So, you’ve eventually completed your manuscript. You’ve spent hours agonizing about the placement of semi-colons and commas, edited it until you can recite it backwards and forced it onto friends and family so frequently that they run away when they see you, fearful that they might be subjected to yet another manuscript reading. Now all that remains is for you to get your masterpiece published. Unfortunately (and hopefully someone told you this before you started writing!) this is by far the most difficult part of the whole process. To save you from making the same mistakes that I made, I’ve compiled the following list of time-and-pride-saving tips:

  • Research your publisher: You’re setting yourself up for failure if you send a chick-lit manuscript to a publisher that publishes heavyweight political works. Likewise, you’d be stupid to send a fiction manuscript to a publisher that specializes in non-fiction. Look for novels that are similar in style to the one that you propose getting published and check which publisher published them. Chances are, they’ll be interested in your novel too. Contact the publisher that you intend sending your manuscript to and find out what they require: do they want the whole manuscript? Just a few chapters? Printed or electronic version? By sending them exactly what they’re looking for, you’ll minimize the chances of your manuscript getting trashed before it’s even been looked at.
  • Send in a beautiful manuscript: This really relates to the point above. Find out what the publisher wants in a manuscript and send that. You’d be hard pressed to find an editor who is going to wade through a handwritten manuscript on the off-chance that you might prove to be the next Jodi Picoult. If you’re a stickler for detail, the acceptable font is ‘Courier New’. Send in a neat, well-edited and polished manuscript and you increase the likelihood of it getting a second glance.

 

  •  Sell yourself and, failing that, get a literary agent: Some people are brilliant at self-promotion. I am not one of them. When I was trying to get my fist novel published, I introduced my manuscript with a groveling letter pleading the editor to glance an eye over the first few paragraphs when he or she had a moment to spare. Of course it received a sound rejection. When I got a literary agent to send it to a publisher, he started the accompanying letter ‘this is an opportunity you can’t miss…’. The publishers were hooked. There is a book listing literary agents, available at CNA. My agent was Ron Irwin (www.ronaldirwin.co.za).

  •  Listen to the publishers: If you are lucky you will receive a rejection letter from the publisher. If you are even luckier, there will be some advice in the rejection letter. It might be something like ‘this novel has good potential but needs to be half the length’. Swallow your pride and follow the advice. Of course, if you are particularly attached to your novel exactly as it is, you can try another publisher, but don’t be surprised when you receive another rejection letter.

 

  •  Don’t give up: You’ve heard the urban legends about the great novels being rejected thousands of times before they were accepted for publication so try not to get disheartened when nobody seems interested in your work. It’s difficult, but try not to take the rejection personally. Rather, take it as an opportunity to revisit your manuscript and see where it might be improved. Perhaps it needs a thousand improvements to become a great manuscript.