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10. Follow Up. Persevere.

Some people advise waiting six months before following up on a submission, and then dragging the business out at least a couple of more months with various follow-ups. That's fine if you don't mind being published posthumously. If you do three publishers in two years it might take you a decade to find the right house.

In my opinion two or three months should be plenty of time. Most manuscripts only get their first few pages read anyway. How long can that take? I'd rather pull a ms. back and keep it in play somewhere else than bet on a shot whose odds fade more and more as time goes by. So politely request a progress report. The response you get can tell you a lot about whether there is enthusiasm for your manuscript.

Don't mistake slow response for interest.

If you're serious about writing the main thing is not to give up. Remember, most people drop out after a while. So just by keeping at it you're getting ahead.

Later on I may add a section on book contracts. If you get to this point and you still need help you can send me an e-mail.

When your book is published, mail me a copy!

    

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Was this primer on getting a book published helpful? I'd like to know what you think. Send me an e-mail or else leave a comment on my blog. (I will answer e-mails, but may be slow to respond.)

If you have a website, links are always appreciated.

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