Mis-steps you might not know you’re taking

by Kate

There are a few common mis-steps that I see on a regular basis, so here’s some ideas of how to avoid them, and make your submission process as easy (and as positive) as possible.

1. Not treating your relationship with a publisher professionally enough. This includes

• unprofessional email salutations – No: ‘hey girl!’. Yes: ‘Dear Editor (double-plus bonus if you know his/her name)’
• inappropriate forums for professional questions – if it’s about your career or the imprint, email is your best bet. Save twitter/facebook/pintrest for casual conversations.
• professional vs personal contact. It doesn’t matter how close you are (or feel you are) to a publisher; you should always treat communications within a professional context with a professional manner.
• affecting unwarranted familiarity. Even if you and your potential publisher are friends, you should still stick to a professional manner in communication. If you aren’t friends, treating your potential publisher…