One of the most important things you need to have when sending your work to a potential publisher is a polished and professionally edited manuscript. This will provide you with the advantage of being able to include in your query letter that you have had your work reviewed by a professional editor and that you can readily provide samples if the publisher is interested.
Publishers love getting work that is already polished for two reasons. First, it gives them a sense of what the final product could be like. Second, while the majority of publishing houses will still put your manuscript through their own editing process to fit the requirements and look of their own catalogue, it decreases the amount of time it will take to publish the work. Grammatical and spelling errors will distract the publisher from what your manuscript is trying to say. An unorganized or undeveloped manuscript is difficult to read and most publishers will not take the time to sort through it.
Valerie Lumley, our author of the month, was picked up by EDGE Publishing Company after presenting a very well edited manuscript. She took the time to remove the majority of grammatical and spelling errors and the manuscript was very well thought out. Her book, Curing Chronic Fibromyalgia, is a wonderful success story of a polished manuscript making it into the hands of the right publisher at the right time.
When you have finished your manuscript and are ready to send out query letters, let Grammar Chic, Inc. professionally edit your work, bettering your chances and helping lead you towards literary success and accomplishment.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.