MORE AUTHOR MISTAKES AND SOME ADVICE

As an author, I understand that once a your book is complete, you want to send it to a lot of publishers-that is only natural. The hope is that publishing offers will come pouring in and you will then sit back and choose the best. Now back to reality. For most first-time authors, this is not the case. You discover that the big publishers won't even look at your ms and the rejections flow in. Time to re-think. You begin to look for small publishers. Still many rejections, but a few want to see the entire ms. You actually get the offer of a contract and you are elated. However, you think there may still be a better offer coming in your next email so you tell the publisher that offered the contract, "I'll get back to you in a few weeks." You then get an email saying, the offer is rescinded.

What happened? Please keep in mind that publishers understand that most authors send their ms to multiple publishers. However, if you are offered a contract, and then tell them they will have to wait for an answer, you are telling them that they are not your first choice and you want to see if anything better comes in. The publisher that offered the contract has read your query, read your sample chapters and synopsis, asked for and took the time to read the entire book. After spending valuable ours in this review process, you then try to tell them that you want to wait. This just does not work.

At ATTMP we have lots of submissions that need reviewing and many books in various stages of the publishing process. If we have taken the time to offer a contract and then are told to wait to see if you get a better offer, your book will hit the rejection pile.

Some advice. If you are waiting for a specific publisher, do not mass submit your book to others. Wait until you hear from your first choice. To tell a publisher that they are the second, third or even fourth choice and to tell them to wait a few weeks for your decision shows lack of respect for the effort that goes into bringing your book to the contract offer stage. As we tell all future authors, read our web site so you have a full understanding of what ATTMP is all about. When we receive a submission, we assume that you want us to publish your book because you like what you see.