Submissions, publishers, and painful rejection

Five ways to cope with ‘the shock'.

My top tip for ensuring your work won't be rejected by publishers? Don't send it. Works a treat every time, and your dreams remain intact. Sadly, authors in their thousands never drum up the courage to pop their baby into the publishing chute, and I understand their caution. Rejection is never pleasant, especially when it comes without explanation or apparent reason.

Without resorting to psychobabble, here is one strategy for submitting work that may help you ‘through' the period when publishers and the postman appear to be playing ping-pong with your baby.

1. Ensure the physical package for publishers and agents is in pristine condition; is directed only at those who handle your type of work, and is in the format they require. You have now beaten off 50% of the competition before a word is read.

2. Have a minimum of two packages ‘in play' at any one time, and two publishers next in line to receive a draft the moment a rejection is received. Playing two or even three publishers at a time is acceptable – they take an age getting round to new work – but approach agents singly; they don't take kindly to getting excited about a prospect only to find a competitor is getting similarly enthusiastic as he or she tours the publishing parlours.

3. Expect to get rejected. If your submissions campaign is directed at three agents and ten publishers, don't blow a gasket until all have had a chance to study your proposal. Appreciate that no two submissions editors have the same tastes or are under identical pressure to see your work as a good commercial risk.

4. Expect nine months to elapse before your campaign is completed – and that's being conservative. This thought should stimulate you, as a creative soul, to get cracking on another writing project whilst all this is going on in the background. Too much time pondering on the unfairness of life and the myopia of publishers who fail to gawk at the splendour of your output will get you nowhere. Indeed, it will drive you nuts. Get on with life.

The four steps above are easier to advise than to take, but I assure you they have value. I would add one further stage, and consider it before you embark on the campaign. Take independent, disinterested advice on your completed draft and on the elements of the package you intend sending to publishers and agents. Minor adjustments recommended by writers and professionals who have been through this mill themselves many times over can make all the difference. As a WriteAway member, this service could be yours; it's excellent value and totally confidential. You can check all the benefits of membership by clicking on the link below. If you already have access to impartial and wise counsel – good luck. Take it, and give your work the best chance of lift-off.