Advice on submitting to publishers

__plec__

I have just finished a non-fiction book on Mental Health, after a few edits I’m happy with it and now hoping to submit to a few publishers. I’ve done my research and decided on 4 publishers, 2 Irish and 2 from the UK.

Regarding publishing etiquette, I was wondering if I should mention that I’ve submitted to 3 other publishers in each cover letter? I do feel it would be good manners and more professional to be honest with them. Or is it wrong to submit to multiple publishers? It is my first time so want to have a few options.

As a back up I’ve also been looking into self-publishing, Amazon Createspace looks like an attractive option should the publishers not bite. There is also another company called Chipmunka Publishing which is endorsed by Stephen Fry and deals primarily with Mental Health literature. Just wondering if anyone here knows anything about them?

Thanks

Das Kitty

Maybe try two at a time, in order of your own preference. There's no need to say you've submitted elsewhere, just that you're seeking a publisher for your book.

__plec__

Thank you. I have heard that the publishing community is quite small so if i submitted to lots they would find out quite easily, submitting to only 2 would seem quite respectable. Thanks for the tip

alchemist33

They get so many submissions that it'd be unlikely your work would come up in conversation unless it really, really stood out. There's no need to tell one you've subbed to others. Each publisher will probably have something on their site about subs to others but in general it's okay; as replies sometimes take so long, they accept you can't be waiting months until you move on to the next publisher.

Good luck!

__plec__

Thanks for the advise, i appreciate you both taking the time. After a lot of research into the do's and don'ts i've decided to go with my original 2 irish and 2 uk publishers. My book, while i do think it's good, won't be creating many storms in the publishing world so it should be ok.

If one of my chosen publishers decides to take on my book then i would let the other 3 know as to not waste more of their time

EileenG

Slightly different for non fiction. I'd feel it's quite legitimate to submit it to various publishers, and to mention that you have also submitted it elsewhere.

Most non-fiction has a time element built in. Phone numbers change, links change, the people in the book move to different positions etc, so if you wait too long, the book is out of date and no longer valid.

Publishers know this, so I would not waste time getting it out there.