How to Make
it through the Slush-pile
If you are
submitting your work to an agent or directly to a publishing house, check
through the following guidelines to give it its best chance:
1
Is whatever material
you are sending cleanly typed and legible?
Never send handwritten material or anything in a typeface or
size which would make it difficult for the recipient to read.
2
For most work, submit it in a standard form, which is double-spaced
and printed on one side of the paper only.
Don't send it as an email attachment. unless specifically asked to
do so. Publishers and agents will not want to have to print out a
whole manuscript.
3
It may sound obvious, but don’t send anything which looks
tired or tatty – print it out or get it photocopied again to present
it at its best.
4
Read through what you are sending carefully and try to make it as
literate as possible, or get it copy-edited (see our Copy-editing
service). Some successful
authors can’t spell, but it’s very off-putting to try to read an
illiterate manuscript and you need to be successful before you can get
away with turning in something which is sub-standard.
5
Always try to send your manuscript to a named editor or agent
(phone up and get their name), rather than just to the publishing house.
6
Opinions are divided about whether to send the whole manuscript or an
outline and three chapters, but I’d go for the latter.
You’ll probably hear back more quickly and any interested
publisher will ask you to send the whole manuscript anyway.
7
Always send return postage, preferably in the form of a stamped,
addressed envelope or jiffy bag, or an international money order, if you
want your material back.
8
Remember that the person on the other end is probably an assistant
with a giant pile of manuscripts to get through.
They will be short of time, but genuinely pleased to discover
something worthwhile in the slush-pile.
Try to write an attention-grabbing, but not too long, submission
letter and present yourself and your material as well as you can.
9
See Michael Legat’s Factsheet
5: Submissions and Why has my
Manuscript been Rejected? for more background on submissions.
CH
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