Another editor and I were going through some slush (unrequested manuscripts) yesterday afternoon. Most of it was unsolicited, a lot of it not even romance.
I know anyone reading this is way too savvy about publishing to commit any of these mistakes, but if nothing else I hope they will amuse, and you can give yourself a pat on the back for knowing you avoided:
- including a list of previous rejections in your cover letter
- no contact info–anywhere
- enclosing return envelopes with no stamps or address
- personal email addresses such as “lordofthesiths” or “faeryqueen”
- the bottom two-thirds of the last page cut off with scissors because that’s where the submission ended
February 18, 2009 at 3:58 pm
ROFL. This one is my favorite: “the bottom two-thirds of the last page cut off with scissors because that’s where the submission ended”
I can’t imagine the submissions you must receive. Thanks for the chuckle.
February 18, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Not including contact information seems more than a little counterproductive, especially since the person was obviously hoping to get published (or else why send the manuscript in the first place?).
The e-mail address thing is a bit of a personal pet peeve. It’s so insanely easy to set up a free Yahoo or Gmail account. No excuse for not just starting up a new e-mail account with a more professional sounding address.
February 18, 2009 at 5:55 pm
>.<
wow.
February 18, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Okay, I have to wonder if the section of paper you got was leftovers from another submission.
February 19, 2009 at 9:14 am
I have to admit, as frustrating as all that sounds, being a manuscript/slush reader is one of my dream jobs. Probably because I like the idea of getting paid to read!
March 4, 2009 at 7:20 pm
All I can think of with that cut off paper is that chapters weren’t started on a new page, and the writer cut off the bottom to avoid having a partial chapter. But even that feels like stretching for some kind of plausible explanation.