A Publisher's Conversations with Authors: How (Not) to Impress a Publisher

(photo by Frank Perez)

It is Tuesday. Time to tall turkey. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.

Today's topic is inspired by a proposal I received just yesterday, in which the would-be-published author wrote, "Sorry that the spelling and grammar may be a bit off; I know your great staff of editors can take care of that."

Of course, that book was rejected without even looking at it. Here is why:

- Authors are word people. They are communicating with their readers, and they need to be able follow the basic conventions through which their readers understand. Errors in punctuation, grammar, and spelling can change meaning or create confusion as to meaning. 

- The implication is that the author is not well educated--in the world of books, this does not play well.

- Another implication is that the author is lazy--given the high energy required of authors to assist with marketing (no, one does not send off a manuscript these days and expect the publisher to do everything else, so this does not play well.

- Yet another implication is that the author is unprepared for the publishing world--in the publishing world, the author is a partner (even if not a paying partner) and learning what the expectations of publishers are is essential; lack of knowledge is no excuse, given the number of books and free websites available about how to go about finding a publisher and/or publishing a book.

- And another implication, not a very good one, is that the author will expect to treat the publisher has his/her staff--among publishers, this will not play well, either; no one likes to be disrespected or denigrated; a good publisher-author relationship, with respect on both sides, is essential 

- Finally, that kind of statement comes across as arrogant, and no publisher is excited to take on an arrogant author (even, sometimes, famous ones).

If you are a unpublished author, this type approach dooms you to remain an unpublished author.

Lesson for today's Tuesday talk: First impressions count--a lot! 
Send only send your best work, a fully polished manuscript. If you really do not know how to write, learn; get a developmental editor to help you before submitting your work. Remember: if you would not go to the store in your pajamas and slippers, don't send a manuscript in pajamas and slippers to a publisher. It will likely get sent to bed via the garbage chute.

Read more posts about publishing HERE.

The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic you would like addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 17 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.