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How to Submit a Manuscript
Below are some frequently asked questions about manuscript submission.
_______________________________________________ Q. What is a "partial" manuscript? They've responded to my query by asking for sample chapters, but I don't know which ones to send. A. First of all, it's a nice problem to have, isn't it? Congratulations on getting the request. If an editor is intrigued by your query letter and synopsis, she'll often ask for a partial. She doesn't want to waste time reading a full manuscript that won't work for her, and three chapters is generally sufficient for her to determine if you're headed in the right direction. She's looking for a good "voice" and she's hoping that your story will "hook" her. If it does, she'll ask for the full manuscript. By the way, editors will sometimes reply to a query by requesting the full manuscript right from the start. That doesn't necessarily indicate a higher degree of interest in your project. She is under no obligation to read the entire manuscript, but if she likes what she sees and wants to keep going, she's already got the whole story right in front of her. Some editors prefer to work that way. Unless the editor has specifically asked for the first three chapters, what you send is your call. You might choose to send your action-packed first chapter, a particularly juicy middle chapter, and your knock-em-dead ending chapter, but it is far more common to send chapters one, two, and three. I believe that is what most editors are expecting when they ask for a partial, so unless you know in your gut that it's absolutely right to do otherwise, I'd recommend that you send the first three.
A. Of course you're excited, but remember--this stuff doesn't have to go out in tomorrow's mail. So take a couple of deep breaths and then do another read-through. Are you sure it's perfect? Has someone else read your manuscript to check for typos? I would send in a partial fairly quickly--within a week of the request. You might wait a good three weeks to send in a full, but certainly no longer without dropping a note to the editor telling her that you're doing a final polish. If you do that, be sure to let her know when to expect the package. There aren't any actual rules to this, so use your common sense. If you manage to interest an editor, don't you want to get your project to her before she forgets that she asked for it? On the other hand, maybe another week or two of polishing will make the difference between "pretty close" and "sold". In the end, you'll have to rely on your own instincts.
A. It has happened. But you're going to do three things to ensure that it won't happen to you :
A. First of all, don't even think about getting "creative" and putting the manuscript in any kind of folder or notebook or box. What the editor expects is loose pages. Just secure your manuscript with two large rubber bands. (You'll have to experiment to find a size that holds your papers firmly without rolling them up.) Now, here's what goes into your package:
That's it.
A. Begin with a brief reminder that the editor has requested this manuscript. Then jog her memory about the story. If it's been several weeks since she asked to see it, you may need to give her more detail than if it was just last week. And don't forget to thank her! Here's the actual text of the cover letter I sent with my first rquested manuscript:
A. This is the time-honored way for the editor to let you know your manuscript has arrived. Get a blank, pre-paid postcard from the post office. Address it to yourself and write this (or something similar) on it:
Don't trouble the editor about signing and dating the postcard. All she needs to do is drop it into her outgoing mailbox.
A. I've used both boxes and envelopes, and I don't know that editors care one way or another. Some people say the boxes are bulky, but envelopes don't stack very well, do they? Sounds like a tradeoff to me. I just can't see why an editor would favor one package over the other. I think you get good value with Priority Mail. It's fast, reliable, and affordable. On top of that, the boxes and envelopes are free. And if you pay a small additional fee (I believe it's around eighty cents) you can track your package online and know when it has been delivered. Even if you're willing to splurge and request a "return receipt," it's probably a bad idea to send the editor a package that must be signed for. She's used to popping postcards back to authors, so stick with that and she'll see you as a pro rather than a neurotic writer. And whether or not you use Priority Mail's tracking service, you'll know your package has been received because the editor will return your post card. _______________________________________ I hope you found this page helpful.
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