You have successfully finished writing your essay, you have proofread it, now you want to submit it.
How do you do it? Are there steps involved? What materials would the publication house need? What mail system is ideal for sending the essay? How long do you have to wait before contacting the publication house again? These are a few questions that might run through your mind when it is time to publish your essay.
Most writers consider the submission process hectic because most of us are here for the fun of essay writing. But writing involves more than just writing. For you to make a living off writing, your work has to be read by others.
Looking for tips that would help you during the submission process? Tips that would increase the chances of your work getting accepted and subsequently published? Read on to find out.
10 Tips for Submitting an Essay for Publication
Taking the publication process seriously would improve your chances of getting your work published. Approach essay submission professionally irrespective of who you are submitting it to. Here are some tips to use when submitting an essay;
1. Know the Publishers in Your Genre
This is the first step in successful publication. Take time to know the various agents and publication houses which will publish your genre. They would have a better handle on how to publish your work.
This process is usually dicey as you would have to carry out a lot of research to find out the best publishers in your genre. However, if you do not do the right research and use the right publishers, chances are that your content will not reach your prospective audience and this will lead to a failed project.
2. Visit the Library or Bookstores to Get Print Publications
Reading print publications would give you an idea of what publication entails. You can find them in libraries and bookstores. You can also buy one, keeping in mind that owning a copy helps support publishing houses and other writers.
Another reason why you should get print publications is to help you understand the process of publishing your essays.
If you can get print publications and go through essay pieces from other writers, you will have a better idea of how to publish your own essay and how to go through the process seamlessly. A lot of publishers give new writers more information on how to publish their essays in their own publications.
3. Knowledge of Agent’s Or Publishing House’s Submission Guideline
Most agents and publishing houses have their guidelines for submission. These guidelines are usually on the agent’s website or their publications. You must read the guidelines as they contain information crucial for successful job submission.
4. Follow the Submission Guidelines Religiously
Agents have submission guidelines for a reason, and not following them might get your essay tossed out. This is especially seen in agents and publication houses that are neck-deep in submissions already.
A lot of newbie writers do not get their proposals accepted because they do not take their time to go through the submission guidelines. Publishing houses get hundreds of essay submissions every week. Thus, they would only consider publishing writers who follow their guidelines religiously. Hence, it is important you go through your essay submission to make sure it follows all the requirements of the Publishing House before you finally turn it in for publication.
5. Know the Publishers Style
Oftentimes, the publisher’s style is included in the guidelines. This is a style guide that the publishers favor. If you discover that your writing style differs from theirs markedly, you might need to revise your work.
Another great option is to work with publishers who appreciate your writing style. Thus, while you look out for publishing houses that would accept your essay, you should ensure they are okay with your writing style to increase your chances of getting published. Thus, while you search for the right publishing house for your essay submission, consider your writing style and align your search to focus on publishing houses with your style of writing.
6. Cover Letters and Query Need To Be Professional
You must keep your cover letters and queries as professional as possible. This would help bump your essay up the publishing timeline. Avoid using fancy words to grab the agent’s attention.
7. Do Not Bug Agents or Editors
Having submitted your essay, you would have to remain patient while waiting for a response. Follow-up is important, knowing when and how to initiate follow-up is key. Do not make the agents feel harassed with your level of follow-up
8. Check Submission Guidelines for Response Time
Most submission guidelines contain information on how long it would take for you to receive a response. Try to be patient when waiting for a valid response from the agent or publishing house
9. No Indication of Response Time on Guideline or Response Time Has Elapsed and No Response?
If the guideline does not contain any information regarding how long it would take you to receive a response, send a follow-up mail. You must wait for at least six weeks to three months before sending the follow-up mail.
If there is a time duration for a response on the submission guideline, send a single follow-up mail when that time elapses. Always try to remain professional when sending follow-up emails, it might be frustrating sometimes but maintain professionalism.
10. Response
If the response from the agent or publishing house is positive, well, congratulations! If it is a rejection, accept it in good faith and try to do better. If your rejection comes with feedback or reasons for rejection, be grateful and try applying the changes to your future writings.
The following tips will help you successfully submit your essay for publication. Are you looking to get the best services on the Internet to provide you with quality custom essay writing online? Check this out to enjoy premium quality writing services from professional writers trained to make your essay writing process easier and straightforward.
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