Absinthe Books
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We at PS Publishing are very supportive of new talent, after all, everyone has to start somewhere. You may have had a glance at our catalogue of books over the last 20 years or so and seen that we have published a fair few ‘newbies’ amongst the more established writers and quite a few big hitters too.
We can’t promise that we will read every submission that lands on our lap. There aren’t enough hours in the day. Very few publishers have the resources to do that and most won’t even entertain unsolicited manuscripts. So, think about the points we have made, especially with regard to an agent. After all, you owe it to yourself to give your 'baby' the very best start in life.
“Fail to prepare and you prepare to fail”
—Benjamin Franklin
Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed path to getting published. In fact, the odds are quite heavily stacked against you. You may have slaved many hours pouring you heart and soul into your writing and you may believe that your precious manuscript warrants a wider audience. Indeed, it may very well be a quality piece of work truly deserving of publication. However, so many aspiring authors fall at the first hurdle because they fail to put sufficient effort into giving their work a fighting chance.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression
Always remember that the first thing a prospective publisher will read is not your manuscript but the letter accompanying your submission. If your spelling, grammar and punctuation are poor in this, it is highly unlikely the publisher will look any further and your manuscript will be consigned to the waste-basket.
Compose a punchy, attention-grabbing introductory letter. A brief intro, synopsis and the offer of a couple of sample chapters will elevate you above the myriad ‘here’s the book wot I rote’ hopefuls. You could also put a little about your writing experience but keep it brief, no more than a paragraph or two, at most. Publishers have precious little time and will be less inclined to dip into a manuscript if preceded by eights sides of waffle.
Ice and Eskimos
It is absolutely pointless approaching a publisher of romance fiction with your schlock horror slasher yarn. So, please, do some research and ensure that you are pitching to right kind of publisher. Better still, get yourself an agent. You will stand a far better chance of your work being accepted if submitted by someone who knows and works within the industry. They will know what is selling and where best to place your work.
“Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day”
—Thornton Wilder, Three times Pulitzer prize winner.
Hone your craft. Read everyday. Write everyday.
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