Wonder of wonders, miracles of miracles, you attended a writers conference and met with an editor about your project.
At the end of your 15-minute meeting, the editor handed you his or her business card. “Send me the proposal. I’d like to take a look at that.”
Now what?
- Follow through. If an editor tells you to send in your project, do it! These industry professionals are busy people and only offer to look at a project if they truly have an interest. Editors report that only a small percentage of writers actually email their manuscript to the editor who requested it.
- Make changes. If an editor recommended that you make changes or restructure the order of your chapters, do it. Industry professionals only offer suggestions if they see potential in the writer and the writing. Following your meeting, do the rewrites right away, while the editor’s suggestions are fresh in your memory.
- In the subject line of your email, type the words ‘requested material.’ In the body of the email, remind the editor that you met at the writer’s conference. Editors receive lots and lots of emails and attend lots and lots of conferences, so make their job easier by helping the editor remember where the two of you crossed paths.
- Include a note in your email that says, ‘Thank you for your suggestions to improve my writing. I followed your advice and appreciated your time to reconsider the new and improved version.”
- Keep a record of when you sent the email, to whom, and what was included.
- Get to work on your next project while you wait for the acquisitions editor to get back to you. The industry standard is to allow three months for a response.
When To Connect
- At the three-month mark, if you have not heard anything regarding your submission, forward your initial email including the attached proposal to the editor with a note that says, “I’m checking to see if you’ve had an opportunity to look at this requested project.”
- Editors do their best to keep up with demands on their time but occasionally challenges ranging from an abundance of work to do to job changes to restructuring to mergers interrupt our carefully planned calendars. Once, a year later, I received an envelope (back in the day when we mailed proposals) with a note from the editor, “Cleaning off my desk, I found your proposal. It’s been so long I’m sure you found another publishing home.”
- If you haven’t heard back after two check-ins, that’s an Indiana No, and time to move on.
Typically, you will hear back from the editor after sending your requested project. Hopefully, you receive a contract to work together. And when the editor likes that project, talk about how you can help market this first collaboration, and other ideas that might make your editor’s eyes light up.
Keep attending writers’ conferences. The networking is important for your work, and staying up on industry trends is vital to your career.
For You
Polish your writing with these Quick Guides to Writing Well
After submitting your work, take a break and read a great novel series like the Marc Wayne adventure romance series
Article by PeggySue Wells
