5 Reasons to Submit Your Work Now

3/30/2020

Read Time: 3 minutes

At the time of this post’s writing, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every aspect of daily life, both personal and professional. People are scared, and many writers have put their dreams on the back burner.

Although I fully understand that this exceptional situation means that many simply do not have the time or energy to focus on their writing careers, many other would-be published authors are not submitting because it’s not “the right time.”

There is no right time.

No, we are not often in the throes of a global pandemic. But we each individually experience upheavals in our lives that make us feel like we should put writing or submitting on hold. Whether it’s an apocalypse or a breakup, there will always be a reason that now is not the opportune time.

Today, I want to put those thoughts to bed. Here are five reasons to submit your work right now.

1. The worst that can happen is a rejection.

So often, we let fear hold us back. But think about it: What is the worst that can happen if you submit your story or manuscript? They say no.

Maybe it stings, but you dust yourself off and submit to another market or agent. If you don’t submit, they can’t reject your work—but they can’t accept it either.

2. Get out of your echo chamber.

Writing is a largely independent task. We spend a lot of time isolated, reviewing our own work. Getting out of your own head and getting another perspective can be huge for your work’s development. That’s part of why hiring a professional editor is so beneficial.

Submitting your work can have similar benefits. Even though you’re not guaranteed feedback, you may receive personalized rejections with notes about your work. This feedback can be extremely useful as you assess and revise your manuscript.

3. Start building tough skin.

Writers face rejection. And submitting is a numbers game. The sooner you develop tough skin and learn how to respond positively to rejection, the better off you’ll be.

I received 286 rejections before I signed with my literary agent. Even after you sign, you’ll still face rejection from publishing houses and from readers who don’t love your book. Writing is a subjective craft. You have to learn to separate yourself—and your intrinsic value as a human being—from others’ opinions of your work. The best way to do that: practice.

4. Tomorrow may not be a “better” time.

Life happens. Things go wrong. Today may not be the perfect time to submit your work and face rejection, but who says tomorrow will be any better? The time you spend waiting for an obstacle-free moment to submit your work is time you could have spent building your writing career.

5. Your writing career is a priority.

Whatever your goal is for your writing, it’s important to you. Writing requires passion, and submitting your work involves dedication. If you’re even considering submitting to agents or publishers, you clearly care about getting your story into the hands of readers.

If your writing career is a priority, treat it like one.

Make time. Make a point of submitting before you’re drained of energy from the day. Think about how you can make room in your life to write and submit.

You won’t get anywhere by sitting in the car and thinking about driving down the road. You have to turn the key in the ignition and put your foot on the gas.

If writing and publishing is truly important to you, make sure your actions reflect that.

The Caveat

All that said, before you submit, do your homework and prepare your manuscript and your submission materials to give yourself the best possible chance.

Click here to access the Free Query Kit, with templates and resources to help you prepare to submit your query to agents.

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