Guest Post by Joan Y. Edwards
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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Melinda Brasher's fiction and travel writing appear most recently in Hippocampus (May/June), Leading Edge (Volume 73) and Deep Magic (Spring 2019). Her newest non-fiction book, Hiking Alaska from Cruise Ports is available on Amazon. 
