Q: Why won't a publisher read my manuscript in a timely fashion?!

A: A better question might be this: Why should he or she give two or three hours in his or busy schedule to pore over what you've written?

Let's start with the simple reality that most of the publishing world is situated in a low demand, high supply section of the supply-demand curve. That means publishers must deal with the fact that we publish more books than there are interested readers. You, the writer, are likewise part of a supply group that is sending more manuscripts than a publisher has demand for in his or her world of limited open slots.


Note that the third variable in the SD Curve is Price. High supply + low demand = low price. Price, for you the aspiring author, is the publisher's motivation to read your manuscript. Don't get mad that the price you can charge is low, just understand it and do what you can to change something on the graph. Incidentally, I know a lot of publishers and acquisitions editors who are very nice people and would love nothing more than to encourage and help you. Those who spend a lot of time doing this, however, tend to be ex-publishers and ex-acquisitions editors. It doesn't pay the bills nor justify the salary.

Publishers aren't looking for more manuscripts to review but we've got to publish something, so unless we have a strong cadre of proven authors signed to long term deals we do want to read the right ones. (See my blog on whether you need an agent to round this discussion out.) What makes a manuscript the right manuscript? Bottom line: It offers something unique and compelling to a well defined audience. If you can't articulate in a sentence or two what makes your book special for a group of readers that the publisher has some history or means of reaching, then an acquisition specialist probably won't sort through your material to develop your "elevator speech" for you. Let's break down the components of the sentence that is set in bold face.

1. Articulate: Is your sales pitch as well articulated as your manuscript? (Both are well written, right?)

2. In a sentence or two: When you skim book shelves or magazine contents or advertisements or any other message, how long do you give it to catch your attention? Five seconds? I doubt it. Why would you expect a publisher to be any different than you, particularly since he or she knows that the finished book will have the same requirement to nab attention in a second or two put on it by consumers. Hint: There's something that goes on the cover of a book that serves as the best sales pitch available. (I'll address titling and subtitling in a future blog.)

3. What makes your book special: If you have quoted someone elses work in every chapter, there's a good chance your book is not needed. If you haven't created something with a new angle, a new discovery, a new application, a new character, a new anything that is important and compelling - why bother?

4. For a group of readers: Chances are your book idea will not appeal to everybody. So bold assertions that millions will want to pick up this book is a real turn off and indication you haven't thought through who will actually take the time to look your book over and purchase it. Better to be honest about the size of the group that your book appeals to.

5. That the publisher has some history or means of reaching: Textbook publishers don't effectively market to fiction readers and fiction publishers don't do a good job of marketing to preachers and ministry publishers don't tend to reach romance enthusiasts and so on! When you determine who to send your manuscript to, make sure that the publisher has published comparable titles.

This Q/A is as philosophical as it is practical. It's about helping you measure your expectations and understand why the process is frustrating without getting to frustrated. I'll come back to the major points of a good book publishing proposal (because whether or not you hire an agent, you're going to be the one who has to write it!), which will have significant overlap.

Okay, back on topic. Why won't a publisher just read your manuscript and proposal? Don't blame him or her. You haven't yet articulated a concise and compelling reason to do so.