Are simultaneous presentations a good idea?
Regarding the question of simultaneous submissions, I’m afraid I can’t give a definitive answer. As a publisher, I’m not enamored with the idea of an author sending me a manuscript that is currently floating among various other piles of slush. However, as an author, I’m tempted to cast a wide net for my book and hope someone takes a bite. The thought of waiting for one publisher to deliver a book before submitting it to another publisher can be daunting for authors, especially if a preferred publisher takes a year to decide.
I have read stories of books that were rejected by a publisher years after being accepted and published elsewhere. It’s fun to read, yes, but when one looks at simultaneous submissions from two different perspectives, as I am able to do, one knows that there can be serious repercussions for violating an editor’s or editor’s wishes. As with any aspect of the publishing industry, there are advantages and disadvantages to submitting a book to multiple publishers at once, and there are things authors should know about publishers before submitting.
In addition to producing quality fiction and nonfiction in e-book, trade, and/or hardcover format, a book publisher is ultimately in the business of selling books and making money. To stay in business, the publisher must be judicious in selecting which manuscripts to include in their catalogues. Depending on the budget of each one, a publisher can offer between five titles a year and five titles a week. Consequently, the rate at which an editor reads and evaluates manuscripts may vary depending on their publication schedule. Typically, a publisher will announce in their submission guidelines how long an author should wait for a response, but there are always circumstances that can arise and force delays.
As an author, I can network with others who want answers now, so they can prepare for publication or prepare the manuscript to send to another prospect. I’ve also learned, too, that impatience can backfire for an author. Once, when given the choice between submitting a story as part of an anthology or submitting it by itself to another publisher, I chose the latter because I wanted to see the story published. Long story short, the last publisher went out of business and the anthology was accepted and published without my story. My work remains unpublished. Sometimes it pays to be patient.
It is acceptable for most publishers to submit a query after a sufficient amount of time has passed. If, for example, a publisher advertises a 120-day deadline, a message after that time period can alert you to the status of your manuscript. As for whether or not it’s acceptable to submit to multiple publishers at once, here are a few things to consider:
1) If a publisher specifies that simultaneous submissions are not allowed, take that into consideration. Reading a manuscript for possible publication is an investment of time and, in some cases, money. Some editors use volunteer readers for evaluation, some take on the work themselves, while others hire readers to separate the wheat from the chaff. As such, some publishers may wish to preserve that investment with the knowledge that they have exclusive readers for a job that they may wish to hire.
Having said that, an author may be tempted to publish elsewhere anyway, if only to hedge their bets. If one editor passes while another accepts, no harm is done. However, if there is a chance that two editors would want the job, and both editors requested exclusive reads, then there is a problem. While this dilemma can be remedied simply by rejecting the contract with publisher A without explanation, you risk being found out when your book is published with publisher B. Some publishers have a long memory and publisher A may not be as accommodating in case you send something else to them.
2) If you are doing a simultaneous submission, let the editor know. If a publisher allows simultaneous submissions, the author should kindly advise if a manuscript is submitted to more than one publisher. There may be a chance that one editor will expedite your manuscript for review if there is a chance that another will claim it. If you’re a quality writer with a track record of good sales, you may be in the enviable position of having some bargaining power.
3) If you accept a contract for a book that has not yet been published by other publishers, tell the other publishers immediately! The last thing an editor wants to do is waste time. An important aspect of the book business is production. Especially with the romance industry, books are published at a steady pace and the publisher doesn’t want to spend time revising a manuscript that isn’t possible. This can work against an author wanting to submit to an editor at a later date (remember what I said about editors having a lot of memory).
Think carefully before considering simultaneous submissions. Weigh the consequences and prepare for each scenario. Keep track of each publisher who has the manuscript and follow up accordingly when deadlines have passed and when offers are made. As you follow the instructions of each publisher you contact, you’re likely to make a good impression, whether or not you’re hired. This may bode well for your future writing career.