When is the Best Time to Submit Your Manuscript?

Aug 17

Written By Tiffiny Spire

First we’ll talk about your manuscript being ready, then we’ll talk about when to send it off.

Is your manuscript ready to query?

The best time to submit your manuscript to a literary agent or publisher is when it’s in its best possible state.

In other words,

have you had it edited,
and have you revised it based on editorial feedback?
Have you sent it to beta readers or
worked with it in your critique group? (You’re in a critique group, right?)

It’s so easy for us writers to think our work is polished and good to go. But it’s crucial to have that written work pass before others’ eyes. When you’ve been living with your story for months, even years, you know everything about it, even the stuff that’s not actually written on the page. Before sending that baby off, make sure other people (who know about story structure and genre expectations) have read your manuscript and given you feedback. Make sure you’ve taken some time to actually internalize that feedback (even if it stings). It’s so important to know how your writing comes across to other people. If it had an impact you didn’t expect or desire, don’t just tell yourself, “Well, they didn’t get it.” Take the time to dive into the manuscript to see what might be missing so that all of your readers will “get” what you’re trying to say.

Don’t be in such a hurry to send your manuscript out that you skip the step of getting feedback. I strongly recommend budgeting in time and money to work with an editor before sending your manuscript to an agent or publisher. Like you, an editor will have a vested interested in your work being as polished as possible. Get a good one on your team, and you’ll likely be amazed at what they point out to you.

Need an editor? Follow the link to check out my Pink Pen Editing services.

Or, at the very least, grab my self-editing checklist (when you subscribe below) and use those steps to ensure your manuscript is ready to submit. You might also like my article on How to Successfully Proofread Your Own Writing

When should you send the manuscript out?

Okay, you’ve done the work of seeking feedback and making revisions. Your manuscript is ready to go out into the world to find a publishing home. When should you send it?

This question comes up a lot at writing conferences. Aside from responding with, “When it’s ready,” panels of agents and editors often say something like the following:

avoid querying over the holidays toward the end of the year (December)
avoid the summer months (many agents and editors are out of the office)
fall months (late September and October) are good times to submit
early spring (March and April) are other good times to submit.

Whenever you decide to query, be sure you check the submission guidelines. Sometime agencies and publishing houses close down to submissions at certain times of the year. Make sure they’re open, and make sure you follow their guidelines completely.

Happy Submitting! If you found this helpful, please share with others. The image below is pinnable. Thanks!

Wishing you all the best with your submissions.

Tiffiny Spire