How to Prepare Your Manuscript Before Sending It to a Publisher

Finishing a book is an incredible achievement, but reaching the final page does not necessarily mean your manuscript is ready for a publisher. Before submitting your novel, non-fiction book, poetry collection or other work, there are several important steps you should take to present your writing professionally.

Publishers receive manuscripts in many different conditions. Some arrive carefully edited and formatted, while others clearly went from the author’s final sentence directly into the submission inbox. Taking additional time to prepare your manuscript can make it easier for a publisher to assess your work and demonstrates that you are serious about publication.

Give Your Manuscript the Best Possible Start

Your first task should be putting some distance between yourself and the manuscript. After spending months or even years writing a book, you become extremely familiar with every sentence. Taking a short break before editing can help you return with fresher eyes.

Next, read the complete manuscript again. Look beyond spelling mistakes and examine character development, pacing, continuity, repeated information and sections that may not contribute enough to the overall book.

Once you are satisfied with the story or content, concentrate on language. Check grammar, punctuation, spelling and awkward sentences. Automated tools can help identify potential problems, but they should not replace careful human judgement. Software does not always understand context, character voice or deliberate stylistic choices.

Formatting also matters. Unless a publisher provides specific submission requirements, keep your manuscript straightforward and readable. Avoid decorative fonts, elaborate page designs and unnecessary visual elements. Your manuscript is being assessed for its content rather than its ability to imitate the finished book.

Make sure your chapters are clearly identified and consistently formatted. Check paragraph indentation, spacing and dialogue presentation. If your manuscript contains images, tables, footnotes or other special elements, ensure they are clearly labelled and referenced.

You should also check the publisher’s submission requirements before sending anything. Different publishers may request different materials. Some want a complete manuscript, while others initially request sample chapters, a synopsis, author biography or proposal.

Research the publisher as well. Confirm that they actually publish your genre and determine whether they are currently accepting submissions. Sending an epic fantasy novel to a publisher specialising exclusively in business books is unlikely to get you very far.

Finally, save your manuscript with a professional filename. Something like BookTitle_AuthorName.docx is considerably easier to identify than FINALBOOKVERSION27REALLYFINAL.docx.

Your manuscript does not need to arrive looking like a finished paperback. That transformation happens during the publishing process. What publishers need is a clean, readable and carefully prepared manuscript that allows them to concentrate on the most important element: your writing.

Taking that extra time before pressing Send could give your book a much stronger introduction to the publishing world.