{"id":3542,"date":"2014-11-08T05:14:57","date_gmt":"2014-11-08T13:14:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/publishingblog\/?p=3542"},"modified":"2014-11-08T05:14:57","modified_gmt":"2014-11-08T13:14:57","slug":"submission-guidelines-how-important-are-they","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/publishingblog\/?p=3542","title":{"rendered":"Submission Guidelines: How Important Are They?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just like dogs, horses, artists, fingerprints, personalities, no two publishers are alike. They produce different material, have different requirements, and their submission guidelines are different.<\/p>\n

Why consider submission guidelines? Why not just present your material to the publisher of your choice?<\/p>\n

Even though there are hundreds more publishers, there are also thousands more hopeful authors seeking publication. In order to save time and streamline their operations, most publishers have created guidelines requesting specific items from authors presented in a certain way. If you want to land a publisher in this highly competitive publishing climate, you are wise to seek out each publisher\u2019s submission guidelines and follow them.<\/p>\n

Locate Submission Guidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n

Excerpted from Patricia Fry\u2019s book, Publish Your Book<\/i>. http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/PublishYourBook.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Once you have found several appropriate publishers, visit their websites for more specific information. Print out a copy of their submission guidelines (or \u201ceditorial guidelines\u201d or \u201cwriters\/authors guidelines\u201d).<\/p>\n

Sometimes the guidelines are difficult to find. If you don\u2019t see a link button to the submission guidelines, click on \u201cAbout Us\u201d or \u201cContact Us.\u201d If you don\u2019t see the guidelines on either of these pages, look for a new link on that page. Sometimes there will be more link options available to the left or across the top of that page.<\/p>\n

No luck? Go back to the home page and search links within links. Put your cursor on the available link buttons and see if a menu appears. Read the selections on the menus. \u00a0Also check the links that sometimes appear at the bottom of the home page.<\/p>\n

If you cannot locate the guidelines at all, email the editor and ask for a copy. Or send a letter of request for submission guidelines in the mail along with a self-addressed-stamped envelope (SASE). That is, an envelope with your name and full address as well as enough postage for the return trip.<\/p>\n

Before you can attract a publisher\u2019s attention, you should know what he or she requires. You have a better chance of being noticed when you send the publisher exactly what he wants in the manner he wishes to receive it. In today\u2019s highly competitive publishing industry, it is not easy to stand out from the crowd. One way to do it is to follow policy. Each publisher sets his or her own policy and standards. While some are certainly lax, others want authors to jump through hoops. If it is important to you and your project that you land a publishing contract, you must conform to each publisher\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n

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Just like dogs, horses, artists, fingerprints, personalities, no two publishers are alike. They produce different material, have different requirements, and their submission guidelines are different. Why consider submission guidelines? Why not just present your material to the publisher of your choice? Even though there are hundreds more publishers, there are also thousands more hopeful authors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t