Today on May 26th, 2010, at 12:36 AM, I submitted my first novel, my baby, to Bold Strokes. For the moment, it's out of my hands. I should probably be proud - my girlfriend is being proud for me - but I am mostly terrified. Terrified of all the people that will read my work and judge it (and me).

But I sent it in anyway.

Here are some tips I have for those of you who are thinking about submitting a novel to a publishing company.

1. Select your publishing company carefully. Of course, I am writing for a niche market, so it is easier for me to choose who I want to publish my book.

2. Read their guidelines thoroughly. Research the submission guidelines. Find out where to address or e-mail your manuscript. Find out if they want a synopsis or not. Find out the names of the editors if possible. Do your research! Most of the information is online and easy to access.

3. If your novel has not been edited, edit it. Have someone else edit it. Then someone else. But if you want to publish it, DO NOT READ the novel for a thousandth time before you send it in. You will inevitably find at least one sentence you are not happy with and talk yourself out of it, convinced that in just another month (read: another year) you will be able to write the entire thing "better".

4. Do not submit first thing before you go to bed... you will not be able to fall asleep. Trust me.