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Writing fiction at the professional level isn't for the faint of heart. Any writer who wants to remain competitive in the field must be blessed with talent, imagination, and (especially) perseverance. As if that weren't enough, he or she must also learn to be a good businessperson -- and that means mastering the basics of marketing, negotiation, manuscript formatting, and manuscript submission. This article covers the most often overlooked of these subjects, the submission of the manuscript itself.
Ten Important Rules
Before you submit your story to a professional publication, you need to learn the basic rules of the game. Study these, learn them, and internalize them until they're second nature. Along with formatting, they're the key to your success as a fiction writer. Editors won't look twice at your work if you don't follow the rules.
NOTE: Many of these items assume that you'll be submitting your article by snail-mail. Electronic submissions may be the wave of the future, but most editors haven't gotten around to accepting them yet.
And away we go:
1. Don't submit to a market unless you've studied it carefully. While few writers are careless enough to submit a regency romance story to a hard science fiction magazine, it's not uncommon for editors at such a magazine to be inundated by piles of soft SF, sword-and-sorcery, and fantasy stories.
2. Unless you're submitting a work that the editor has asked for specifically, or if you have special instructions for the disposal of the manuscript, don't bother with a cover letter. Most editors think they're a waste of time.
3. If you're submitting the story by snail-mail, always be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) with it. Make sure the SASE is big enough for the entire manuscript to return in (usually 9 by 12 inches are larger). Always use stamps for your SASE, because the Postal Service won't accept a SASE with metered postage. If the manuscript is disposable, let the editor know and include a smaller SASE for their reply. If you're submitting electronically, ask the editor for submission instructions and follow them to the letter.
4. Snail-mail manuscripts should be submitted in a large envelope, at least 9 by 12 inches in size. This will give you plenty of room for your manuscript, SASE, and any other items you need to include. One exception: very short manuscripts can be submitted in a plain business-sized envelope.
5. If you're including a computer disk or other electronic media in your submission, invest in a disk mailer to keep it safe. Label the mailer with your name and story title, just in case it gets loose in the editor's office or mailroom. You should also label the exterior of the submission envelope with the legend "DO NOT BEND. ELECTRONIC MEDIA ENCLOSED."
6. For a more professional look, type or print the editorial and return addresses on adhesive labels and attach them to the appropriate spots on your submission envelope.
7. Submit all snail-mail manuscripts by First Class mail. Why? It's not that expensive, it looks more professional, and it arrives more quickly than other classes of mail.
8. Unless the editor has asked otherwise, always submit the complete manuscript.
9. Try to submit your story to the proper editor. Sending it to the wrong place will delay its consideration, or might simply get it lost altogether. If you must, call the editorial office to verify the name of the editor, but don't make a habit of this.
10. Never call an editor about a submission. This will only irritate them. After the reporting period has lapsed, submit a politely-worded query asking about the piece's status. After a month, follow it with another, similar query. If this doesn't result in a reply, wait a bit and then send a letter politely withdrawing the story from consideration. Yes, this is a lengthy process, but you do have other projects going in the meantime -- right?
These rules won't sell your story by themselves -- you have to have the right idea and right execution, too. But if keep them in mind, along with your formatting requirements, you'll be on your way to a publishing success. You might not sell the story right away, but it'll look damn professional while it's on an editor's desk.
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