5 Obvious Reasons Why Your Manuscript Was Rejected

Let's face it-- None of us enjoys rejection.

To many of us, receiving a rejection letter is just another reminder that someone else dislikes our writing; or did they?

Sometimes the editor who read your manuscript may actually enjoy your writing, but there are some minimum requirements you may have missed which caused him/her to send you the bad news.

Below you'll find a few reasons why your manuscript may have been sent back to you:

You:

• Submitted your manuscript to a publisher that doesn't publish your genre of writing.
• Did not submit your manuscript by the deadline.
• Did not do spell or grammar check, so your manuscript is filled with misspellings and typos.
• Submitted your entire manuscript instead of the query letter or book proposal they requested
• Exceeded the required word count

Even if you're guilty of some of these mistakes, there is good news. You can solve these problems using the following strategies:

• Keep a calendar nearby so you'll be aware of the deadlines for particular publishers.
• Always spell check your manuscript before closing the document.
• Hire a good editor to check if you meet the writing guidelines for the publisher you're submitting your manuscript to.
• Buy and read books on writing good query letters and book proposals.
• Find out the proper word count and adhere to these guidelines.

If you follow these steps and still receive rejection letters, you'll at least know you've done your best. In addition, you can keep sending your manuscript to other publishers until you receive that letter of acceptance. Whatever you do, don't give up!

5 Ways To Know If You're A True Writer

Do you ever wonder if you were really meant to be a writer? Sometimes you get occasional or even frequent writer's block. Your words may not always make sense, and you misplace your manuscript from time to time. If this sounds like you, how can you know for sure if writing is a good fit for you?

Below, I have 5 ways to help you to determine whether you should stick with writing. You know you're a true writer if:

You find yourself jotting down new ideas on paper, napkins, your hand, or even furniture
(I suggest writing on something other than the furniture)

You write down the details in a meeting such as a work meeting or church function

You try hard to put the pen or pencil down, but you just can't

You become overly conscious of your spelling and grammar when you write

You find yourself writing when you should be working, cooking, or watching the kids

While some of these items are lighthearted and meant to make you chuckle, let's face it: A true writer actually writes! So if you call yourself a writer, do whatever you need to do in order to write and complete the work you've started.