. Publishers often have various acquisitions editors reading projects each day. Agencies sort the submissions based on who is acquiring what on each day. At Greyhaus, my process is designed to allow me to read and respond to queries directly in the email, and if I do request material, it allows me the chance to sort projects when I transfer the stories to my iPad.

Authors need to understand that we have all of these additional ways to reach us NOT as a new way to submit projects, but as a way of outreach. We use these as a way to clear up the confusion so many of you scream and yell about. If you follow this blog, you will notice how many times some authors responds with a comment such as, "But you don't get it! It is impossible to find out what editors and agents want." And yet, this is why we reach out.

I remember several years ago, I had really started pushing the social media side of the agency. I had the blog going and immediately was bombarded with a ton of authors who complained that they never saw these messages (of course they responded on the blog) and wanted the information over on Facebook for people who read the material there. So, I created the Facebook page, linked the articles on the blog to Facebook so those people, who were commenting on the blog that they needed the Facebook link could not link off of Facebook back to the Blog. Confusing? Yes! But it was a way to reach people.

I would also add that while you might think you are being helpful by doing things outside of the submission process, you are actually showing the editors and agents that you cannot read or you do not understand the business. For example:

•  Inserting the first half of your book embedded in the email thinking that you are helping us out and giving us a better sense of your writing is not going to work.  If we ask for a query letter only we just want to know the premise of the book.
• Providing links to your Google Drive or website in an attempt to let us see more. I don't know about  you, but in today's digital world, how many of you click on those links you see in websites? Not me.

In many ways, this is the same thing that you hear editors and agents talk about at conferences when they complain about agents following them into the restrooms to pitch their stories. 

So, if you are someone thinking you want to find a "unique" and "different" way to get our attention, I would recommend reading the submission guidelines first. Of course, if you are someone who loves getting rejection letters, or not getting a response at all, then continue what you are doing. 

Catch A Clue

We have all seen those psychology experiments with rats. They run to one end of their cage and if they click the right button, they get food. If they click the wrong one, they get a small zap or negative reinforcement. After a couple of tries, the rats learn.

Unfortunately, I have several authors out there who are probably not as "with it" as those rats.

Yesterday, I was working through submissions and stumbled across 3 authors who have submitted to me in the past. In fact, they have submitted A LOT of projects to me over the years. In all of these cases, I have passed on their projects. But here is the thing. I have passed on these stories, not so much because the writing was not good, but because these are projects that are simply not things I acquire.

These authors are like those rats who apparently cannot catch a clue that doing the wrong thing results in a zap.

I know I am not any different than other agents out there. Just because we reject a project does not mean you cannot submit again. Take the information we give you to you and adapt your next project if you truly want to work with us. But we do want you to learn. If I say I only accept romance and women's fiction, then learn from that. If you do not write this, then don't submit your next project to me.

How Agents and Editors Make A Decision ONLY From A Partial

I often hear back from an author who I rejected complaining that "If I had read the entire book, I would have seen how good it was." I do know, that for a lot of authors, there is a belief that it is impossible to judge a book on just those first 3 chapters or that first 100 pages. In reality, it is a lot easier than you think.

First of all, if you think of someone submitting the first 100 pages of a text, this is easily 1/3 of the book. If you have not hooked the reader in that amount of time, I am sorry to say this, but you are not going to suddenly hook that reader when they hit page 101. The odds are, by this point, they have already tossed your book aside and moved on to a new author.

But what about the first 3 chapters? This is the amount I look at and make a decision. So, what am I looking for?

The first thing I look at is the writing itself. It is very easy to see if the writer has a command of the language, the structure and the storytelling. Essentially, I am looking at their knowledge of the craft and their ability to execute the writing. This is not going to change throughout the book. At this level, I am looking at the use of dialogue, narration and the balance of the two. I am looking at their uses of word choice, character development and fluency.

I can also see at this level if this writer relies on elementary styles of writing that might be seen from someone just learning the craft. These are those things you just learned in a workshop, someone told you to use it because "it would make the story better" but you really don't know how and why to use it.

The second thing I look at is the synopsis. This is where I am really looking at the plot of the story. While those first three chapters might be great, the synopsis is where I can see if you have dumped all of the good stuff at the beginning and then panicked. For many writers, they wrap that story up too soon, and then realize, they still need another huge chunk of words to make it marketable. This is where they start to "add stuff" to the story to make it go further. When I see something like this, it tells me that the author probably lacks the depth of storytelling.

You really see this when you have someone submitting a project for a category or series line and the word count is lower, and yet the story would need something at a very large single title length to cover it all.

I know you have worked hard on your story and you want us to read it, but I want you to also think of your own reading habits (or even TV and movie habits). Do you really stick with something that is not hooking you? The odds are, you too "reject" that story and move on to something new.

What Agents Advertise IS What We Acquire

I have ranted about this in the past, but I think it is time for another rant.

When agents and editors post what we are looking for in terms of genres, in other words, what we acquire and what we don't acquire... wait for it... it is the truth. There are no hidden secrets here. We are not like those "hidden menu items" we hear about at local restaurants. And yet... there are a ton of authors out there, and you may be one of those people, who think, "I know Scott says he only takes romance and women's fiction, but my memoir is so unique, he will think differently!"

Sorry, but no!

Look, I get you all hate getting rejections. I will tell you that editors and agents hate writing rejections. Not only is it tough to tell someone no, but it also takes time to open the email, read the email, record the submission in our databases and then answer the email. But now, when we have to answer submissions from someone who openly admits they read your guidelines and decided to submit later is VERY frustrating. The phrase, "I thought I would take a shot" is not an answer.

Now, if you are someone still frustrated with what editors and agents want in their submissions, the solution is easy. Do your research. Quit living on those database sites such as Agent Query and just submitting to everyone with an email address. Get on the Internet, visit the websites of the editors and agents and do your research. I would also add that this works for publishers as well. If that publisher says they only want "agented submissions" and you don't have one, DO NOT think they will deviate from that thinking. They will not read your submission. I don't care if your story is the next Great American Novel, you did not do your research.

Just a reality check for a Wednesday!

It's More Than Just Your Story

When editors and agents look at submissions, we often all say that it all comes down to the writing. It is the story that matters! And, while this is true, this is not really the complete picture. When I look at a submission, and I am sure other editors and agents do the same thing, we look beyond the story and take some time to get to know the author as a person.

A great many writers seem to think (either consciously or unconsciously) that the process a book goes through is pretty simple. They write, send it out for edits, revise and then it is published. While this is certainly an element of the process, those people involved other than the author are not just tools in the process. These are professionals that authors must interact with.

We often talk about the author-agent or author-editor relationship as being a marriage. This is a long-term commitment. We are not looking for you to simply write one book and move on. We are attempting to work with you to build your career. This means that we need to really be involved in you and your writing.

When I talk to potential new clients, I am often looking at several things that go beyond that story.

DOES THIS PERSON HAVE A REALISTIC PICTURE OF HIS OR HER FUTURE This is a big one. We often hear at conferences, authors talking about how much money they plan on making, or how they already know their story is going to be on the New York Times Best Seller list. Authors also go on and on about how they already are planning on their books going straight to movies. When I hear this, I already see this person really does not see a sense of their future. They simply do not get the business of publishing.

It is good to have lofty goals and we certainly want you to set your goals high, but, with that said, these goals need to be realistic. Thinking that after your first 3 books in a series romance, you are immediately diving into single titles and 10-20 K for each book is not realistic.

IS THIS PERSON OPEN TO LEARNING AND GROWING We all think we have a full grasp of our writing. We know how to write a great book! But in this business, we also need to be able to adapt and grow with the times. We have to be able to listen to critique and feedback, and then be able to make those changes.

I have worked with authors in the past who simply do not want to make changes to their stories. They are in the mindset that this story is fine the way it is, despite the fact that we have gotten feedback from editors that say otherwise. Those relationships stopped fairly fast.

HOW MUCH "EXTRA" WORK WILL I HAVE TO PUT IN TO GET THIS PERSON READY I think I talked about this just recently. We get that new authors will have a bit of a learning curve. We are open to that. We know that we will have to take initial time to make sure the author knows how to get from Point A to Point B. But, this is where we have to really stop and think. Is this author going to require a year of just education and training before we get to a project that is going to sell? Is this author going to require a ton of emails and phone conversations just to explain concepts he or she should already know? This is where we have to ask, is it going to be worth it?

IS THIS PERSON PROFESSIONAL Authors need to understand that while the publishers and agencies represent them, they are representing the agency and the publisher. We want to make sure that when an author is out there in public, they are demonstrating a strong sense of professionalism. It makes it really hard when I have to go to talk to an editor and hear that they are frustrated with how that author is acting or behaving. Yes, I have had these talks and I can honestly say, these conversations are not fun. As an agent, I have to attempt to run damage control between the editor and the author. Not fun.

So, in the end, yes the story is important. But we are signing a complete package and not just a book!

Why We Can Reject Without Reading Your Full Story

I know a lot of writers get really frustrated when they get a rejection from an agent or editor, but they either only sent a partial, just a query, or even know good and well the person on the other end did not read the whole story. We see this all of the time, especially when we get an email from that writer after the rejection telling us, "If you just read a little further, you would see this story is amazing." Maybe it does get better, but their are two realities here that people are not thinking of:

1. Most readers who buy books do not have the patience to wait around for something good.
2. The odds are that your book doesn't suddenly become better the chapter after those you sent to the editor or agent. 

I used to teach a Pre-100 level writing composition course. Students were to write a full essay for me, but only needed to submit the first two pages. The reason was simple... If there were huge grammar mistakes on the first two pages, the odds are that those mistakes continued. If the writer lacked depth, in those initial pages, the probably also continued the problem.

When I look at a partial, I can see from those first pages whether or not the writer has a talent for storytelling. I can see if the author understands the use of writing conventions, plot building and character development. I don't need to read 75,000 words to see that.

It is also in these initial pages where we need you to really "hook us" as a reader. We want to be excited and if you cannot do that with someone who is interested in acquiring your book, how can you expect that from a reader who is wanting to buy your book for real. 

Remember also that we have your synopsis so that means we know where the entire story is going to go? We see the development of the characters, the building to the conflict, and certainly the resolution.

The other reasons we would be rejecting without reading your whole story can also be based on mistakes the author is making. These could include:

• Not following the submission guidelines.
• Sending stories that are not genres we acquire.
• Having a query letter that is unprofessional.
• Demonstrating in the query the writer lacks an understanding of the business such as stories that are too long or too short.

Follow Up On Your Queries

I am sure a lot of us have gone through this in the past. You sent an email to someone and you have not heard back from them. So what happened? The answer is that we really don't know. In publishing this is a situation far too many authors are facing when they send out queries to editors and agents. I want to take the time today to talk about both the why element of this as well as the what you should do about it piece.

So, why is it that you don't hear back from and editor or an agent after sending out a query. There can be any number of reasons:

1. The editor or agent takes a no answer = reject approach. Personally, this is one of those issues that I disagree with. I get that people are busy. I get that we all get a ton of emails, but in my personal opinion, this is not professional. OK, sorry about the rant there, but this might be the case. It is tough for you since you don't really know what happened or if it was an issue with your story that might have gotten fixed.
   
2. You sent a project to an editor or agent that is not what they acquire We are all trying our best (or at least I think others are) to make it clear what we actually acquire. In this case, this scenario sort of falls into the category of that first one. I am sure some people out there feel that if you cannot read the submission guidelines, then what is the point responding with a rejection letter.
   
3. You sent an project to an editor that only takes requested submissions or agent submissions If you are trying to get your project into the hands of some of those big house editors, make sure to see if they are open to un-agented submissions. In the past, they used to just send the project back in the envelope unopened. Today, it is just easier to delete.
4. The editor or agent is no longer there People move around a lot. If they have left that publisher there might be a pretty good chance the email is still active and has just not been deleted. This requires you really doing your homework to make sure the person is still there.
   
5. The agent is closed to submissions at this point Every now and then we close to submissions. Here at Greyhaus, I do have a closed to submission email I can send out, however, I will say in the past, I have also posted that I will just delete a submission if it comes in during this time.
6. Technical glich on their end Look this is an issue with everything digital now. How many times have you found an email message you have been waiting for in the SPAM folder. Same thing happens here. The server on their end my be wonky,
7. Technical glich on your end This is user error. Type in the wrong email address. Leave off key information. Hit send but it stays in your OUTBOX for some strange reason. It can happen. 

So, what do you do with these situations.

The first solution deals with # 2, 3, 4, and 5 - Go back and look to see if these people are still acquiring, or if things have changed. When you first considered that person, it might have seemed like a great chance but maybe they are now closed. It happens. If so, move on. If this was requested material, contact the person and mention this was requested material before they closed to submissions. Also, check to see if this person actually does acquire your genre. Yes, this means reading those submission guidelines that you probably did not read the first time,.

The second solution deals with #6 and 7. In the case of an error on their end, send them an email after the time they say they will normally send back a response and POLITELY check on the status, but then state you are willing to resubmit the material if something got lost. I always like to do this FORWARDING the prior email to verify. If it is your error, yell at yourself for being stupid and resend.

The last one deals with #1. If this person really does take that approach, I would still resend that story to them after the time period they say they would respond. If they do not have a time stated, I would send a follow up after three months. Again, forward the sent message, be polite and ask for the status of the query.

The point is, follow up. Things happen. We are human.

But above all else, BE POLITE!!!!!!

10 Reasons To Not Submit Your Story To Editors And Agents

I thought I would take today to talk about all of the reasons why you should not go out and submit to editors and agents. I am serious here. I think there are a lot of reasons why you should not waste your time submitting. Consider these 10...

1. You have not researched the editor or agent. You have finished your story and you immediately head to the local library to get their latest copy of the Guide to Editors and Literary agents and start submitting. Don't even get me started on the fact that the book you are looking at is probably out of date. The issue here is that you have no clue what these people are really looking for. You simply have a name and contact and you start submitting. If you have not taken days examining everything about that company, what they really are looking for, what they like, what they don't like and their personalities, then you are not ready to move on. 
2. You have not finished your story. Look, when I say finished, I mean it is 100% complete. Not just the rough draft that you feel you need to polish up. Not a story that is still in the works. Not a story that has to go to the critique group for a couple more passes. I mean, this story is finished. YOU have read it through. YOU have polished it up. YOU have copy edited the story to death. It is done. 
3. You believe mass query letter process is the best way to go. You have heard about simultaneous submissions so this should not be a problem, right? No way! This is not a situation where you write one letter, copy and paste it into an email and label it "Dear Editor/Agent" and then fill it with drivel trying to make us believe you have done your research. Your story DOES NOT work with everyone. You have to be professional. Along the same lines, writing the letter and just attaching it to an email is not going to work either. Don't waste our time even opening up that letter. If you are lucky, you may get a rejection letter, but the odds are, your project will go straight to the trash file in our email.
4. You have not learned about how the industry works. So you wrote a story. Big deal. If you take your lap top to Starbucks and start talking to people, the odds are 25% to 50% of those people will also say they have written a novel, or are writing one. This is a business and it is up to you to know how the business works. You need to know and understand the process a book goes through to get to the shelves and the readers. You need to know how contracts work, the role of the editors, agents and publicists. You need to know about advances, royalties and so forth. If all you believe about the industry is that you write, someone prints it and you make money, then you have a long way to go.  
5. You believe your story is worthy of going straight to movies. You are not that good. Sorry to say this. Many authors may sell their rights to a movie producer but nothing is going to happen with your story. There are just too many people out there writing actual movie scripts that are going to outshine your book that will have to then be converted to a movie script. If you are an author, write books. If you want to do movies, write screen plays. 
6. You claim that authors such as James Patterson are going to endorse your novel. Just because you stood in line with 200 other authors at a books signing and met some famous author does not mean your book is going to be endorsed by this person. The same goes for all of you who just sent your unsolicited book to Oprah and received a form letter saying their company will look at it. Sorry to disappoint you, but Oprah is NOT considering your book. This was a nice way to say, no.
7. Your story is so different from anything out there it will stand out to readers. Guess what, if your story is that different, there is a reason you are getting those rejections. Your story does not fit with the market. This goes back to taking the time to know the industry. Do we want new and unique books? Yes. Do we want a story that the market will not want to buy? No way. 
8. Your story is a 400,000 word epic novel and is just part 1 of a 10 book series. Are you kidding me? Mass market books are around 100,000 words, Do you really think anyone is going to read this? Now, don't you go start screaming that Game of Thrones was long. Yes, but this person also had other things going for him? Your debut novel is going straight to the trash.
9. You believe the submission process is just hoops and you will do what you want. Wow, you just gave us a big reason to reject you. We have this process set up for a reason. If you think your story is so good that you don't have to follow the rules, then you just got a rejection letter from all of us. This also goes for thinking you can submit projects through social media, or just showing up at a conference and pitching. Yes, I have seen authors who don't pay for conferences, show up and think they will pitch to editors and agents as they sit there in the lobby trying to eat breakfast. 
10. You plan on proving to the world after you get rejected that we were all wrong. OK, if we are all wrong and don't know our you know what from a hot rock, then why did you submit to us in the first place. Do you really think we would want to work with someone with an attitude like this? 

Can You Deviate From Submission Guidelines

I saw a post a couple of days ago about what to include in a submission. This author was asking if, when an agent asks for the first three chapters, if it is OK to send an introduction chapter with it. My answer was, if this is a "PROLOGUE' and having it gave us a better understanding of the story, then include it. BUT, if the prologue was the length of a full chapter, then that would not be cool.

This post got me thinking about other situations. There are a lot of authors out there who seem to

think that submission guidelines are just that, guidelines. This, I am afraid, is not the same as Capt. Barbosa's perspective on things. These guidelines are there for a reason.

Too often, authors will try to do everything they can to get out attention as editors and agents. They will often submit material that is not requested, or send material in a format they prefer and not in a format that we want.

And then they wonder why they were rejected.

I have talked about this before, but when we have these guidelines, we do this because this is how we get through your material. We each read submissions differently. Some of us read on computers. Some read on their iPads and Kindles. Some print things off. Because we all read things differently, the formatting does matter.

This also says a lot about your ability to read and follow directions. Again, I have said this before, but if you cannot follow directions for submissions, then how will you do with meeting deadlines or working with revision notes?

So please. I don't care if your chapter 12 is amazing, if we don't want it, then don't send it!

Time Between A Request & Submission Says A Lot

You have sent out your manuscript to a couple of editors and agents, and then what you have hoped

for happens. You get a request to send in that project for further review! First of all, congratulations! In this tough market with so many authors, consider this a big achievement. Now what?

Of course you are going to send that project to that editor, but you want to make sure that things look good before sending it. Maybe you want to make sure you send it out to your critique group for one last go around. Maybe you have some new ideas that you want to insert into the story first. So, the question now is, "Should you delay?"

I personally have to say that all of these prior reasons for delaying should never happen at all. If you are submitting projects for consideration, then the darn things need to be finished and ready to go right there and then. No excuses. If you are not confident in the project as it stands, then you have no business talking to an editor or agent yet.

The time between that request and when it makes it to our desks really is a factor for us. Your delay is now giving us a huge concern of how quickly you can get manuscripts to your editors, or even how quickly you can get those revisions finished. That delay also shows us your professionalism. We now ask ourselves if you really were ready.

I would also add that when I request projects, I am already thinking about potential placement of that project with an editor or agent. I may have had someone tell me they are looking for things so keep an eye out for those projects. I simply cannot wait around for you to get off your butt and send me a project because the odds are, that opportunity will be gone when you finally get around to things.

I requested a ton of projects from people in Denver at the RWA conference. You would be surprised that I am still getting people who are submitting those to me now. My question is, why didn't the project get her sooner? I requested a 3-5 page synopsis and the first three chapters. That should not have been that hard? But when I get a project nearly 5 months later, I am probably losing interest.

Another consideration is that we will not likely remember you after that much time. You want us to still remember all of the amazing things going through our head when we first read that initial query or listened to that pitch.

Now, let me say that there are likely some editors and agents who will say to send it when ever you are ready. They are probably not overly excited about your story so this is just a nice way of saying to send something if you give a rip.

This time factor also applies to the professional writers who already have an editor or an agent. Keep yourself on their radar at all times. Long delays between those projects means that those great opportunities for new projects will not come to you, but to those the editors and agents remember.

Just something to consider!