Our love is like the border between Greece and Albania

This came up today when I was going through the submissions.

We’ve had two works on exactly the same subject in as many days. Both are quite well written, with very similar content and even a similar style.

But I’ve only passed one on for further consideration. Why?

Because one has been written by two sisters, while the other has been co-written by someone with a PhD in the subject.

From whom would you buy?

This is why, when you submit – and especially with non-fiction – you should include an author biography that makes you shine, succinctly detailing your achievements and suitability to write the idea. Even if the idea is amazing and doesn’t come up that often, you may very well be asked to help promote the work in whatever way possible. We look at the author as well as the work when considering.

There are no original ideas, only original executions. With this in mind, you must find the confidence to sell yourself as much as your work.

I’ve had a few calls from prospective authors asking, in short, what part of their work they need to send in their work so we can publish it. Not consider – publish.

The short answer is nothing – not without looking to see whether your work is right for us, anyway. A publisher cannot take on everything that’s submitted: it costs thousands of pounds to publish a book, and we need to know we’ll at least get that money back if not more. We are a profit making industry, and the risk takers are few. The only guaranteed way to get your work published is to do it yourself. If you approach any commercial publisher, it’s more likely than not that you’ll be rejected, especially if the book is completely the wrong subject for that publisher. You don’t send a military history book to a children’s publisher; likewise, we are an adult non-fiction publisher, and don’t accept fiction or children’s work unless the author has a VERY long history with us.

Our odds? Well, I’ve received 140 submissions since I started here at the end of May. Only two stand any chance of publication by us, and only one has had the green light to be published.

Depending on the company, these odds may vary, but can be even higher – and we’re one of the dwindling few that take on unsolicited. To improve your odds, do one of the following before even thinking about submitting:

1) Get an agent.

2) Do your research.

3) Get your work the best you can.

Good luck...