Is Your Manuscript Publishable?
by Sandra Makaresz
Have you heard of our new manuscript competition, Publishable? It closed last week and in the lead up to closing day we were very pleased to see the number of entries slowly climbing. We had our timeline for reading and assessing submissions and our program for successful applicants sorted. Let’s just say everything was going to plan. Well, as ‘to plan’ as you get during a pandemic lockdown.
Then the final day for submissions arrived – and with it, 60% of the total entries. Needless to say, our timeline needed some revising. This week we’re still making our way through the entries and it’s so pleasing to see so many people writing and putting their work out into the world.
Part of our process is to ensure that all entries are treated equally. As such, we all have a good idea of the entries and we can see why some have done well and others have perhaps gone out too early. Writing a full-length manuscript takes time and perseverance. When you’ve written ‘The End’ it’s tempting to think that you’re done, even when you might not be.
So, what can you do to make sure your manuscript is ready to be sent out into the world? Here are three tips to get you started.
Reread, revise, rewrite. This is something you can and should do on your own. But read your work with fresh eyes. Put it away for a week or two to give yourself some distance from the story. When you reread your work immediately it’s easy to skip over mistakes. Give yourself some time so your revisions and rewrites will really add to your work.
Beta readers. Avoid using anyone who’s going to tell you what you want to hear, and similarly, anyone who’s going to rip you to shreds just because they can. This is a trusted role and if you don’t have a person or group you can trust with both your work and your self-esteem then it’s time to bring in a professional. Writing consults and surgeries are a great way to start. Many people have taken time to email us and take part in these during lock down and they are making real progress on revising and polishing their manuscripts.
Read widely. Being a regular reader can help you become a much better writer. If you’re writing genre it will not only give you a better idea of how the genre works but could also help you identify gaps in the market where your work might fit. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing though, so read widely. Support your local bookstore today and you might find yourself launching your own book there in the future.
Great writers are constantly honing their craft and you can too. Get involved. Take a workshop. Get help from your Writers Centre. Most importantly, keep putting those words on the page. We’ll be ready for you with Publishable 2021!