In House: Demystifying Publishing – How to Submit a Manuscript to a Publishing House

Written by Reid Millar and Hazel Millar of Book*hug Press

The publishing industry has long been a mystery to the general public. What exactly does a publisher do? And how does someone get their book published with a traditional press?

If you are a writer sitting on your first manuscript, you are probably wondering how to become a published author. At Book*hug Press, we strive to demystify the often opaque publishing industry and make it more transparent for everyone. Today, we will walk you through an overview of how to submit your manuscript, what happens while you are waiting to hear back, and what to expect if it is accepted for publication.

Submissions

So, you’ve done the arduous work of writing a manuscript. You’ve had your two best friends and your old professor read it and have made endless edits. Now it’s a document sitting on your desktop. What next? It’s time to begin querying and submitting it to publishing houses.

Something important to remember is that every publishing house is unique and is looking to acquire specific types of work for their list. We cannot stress enough how important it is to do your research and familiarize yourself with a publishing house and the kinds of books they publish before deciding whether to submit your work to them.

At Book*hug Press, there are two ways to submit a manuscript to us. The first is through our online submissions portal, which we open twice a year in an open call for submissions. We provide clear submission guidelines on our website that potential authors are asked to follow when submitting a manuscript to us. Your submission package should include a cover letter, a detailed synopsis of the project, and a sample of the manuscript. Our press specializes in publishing dynamic, contemporary literary fiction, translated works, poetry, and creative nonfiction. If your book is children’s literature, young adult, a graphic novel, or something like a cookbook, self-help, or instructional book, then we are not the right press for your work. Luckily, there are many other presses that do publish these kinds of books.

The second avenue for submitting to us is through a literary agent. Some writers sign with a literary agency before landing a publication deal. At Book*hug Press, you do not need an agent to submit your manuscript to us, but should you work with an agent, they will take on the work of submitting your manuscript directly to presses. If an offer for publication is made, they will negotiate the acquisition deal on your behalf. We receive submissions from agents throughout the year, both during and outside of our reading periods.

It’s important to keep in mind that publishers always receive far more manuscripts than they can ever accept. For example, at Book*hug, we typically receive approximately 1,000 manuscripts or book proposals each year, whether through our portal, via agents, or from authors we have worked with in the past who have finished new projects. Just as it is difficult to picture a trillion dollars, it is probably difficult to picture what 1,000 submissions looks like, and trying to explain it won’t make it any less abstract. Rest assured, it requires a significant amount of time and resources for our small staff to read, discuss, and properly evaluate each submission, which is done in and around all the work we do to publish and sell books we have already acquired. Also keep in mind that small literary presses publish a select number of titles every year. At Book*hug, we publish 18 to 20 books each year. With nearly 1,000 manuscripts being submitted to us every year, it is extremely difficult to narrow down the incredible volume of submissions to build our forthcoming list. The math should be obvious, but in the end, we are always forced to say no far more often than we can say yes. Which is the hardest part about being a publisher: there is a lot of having to say no as we carefully and thoughtfully curate our list by acquiring titles that fit all we are looking for. This also means we frequently need to pass on excellent manuscripts simply because we cannot make it fit in our small list.

To help make your submission stand out, we encourage you to do your research, as earlier stated, and submit to presses that publish the type of work you have written. We also encourage you to carefully follow the submission process as outlined by any publisher you send your work to, and to remember to be patient. If you do receive a rejection, it does not mean your work isn’t worthy of publication, it just wasn’t the right fit at the time. If a publisher does make an offer to acquire your work for publication, this will be the first step in a highly collaborative relationship that will last for many years to come. So really give it your all and trust in the process.

Acquisitions

So, you submitted your manuscript to a publisher. And after months of them sifting through piled-up manuscripts, someone on the team has finally read it. And better yet, they loved it! They shared your manuscript with the rest of their team. And everyone else loved it too! After a lot of careful consolidation, they are prepared to make an offer.

A publication offer includes first sending a deal memo that outlines specific information, including when they would like to publish and in which territory, as well as the advance. Please note that book deals are often signed up to eighteen months to two years (or more) in advance of a planned publication date. At Book*hug, we also like to schedule a meeting so we can get to know one another and discuss important topics, such as our shared editorial vision for the book and other relevant matters. If you accept an offer for publication, you will move to the contract stage. The publisher or agent will draft a contract for your review. Once the contract is negotiated and both parties agree to all the terms, then you will proceed to the signature stage. And with that, you will have a fully executed publishing agreement, and both parties can then begin planning for all the important pre-publication work for your book.

At Book*hug Press, we take pride in our author-led, highly collaborative publishing model. In the information age and media landscape we live in, it is no longer possible for an author to simply be a writer, and for a publisher to do the rest of the work. For a book to succeed, you will need to be not only the writer of your book, but also be comfortable being the public face of it. Your book contract will outline the responsibilities of both parties, ensuring that this is understood from the outset.

* * *

We hope this has answered any questions you may have had about how to submit your manuscript to a publishing house. We wish you luck in your pursuit of becoming a published author!