10 ways to look like a 'newbie'

3. Thinking you're the exception and not the rule

When publishers or agents go to the trouble of telling you how to format/submit your material, you should follow it to the letter. They wouldn't ask if they didn't mean it.

The experts at Edit Torrent say:

...when an author can't conform to the very few, very simple formatting requirements posted in our submissions guidelines, that makes me worry that they'll disregard our other instructions.

It is naive to imagine that, somehow, they'll recognise that you're different or that your circumstances are a worthy exception to their carefully stated rules. A rule is a rule for a reason. It's disrespectful to ignore it or, just as bad, you will come across as high maintenance before you've even begun!

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