Tick off the sixteen avoidable mistakes before you put a stamp on anything — or hit send.
Tick each item when you are sure it no longer applies to this submission. The list is the sixteen avoidable reasons publishers say no. Your ticks stay on this device so you can come back to them.
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Reset 16 still open. Tick each item when you are sure it no longer applies.
01 Wrong genre for the houseThe author fails to read the publisher’s website and submits the wrong genre of book. 02 Ignored submission guidelinesThe author fails to follow the publisher’s submission guidelines. 03 A photocopied or generic cover letterThe cover letter is photocopied or generic. 04 Spelling or grammatical errorsThe cover letter contains spelling or grammatical errors. 05 Insufficient postageThe envelope was sent without sufficient postage and the publisher had to collect it from the sorting office in the rain, and had to pay for the privilege. 06 Unedited sample chaptersThe sample chapters are not sufficiently edited and checked. 07 Angrily demanding a responseThe author angrily demands a response a couple of weeks after submitting the proposal. 08 Talking too much — or too slowly — on the phoneThe author phones the editor and talks too much or too slowly, so the editor decides against initiating a working relationship with an author who seems likely to take up too much of their time. 09 Forgetting the commercial positivesThe author fails to mention positive factors that might influence the publishing decision, such as guaranteed sales, self-publicity, related external events or previously published books. 10 Evidence that they are clearly madThe author’s envelope and cover letter displays evidence that they are clearly mad. Using a purple felt-tip pen to address the envelope is a sure sign of this! 11 A hand-written proposalThe proposal is hand-written. 12 Typed on a typewriterThe proposal is typed on a typewriter. 13 No e-mail addressThe author doesn’t have an e-mail address. Authors without e-mail cost more to contact and cause delays in the editing process. 14 Quoting other publishers’ rejection lettersThe cover letter quotes praise from other publisher’s rejection letters. 15 Recycled, already-returned sample chaptersThe sample chapters have obviously been submitted elsewhere and returned. 16 Missing permissionsThe author has not obtained permission to use photos or quotes taken from other writings, and the publisher shies away from the administrative hassle and additional cost involved in buying those permissions. Read the full explanations on Sixteen reasons that need not happen .