Submitting Your Manuscript to a Publisher: What Editors Look For First

An editor receives hundreds of submissions and gives each one a few minutes before deciding whether to keep reading. Those are the minutes you have to win.

What you send

Unless the guidelines say otherwise, three things: a short query letter, a one-page synopsis and the full manuscript or its opening chapters.

Standard format: one-inch margins, 12-point type in a readable font, double spacing, numbered pages and the whole text in a single file, in whatever file format the guidelines ask for.

Keep in mind that many large English-language publishers accept submissions only through literary agents. The package agents ask for is essentially the same, so everything below applies to them too.

The query letter

Half a page, three paragraphs:

1. What it is. Title, genre, word count and one sentence that places it. “Crime novel, 82,000 words, set in 1992 Barcelona.”
2. Why them. A book from their list that justifies sending it there. This is what sets a real submission apart from a mass mailing, and it shows.
3. Who you are. Previous publications, awards, relevant training. If there’s nothing yet, one line is enough.

Leave out adjectives about your own work, the entire plot, and the line “I believe it would be a good fit for your list” without naming a single title.

The synopsis

Tell the whole novel, ending included. Save the back-cover suspense for readers: the editor needs to know whether the plot holds up. One page, present tense, minor subplots left out.

What makes them stop reading

• Spelling mistakes on the first page. They sink the submission on the spot.
• A length outside the usual range: under 40,000 words or over 150,000 for a debut author.
• A mass email with twelve publishers visible in the recipient line.
• A manuscript that begins three chapters before the story does.

Choosing where to send it

This is the most neglected step. Sending a crime novel to a poetry press simply means you didn’t look. Study each publisher’s catalog—what it publishes, in which genres and imprints—so that the second paragraph of your letter can be true.

Before you send anything, find out who publishes books like yours and read a few of them.

Frequently asked questions about submitting a manuscript

How long does a publisher take to respond to a manuscript?

Three to nine months is common at mid-sized and large publishers, and many state that no reply within that window should be taken as a no. Small presses tend to be faster. Following up before three months won’t speed anything up and leaves a poor impression.

Can I send the same manuscript to several publishers at once?

Yes. Simultaneous submissions are normal practice, since response times make sending one at a time impractical; just check each publisher’s guidelines in case they ask for exclusivity. What you shouldn’t do is copy everyone visibly on one email, or hide another offer if asked. If one accepts, let the others know.

Do I need to register my work before sending it to a publisher?

You don’t need to register anything to own the rights: in most countries, copyright exists from the moment the work is created. Formal registration, where it’s available, mainly serves as evidence of authorship if a dispute arises. Legitimate publishers don’t steal manuscripts; the real risk is so low that it shouldn’t hold back your submission.