The dream for thousands of writers is getting your novel published. Every year there are hundreds of hopefuls with books but only a small percentage of them make it through the mill of the publishers into print.

So, after some painful learning experiences, now cured, here are some guides as to what can work and what is unlikely to:

When writing:

DO think plot, plot, plot. Try and drive your story along and make every page and scene have some value. DON'T go into overblown descriptions of trivia. A long account of the lunch your hero had, saying how rare the steak was, is not going to help. The main reason why books are rejected is that they are not quite good enough. That is why getting your novel published is difficult. So make sure you are submitting a lean, fit and healthy work for publication.

When sending a manuscript:

DO enclose a concise covering letter and synopsis. Your covering letter should briefly describe your work, its title and give an indication to its genre and your readership. DON'T go into over elaborate detail or make sweeping claims about your work. Editors like to decide, rather than be given an opinion. If you are serious about getting your novel published then you have to approach things with a neat, professional manner. DO make sure your manuscript is relevant to the publisher or agent you have submitted it to and respect any rule they have on exclusivity. DON'T give them something hand written, or poorly typed. Double spacing and left only margins are among the standard conventions, though it does no harm to check.

To summarise, if you have your heart set on getting your novel published, you need to act like a professional writer - ideally get advice and knowledge from one. Good luck!