You finished writing your story or article. You revised it 3 times.
How many manuscripts did you send off for critique this year?
You say you’ve done that once a month. I’m proud that you did that. You sent it off for critique. You revised it 4 more times, making a total of 7 revisions. Now that your work is in quality condition, it’s time to market your work. Let's talk submissions.
How many quality manuscripts did you submit this year to a publisher, agent, or contest?
What? You tell me that you have three quality manuscripts at the marketing stage and you only submitted once this year. On the bright side, that’s better than not submitting at all. It probably was the best you could do. However, I want to inspire and motivate you to make at least 4 more submissions this year. That's one for each month: September, October, November, and December.
Do you want to increase your odds and have a better chance at publication?
Here are three ways to increase your odds:
1. Submit one quality manuscript to 3 well-matched publishers. (3/12-25% )
2. Submit three different quality manuscripts to 3 different publishers. (6/12-50%)
3. Submit one quality manuscript to 6 different agents. (6/12-50%)
If you don’t submit to editors, agents, or contests, perhaps you are not convinced that your story is good enough for publication. You need encouragement. You need confidence. You need a plan. You need Pub Subbers.
Perhaps you’re like Dr. Seuss or Colonel Sanders, you’ve been rejected so many times you’re about to give up. I’m sure there were days when both Dr. Seuss and Colonel Sanders said to themselves, “Nobody is interested in my ideas.”
But somewhere from deep inside, came a little voice that said to them, “It’s a great idea. You have great ideas. You just haven’t met the right person to buy it yet. Keep on trying. Don’t give up.” Dr. Seuss got published after 27 rejections. After 1009 rejections and 2 years of traipsing across America, Colonel Sanders got the first restaurant to purchase a license to use his Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe.
Even if you submit 100 times, I can’t guarantee that a publisher will give you a contract and publish your work. But, I can guarantee that if the rejections you receive stop you in your tracks and if you never submit again, you will never get published.
Keep submitting. If you receive a rejection, hit the reset button on the “Bowling Alley of Submissions.” Brainstorm enthusiasm and change your inner goals. Make changes in your manuscript to make it better and better. Keep submitting no matter how many rejections you get. The more you submit, the better chance you will have to be published.
A publisher is looking for you while you are looking for a publisher. Do not give up. Keep submitting on a regular basis. Submitting is action that shows your faith in yourself and your writing. Believe in yourself and your writing, be a Pub Subber. Submit your quality work often.
Are you a Pub Subber? Pub Subbers have three stages: The Writing Stage; The Revising Stage; The Marketing Stage.
I invite you to follow the Pub Subber plan for writing, revising, and submitting to an editor, agent, or contest.
Here is a short explanation of Pub Subber stages for four weeks of the month.
Pub Subbers believe that submitting quality work on a regular basis leads to publication.
• Writing Stage - Pub Subbers write new drafts - new stories, poems, songs, etc..
• Revising Stage - Pub Subbers send their draft manuscripts to a critique person or group 1-3 times and revise manuscripts at least 7 times before submitting to an agent, editor, or contest. This revision process takes a manuscript from a draft in the writing stage to a quality manuscript in the Marketing Stage.
• Marketing Stage - Pub Subbers submit a quality manuscript at least once a month to an editor, agent, or contest.
Writing Stage and Revising Stage
Live, Read, Write, Revise, Get Critiques, Educate and Motivate the Muse within You. This could be a week, a month, or a year or even longer.
Week 4
Marketing Stage
Begins on a new month after your manuscript is in quality condition and has been critiqued 1-3 times and revised at least 7 times.
Week 1
Find Three Possible Publishers, Agents, or Contests. Choose one. Send manuscript for one last critique.
Week 2
Write draft query, cover letter, and/or proposal. Follow the guidelines of the editor, agent, or contest.
Week 3
Final Edit, Print, Proof. Pub Sub Friday It’s time to submit to an agent, editor, contest of your choice.
Submit your manuscript! You’ll be glad you did.
Pub Subbers Yahoo Group has automated weekly reminders each month to help you get published and won’t let you give up on yourself or your writing goals. To join Pub Subbers, send a blank email to pubsubbers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Joan Y. Edwards
Blog: Never Give Up blog
Website: Joan Y. Edwards
Flip Flap Floodle, a happy little duck who Never Gives Up
Hear Flip’s Song
Joan's Elder Care Guide 4RV Publishing Coming in June 2014.
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P.S. IF YOU'D LIKE MORE ON WRITING AND BOOK MARKETING, SIGN UP FOR THE WRITING WORLD (top right sidebar).
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27 comments:
I definitely need to work on step three - the marketing/submission stage.
Interesting post and great reminder to submit. The Pub Subbers group sounds like a really good prompt tool. Sometimes rejections come with excellent advice too, which can be incorporated for the next submission.
I've long been a fan of Joan's advice and must, simply must join that group lol. Thanks Joan for a timely reminder--we've still got three weeks of September. Yay!
Hi Joan,
Typical Joan go-and-doit philosophy. You remind me of Edison.
:)
Bob
PS the link to this page was faulty. I could only get on through some creative fixing.
This made me laugh. It seems so obvious but it is so needed. And maybe--after all--what writers need to do it is a plan of action! Way to go!
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Loving helping writers get read with my HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers including the multi award-winning second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo)
PS: Dr. Bob Rich--nice to hear from you! Sending hugs!
Joan, great reminders for writers. You absolutely need to submit your work. Pub Subbers sounds like a helpful group to keep the motivation going!
Dear Mary Jo,
Thank you very much for writing. The Marketing/Submission stage is the most difficult, isn't it? It takes much courage and unwavering determination. Good luck with all your writing.
Submit your manuscript today.
Be a Pub Subber
http://www.joanyedwards.wordpress.com
Dear Magdelena,
Thank you very much for writing. I'm glad you think that the Pub Subbers group sounds like a really good prompt tool. Reminders are good. People in the group cheer and encourage, too. You are right. Sometimes rejections do include excellent advice for revisions. I wish you the greatest success with all of your writing.
Submit your manuscript today.
Be a Pub Subber
http://www.joanyedwards.wordpress.com
Dear Annie,
Thank you very much for writing. I am honored to hear that you've long been a fan of my advice. You are right, we have 3 more weeks in September. I hope you do join Pub Subbers. It's a fun and exciting group of people. I'm working on submitting a story that I've never submitted before. Perhaps we can both make a submission in September. This is day 7 - 23 more to go. Go, Annie. Go, Go, Go.
Submit your manuscript today.
Be a Pub Subber
http://www.joanyedwards.wordpress.com
Dear Dr. Bob,
Thank you very much for writing. Aw shuckins! I am very honored by your saying it's "typical Joan go and do it philosophy." I am excited that I remind you of Edison. I admire him. Why do I remind you of Edison?
Good luck with the marketing of your books. Celebrate you and all you do to help others.
Submit your manuscript today.
Be a Pub Subber
http://www.joanyedwards.wordpress.com
Dear Carolyn,
Thank you very much for writing. I'm glad that my post made you laugh. You are right, it does seem obvious that writers need to submit their work as a plan of action. When I started Pub Subbers (PubSub3rdFri), I had many manuscripts tucked away in my computer that had not been submitted anywhere. That's why I started it. I know that publishers are not going to knock on my front door and say, "Excuse me, Joan. We want to buy those 6 manuscripts tucked away in your computer."
To be good to ourselves as writers, we need to get our manuscript(s) in quality shape and submit them.
Celebrate you and all you do to help others.
Submit your manuscript today.
Be a Pub Subber
http://www.joanyedwards.wordpress.com
Dear Karen,
Thank you very much for writing. I'm glad you think I wrote great reminders for writers. You're right it is absolutely necessary for a writer to submit work. Pub Subbers is a group of people who definitely keep the motivation going!
Thanks for asking me to be a guest on your blog. I enjoyed it very much.
Celebrate you and all you do to help other writers.
Submit your manuscript today.
Be a Pub Subber
http://www.joanyedwards.wordpress.com
Joan
Dear Joan,
Thank you so much for writing this blog. It was very,very helpful.
June
Thanks for your spot on advice Joan.
Joan,
The support and encouragement you receive from fellow pubsubbers and the option of swapping manuscripts for critique is a big plus for joining this group.
Joan, Thank you for guest blogging with us. You always have insightful and useful information.
Karen
Dear Karen,
You are welcome for my guest blogging. I enjoy finding and sharing information I've found helpful with others. It helps me meet lots of great people.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Dear June,
Thanks for hopping over here to read my guest blog post. I'm glad you found it helpful!
Thanks for being a Pub Subber.
Submit that manuscript.
It's a great step to publication.
Joan Y. Edwards
Dear Susan,
Thanks for driving over to see my guest blog post. I'm glad you thought it to be spot on advice.
Thanks for being a Pub Subber.
Submit that manuscript.
It's a great step to publication.
Joan Y. Edwards
Dear Linda,
Thank you very much for drifting over here to see my guest blog post. I'm glad that you believe the support and encouragement you receive from fellow pubsubbers and the option of swapping manuscripts for critique is a big plus for being in Pub Subbers.
Thank you for being a Pub Subber.
Submit that manuscript.
It's a great step to publication.
Joan Y. Edwards
Joan,
You are a master teacher. You know I am one of your biggest fans! And yes, pub-subbing is a must! You can write all day long, all week long, but if your work sits on your desk/computer - seeing it on the display shelf at your local bookstore is a very distant dream!
Great advice, as always.
Thank you for sharing your expertise with us.
Dear Ann,
Thank you for driving over to read my guest blog post. Thank you also for the great compliment about being a master teacher. Aw shuckins. You say the nicest things. You're right you can write a lifetime, but if you don't submit it asking for publication, seeing your book on display at your local bookstore is a very distant dream.
Good luck with your writing. I hope its sequel is an as big a success as Hiding Carly or even bigger.
Good luck with all of your writing.
Submit that manuscript
Joan Y. Edwards
Hi Joan. So glad you were able to promote pub sub. I am proud to be a pubsubber and glad that you are such an encourager. I do not comment much on pubsub, but I do benefit from the reminders for writing, editing, having work critiqued, and submitting. I had a stretch of discouragement, and then pubsubbers prompted me to submit again, and I am now sending submissions and also writing more. Great group. We would love to have new members. Thanks Joan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joan, you have some loyal followers who take action! WTG!
Dear Iris,
Thanks for sailing over to leave a comment. I am so glad you are a Pub Subber. It is wonderful that you took a chance on entering a poetry contest and won a Red Ribbon. Second place. Hip Hip Hooray for you! Submitting your work is the best way to get recognized and published.
Never Give Up
Keep on Submitting Your Work
Joan Y. Edwards
Dear Karen,
It is a joy to have so many loyal Pub Subbers who believe enough in their quality work to take action and submit it to a publisher, agent, or contest. I am very proud to know them and proud of all the manuscripts they have submitted. Many manuscripts have been requested. Many contests have been won. I don't know how many, but I know there are many who have been published. This is good.
The people in the Pub Subbers Yahoo Group are very loyal and enthusiastic supporters and encouragers of each other. I am proud to know them and be associated with them.
Celebrate you and all you do to help people market their books.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
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