Every writer pours their heart and soul into ensuring the success of their work. After dedicating day and night to their writing, the last thing any author wants to hear is that their work has not been accepted by the agents they have aspired to work with.
In the competitive world of publishing, rejection is a very real possibility. While this news can be scary for any aspiring author, it’s important to know that these doubts can be cleared with the right approaches.
Here are some of the best tips to get your manuscripts accepted by the right publishers.
- Understand Your Genre Well
Knowing your genre is not all about knowing what your audience wants. Several other factors can significantly help authors in the writing process. Once you know what ensures the success of a work in a genre, you can incorporate those practices into your work.
Understanding your genre also helps you understand the book you are writing. Whether it concerns the plotline of your book or character arcs, every step of writing a brilliant fiction book can become easier when you understand the genre well.
- Research Well
Fictional worlds are often created from the ground up by authors. While the realm of fiction offers limitless possibilities, it’s essential for the writing to have some connection to reality. After all, if the work isn’t rooted in reality, how can readers relate to it?
If you want your manuscript to be loved by the agents and readers alike, you must make research an important part of your writing routine. If your manuscript lacks research, the chances of you hearing back from your agent will become slimmer by the minute.
- Make it Fun
Whether you are writing crime fiction or a romantic short story, avoiding boring details must be a top priority for you. A boring manuscript will surely be overlooked by an agent. Even if you make it past this step, your readers will surely not be forgiving.
No one wants to read a boring story. Hence, you must ensure that whatever you write provides something fresh and new to the readers. Otherwise, your manuscript will lose its chances of standing out among a crowd.
- Know Your Weaknesses
A part of being a brilliant writer is understanding your strengths and weaknesses. It is never a good idea for even the most brilliant authors to think that they have no weaknesses. You must be able to criticize your own work and ask experts for help when needed.
For example, fiction authors with great ideas but weak writing skills often seek the services of a professional fiction ghostwriter. This collaboration is key to ensuring the success of authors lacking in a specific skill.
Similarly, the weaknesses you have as an author are nothing to hide away or be ashamed of. Once you recognize your weaknesses, you can get in touch with relevant experts to find a possible solution for your needs.
- Hire a Book Coach
If you are struggling with the timely completion of your manuscript, you are not one. Several authors struggle with the same issue. Whether you are facing these challenges because of a lack of motivation or poor time management, reaching out for help can feel great.
A book coach can be a mentor, an accountability partner, a guide, and much more. These professionals stay by your side throughout your writing journey and ensure that you meet your deadlines without compromising on quality.
- Seek Feedback
You cannot think about ensuring the success of your manuscript without seeking feedback and being open to criticism. Even the best of authors can never claim to create perfect manuscripts. There is always some room for improvement in their work.
Do not make the mistake of submitting your manuscript without asking for second opinions. To begin with, you can ask your friends, family members, and alpha readers about their opinion of your work.
Once you have revised your work and made the basic improvements, you can share it with beta readers and editors and ask for honest reviews to strengthen your work.
- Strengthen Your Network
Networking is important for writers seeking to publish their work. An author without a strong network may have a harder time finding their place in the competitive publishing world. Hence, the importance of networking cannot be undermined for authors.
From joining writing groups on social media to attending writing conferences, there is no shortage of opportunities for authors to connect with the right people. These connections can not only tell you about the ongoing trends but also make it possible for you to publish your work with ease.
- Format Your Work
Any author trying to make their manuscript stand out must not overlook the importance of formatting. It is one of the most common and effective ways to make your work aesthetically pleasing and give the recipient a great reason to give it a read.
Remember to adhere to the submission guidelines of each publisher, as they have their own set of rules for manuscript formatting. These guidelines provide information on text size, fonts, and page numbers. If specific guidelines are not provided, you can follow the standard formatting rules.
- Engage Your Audience
While preparing your work for publishing and ensuring that your manuscript gets published comes with several challenges,you cannot overlook a factor as important as audience engagement. After all, what use is a successfully published work if potential readers are not even aware of its importance?
Modern authors do not have to worry about putting loose inserts in trade magazines or mail copies directly. With the advent of the internet, it is possible for you to get most of these important tasks done from the comfort of your home.
Remember to utilize different platforms, including your website, email list. and various social media accounts, to promote your book and connect with your target audience before its publication. A highly anticipated book has an increased chance of getting published.
