What should a first-time aspiring author do to increase his/her chances of being published?

Think outside the book.

So there you are, pleased with yourself that you’ve slain the beast, written your story and wrapped up your edits. The hard part is done, right?

Wrong.

If you’re looking at going the traditional publishing route, the challenge has only just begun.

What many first-time authors often do not fully appreciate is that book publishing is a business. There are hundreds of thousands of excellent manuscripts out there vying for attention; the difference-maker for publishers often being: Which of these have the best shot at selling well?

With that said, here are a few tips that might help increase your chances of being picked up by a traditional publisher:

Show yourself to be marketable. It’s easier to earn a book deal if you’re famous, but if you aren’t, publishers need to be convinced you are marketable.

Having something of a fan base helps. I have been involved with marketing campaigns for several first-time authors, and the one common theme with most (though not all) was that they were socially very active. Two of them regularly posted humorous videos on YouTube; two others blogged daily about style and fashion. All had strong followings.

Another author – an adventure racer from San Diego – wasn’t quite as socially active, but was an in-demand leadership speaker at numerous Fortune 500 companies. Those seminars were a perfect fit to promote her (nonfiction) book.

If you don’t yet have a website or a relevant social presence, get started today… and interact with people who show interest in your work.

Find an editor. Seriously. No matter how good a writer you think you are, or what your friends who have read your story say, you need a professional who is able to cast a critical eye over your work. Ideally, this would be an editor who has experience specifically with book publishing. This isn’t simply about fixing typos or grammatical errors; it’s about tightening your story, plugging plot holes and finessing the product.

Know whom to approach. If you can find an agent, that certainly helps. Many publishers will only work with agents to avoid the inevitable deluge of manuscripts in their inbox.

But what if you can’t find – or don’t want to pay a commission to – an agent? All is not lost, because there are several imprints (even within major publishing houses) that do accept direct inquiries. The people who typically deal with author submissions at publishing houses are called Acquisitions Editors or Acquiring Editors. (This may not be their actual title since it is only part of what they do).

Depending on what your book is about, you will want to look at which imprint is the best fit, and investigate who would be the right person to contact. To use one example, Carina Press, which is a digital-first imprint of HarperCollins*, publishes everything from science fiction to LBGTQ romance; and the many acquiring editors have different interests. The Carina Press website lists the editors and

Know how to present your proposal. There are many websites that talk about the correct format for author submissions. Keep in mind, however, that individual publishers will have their own submission guidelines. Some may be fine with a chapter or two; it’s more likely that first-time authors will need to submit the entire story.

Look for these guidelines on publishers’ websites (or call or email them for this information). To go with the previously cited example, Carina Press guidelines specify a query letter, the manuscript in RTF or DOC format, and a file size no larger than 4MB (among other things).

Show patience. There is typically a pretty large backlog of submissions when it comes to major publishers. Don’t expect a reply right away, or even in a few weeks. Nag for a response, and your chances of getting a No rise exponentially. Give it three months before you send a follow-up.

And go ahead and submit to multiple publishers; don’t wait for a rejection letter from your preferred imprint before trying elsewhere. Casting a wide net increases your chances of a positive response.