Follow the Guidelines

AKA Follow the Guidelines

Agent websites have them, book and magazine publisher websites have them, anthology websites have them – a webpage dedicated to submission guidelines. Read them, understand them, follow them.

If you want your work to be considered seriously, follow the submission guidelines.

• If they want an email query, don’t mail them your 500 page tome
• If they want 10 pages, don’t send any more, no matter how much you love the lines on the next page
• If they want science fiction, don’t send them an epic fantasy

unclear on the concept

The submission guidelines are the gate keepers, be nice and do what they say. They are a test, and there is only a Pass or Fail score. They are fair and just, and really not that difficult.

Agents get *hundreds* of submissions *a day* and this is how they decide who is serious, who is professional, and who they might want to work with. Let that who be you.

Bret Maverick: I’m sorry, I misunderstood. I thought we were playing a poker game. You can make up rules for any game you like, but don’t call it poker.
- Maverick, “Relic of Fort Tejon”, Season 1

Aug 25, 2009

Tags: submissions guidelines

Categories: agents & editors & publishing