Excerpted from my latest book, Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author.
(By the way, I’m offering a free copy of this book to the first 5 people in the US who contact me and who will read the book and write a review for the book’s Amazon.com page.) Contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com. Put “Book Review” in the subject line.
What is a reasonable time to wait for a publisher to comment on your manuscript? My rule of thumb for a requested manuscript is two to four weeks past the projected response time for that particular publisher. Most publishers state in their submission guidelines when you can expect a response to a query, a book proposal and a manuscript. FYI, the average response time for a query letter is one to two months; for a proposal, it’s around two months and three months for a manuscript. Unless otherwise stated by the publisher, use these standards.
Sometimes, after a reasonable waiting period, you’ll contact the publisher with a tracer letter (letter of inquiry) only to learn that he has misplaced your submission or he claims he did not receive it. Don’t throw yourself in front of a bus. Sometimes perceived disasters such as this can work in your favor. Think about it, suddenly your project becomes a priority for that publisher. Re-submit it at his request and he will go out of his way to look at it this time.
A publisher might admit that he received your package, but he just hasn’t had time to review it. There’s still hope. Or he will tell you that it is being circulated among his editorial staff. This is a good thing. Publishers at most larger houses will distribute what they view as more promising proposals or manuscripts among the editorial staff and, sometimes, the marketing team. This can take time. Try not to get impatient with publishers who don’t respond within minutes of receiving your manuscript. When a publisher responds promptly, it is often with a rejection.
Authorship is not for the weak, desperate or faint of heart. There is nothing glamorous about rejection. There is nothing nurturing in negligence and abuse. If you’re in this business long enough, you will experience all of the above and it ain’t a pretty sight.
If you think that writing is a lonely activity, just wait until you enter into the competitive field of publishing. You’ll be ignored, shined on, dissed, talked down to and even treated rudely. You’ll sometimes feel like a second-class citizen. To get along, an author must be humble, patient, persistent and always professional.
Order this book at Amazon.com or http://www.matilijapress.com/PublishYourBook.html