Manuscript Submission Mistakes to Avoid

Submitting your finished manuscript for review (either fiction or nonfiction) is not an overly difficult process, but it does take some time and effort. Most authors go through this process for traditional publication. For novel submission, you’ll need a few more pieces of writing, including the query or cover letter, a one-page synopsis and possibly an outline.

The query or cover letter is the first thing that a literary agent or publishing house reader or editor will read. The cover/query letter should encourage interest and encourage the agent to request your novel (or at least some of it) for consideration.

Literary agents and publishing house editors listed their top pet peeves when it comes to manuscript submissions. Unless you're a famous author with several published works under your belt, I suggest you follow the submissions guidelines of particular literary agents or editors to the letter for optimal results.

So here's the list of the most common pet peeves for agents and editors:

·         Long and overly wordy query letters

·         Query letters or proposals that criticize a published author’s work

·         Letters that contain grammatical errors

·         Letters addressed to the wrong literary agent or editor

·         Query letters that claim your book is next “great American novel"

·         Query letters that smell of cigarette or perfume

·         Packing materials (peanuts, shredded newspaper, popcorn, etc.)

·         Queries that suggest an advance

·         Queries that overly friendly

Your goal is to interest the agent or editor in your novel or book, so if you can't create that interest within a couple of paragraphs, how will you convince him or her that your writing is tight and engaging?

Do yourself a favor by putting your best book forward. Don't tick off an editor or agent before he or she has even had a chance to read a synopsis or the first few pages of your novel. Be courteous, double check name spelling and keep your manuscript out of the slush pile by following agent and editor guidelines.