/lit/ - Literature

>>17346738
Truth is, there isn’t any. It all depends on what publisher or imprint you are with. And then it depends on what editors/accusitioners you have.

As an example, if you throw your manuscript at a horror imprint, they obviously will look for horror pieces, but may also look for thrillers as an example. Now the editor A has it, and they look for specifically horror/thriller pieces that feature deeper themes about society. If your piece has that you are in, if you don’t, then it’s tossed. But if Editor B has it, they look for a story that just scared the shit out of them, and sticks with them. So if your piece achieves that, you’re in.

The truth is, each publisher and press is different, and the best way to get an edge is to see what they usually publish, and what their mission statement is. As for the big bois, they publish what they think will make them money. But you’ll need an agent for sure in that case.

All that being said there are a few general rules to follow.

>have a finished manuscript before throwing it in
No one wants your unfinished, unedited manuscript. We want something you’ve worked on for a fair amount of time and that shows some level of polish. It will never be perfect, but it shouldn’t base level.

>that you’ve been published before
Being published SOMEWHERE means that you are at least workable and not a complete asshole when it comes to working with others. So getting published, literally anywhere, is better than nowhere

>we want someone who likes their work
If we get excited about it, you better damn well be excited about it.

As for some commen trends right now:
>no one wants to read quarantine/pandemic related material. People are generally burnt out on it and so if you’ve been spending a fuck ton of time writing around that, tough luck. Sit on it for a bit.
>the push for diversity is becoming a large movement at the moment, so if your piece deals with such, or you’re what’s considered diverse, you might have an easier time atm.