“Keep Passing Me By”

                                 

      Engaging Publishers            

 

 

 

            No one likes being overlooked or not considered for any situation. Maybe it started with a kickball game or some other sport in your youth.

 

The fact of the matter is, it’s not a great feeling and would have you to believe that in some way you’ve underachieved.

Past over doesn’t equal incapable or untalented. All you need is the right formula.

 

So what if you’re not the first choice, but you’re still capable, and I’m here to tell you how to accomplish that in the publishing world.

 

Short of waving your arms and holding up signs to alert them of your worthiness, there are better ways to get attention and engage publishers.

 

In a world where algorithms reign supreme, we’re not always in the ebb and flow of how they work. But we can be when we use the correct techniques.

 

What are they, you might ask? Well, let’s start with the publisher’s role. A publisher’s job extends to author promotion and their work. If we’re honest as authors, it’s the main reason we try the traditional route first because independent publishing can be expensive.

 

There are specific author responsibilities before submission, such as publisher research. For example, if your work is fiction, don’t pitch to nonfiction publishers. You would be surprised how many authors overlook this critical detail.  

 

Publishers are savvy and want the same from the authors they represent. To make a long explanation short, act like you know what you’re doing even if you don’t.

 

So if you get that step right, then you’re already ahead of the game and know to submit your work to publishers who are a great fit for your work.

 

Although, authors bank on the idea that if they become part of the chosen few, the publisher will do all the heavy lifting, such as editing and formatting. Partially true, but you still need to respect and meet all submission guidelines.

 

That includes correct punctuation, grammar, readability, and pacing. In other words, your query letter should be flawless.

 

Once you’re past the submission hurdle, the race is still far from over, and you want to do more than finish. You want to win.

 

How you do that is by thinking of the publisher as your audience. You want to engage them with how well you can tell a story in 250 words or less. Using compelling storytelling works.

 

Not only that, but they want engaging, relatable characters as well. Publishers love characters that give visceral reactions and use descriptive and figurative language.

 

Think of it as a first date. If the chemistry is off, there are no second chances of making a great impression. Not to mention, no second dates either.

 

In the end, the greatest takeaway for publishers is that they want marketable and saleable work. When they offer author contracts, it’s not a one-and-done deal but a relationship with growth potential.

 

The goal is not to remain overlooked but spotlighted as a contender. And a reminder to all those who passed you by back in the day it was their loss and someone else’s gain.