Customer Reviews

Don't Sabotage Your Submission: Save Your Manuscript from Turning Up D.O.A.

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There are a number of factors that can doom the commercial success of a book, regardless of the quality of the writing. "Don't Sabotage Your Submission: Save Your Manuscript From Turning Up D.O.A." is an invaluable and thoroughly 'user friendly' guide for aspiring writers trying to get their work published. With sage and sound advice from someone who has been on the other side of the editorial table for years, Chris Roerden draws from her experience and expertise to point out what writers have to avoid when sending out their manuscripts to publishers. Her purpose is to give novice authors the best chance possible, by relying on the skill instead of random technicalities to turn their manuscripts and proposals into published works available to a reading public. The tips are practical, plentiful, and 'real-world' based, which makes "Don't Sabotage Your Submission" a must for anyone who seeks to become a published author.

I had the pleasure of hearing Chris Roerden speak at a Sisters in Crime meeting in Los Angeles. She was one of the most knowledgeable speakers that I've ever heard on the subject of avoiding that dreaded instant rejection letter. Impressed by her no-nonsense approach, I immediately bought "Don't Sabbotage Your Submission" and have just finished reading it. I was able to apply many of her suggestions immediately, tagged others to re-read and absorb, and can see this will be one of the first technique reference books I grab from my bookshelf.

Chris speaks in plain language using wonderful examples of what works, what doesn't, why and how to apply her "what works" techniques. More important, this is not a preachy type of book. It's fun to read, not tedious and every chapter is packed with practical techniques and suggestions. I immediately spotted a few faux pas I made in a manuscript I just finished, and began to re-edit a few sections. And, I thought it was ready for submission! As you read, it's easy to recognize things you, as a writer, do without thinking. Things that you have become so used to you may not even realize you're committing no-no's.

I highly recommend this book, and have already recommended it to other writers.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
Silver Sisters Mysteries
"A Corpse in the Soup"
Best Mystery Audio Book 2007 - USA Book News
Soon to be released by Books in Motion, "Seven Deadly Samovars."

This is an expanded/updated version of the earlier Don't Murder Your Mystery, and it's even better. As the title suggests, that book only discussed the perils, pitfalls, and problems in writing a mystery, but this book expands to all the genres (And so-called "literary" writers could learn a lot if they deigned to check this book out, too), with examples from romance and sci-fi to flesh out the usual suspects.

As in the earlier version, Roerden's examples are clear, and her explanations are even clearer. Her way around puns and irony make all her concrete and practical advice stick in your mind, too. It's not enough to say that a technique or tactic is "wrong," and Roerden never does that. She shows WHY it's a bad idea (as opposed to the pejorative) and how to fix it. The upbeat and positive view that everything can be fixed is priceless to a writer staring at a draft that's riddled with cross-outs and arrows, especially when it looks that way because of the fiftieth rejection letter.

Reading this book--and the earlier version--have helped me get published. If it can help me, it can help you, too.

I bought this book (in its original incarnation) at a mystery convention. Back in my room that night, I began reading -- just for fun because Chris's witty style is such a pleasure. A few chapters in and I realized why I wasn't happy with the opening of my work in progress -- Old Wounds (Dell Mystery) -- and immediately rewrote the first chapter.

Since then I have used Chris's book in my writing classes and to a man (or woman), my students all agree it's the best writing handbook they've ever read. Highly, highly recommended!!

This author had a problem posting her own review and asked me to do it for her:

Dear Chris,
I am writing to thank you for helping me to write my book. Re agendas, as I think out each scene, I ask myself what is each character's agenda in this scene. And do those individual agendas fit in with the character's main agenda? This really helps me to focus on each character, and to create conflict. I also ask myself what is the one single thrust of this scene, how does it move the plot and add to the plot? And then I think of one surprise to add to wake up the reader.
So thanks for your book!

Ellen Elizabeth Hunter, author of The Magnolia Mysteries:

Murder on the Ghost Walk
Murder on the Candlelight Tour
Murder at the Azalea Festival
Murder at Wrightsville Beach
Murder on the ICW
Murder on the Cape Fear
Christmas Wedding
Murder at the Bellamy Mansion

Chris Roerden's latest writing and submission guide, DON'T SABOTAGE YOUR SUBMISSION, should be on every writer's shelf. Chris writes in a very straightforward manner that is easy to follow and understand. She uses examples from published works to illustrate what good writing looks like. She guides aspiring and published authors alike through craft elements with ease, teaching, illustrating, and analyzing the hallmarks of current fiction.

As a published author, I refer to her book between the first draft and revision phase to refresh my editing eye. From the Table of Contents to the Index, the nuggets of information are easy to access, eliminating fumbling through an entire text. I highly recommend this book to fiction writers in every genre.

This is the best book on writing extant, and should be in every writer's library and, along with Strunk and Lawrence Bloch's Telling Lies for Fun and Profit, should be read at regular intervals.
Aileen G. Baron
A Fly Has a Hundred Eyes
The Torch of Tangier
The Gold of ThraceThe Gold of ThraceTorch of Tangier, TheA Fly Has A Hundred Eyes

Regardless of what genre you write in, this book will give you the tools to polish your work and get noticed. I continually reference it to help anchor the many, many lessons within the pages.

There are a few nuggets of wisdom in this book, but they are few and far between. Some of the advice may help you get published, but I also think it would inhibit the story. If everyone followed this book's formula for a good book, readers would very soon tire of it and want for something different. I guess what I'm trying to say is this book points to a story structure which is vary narrow, and most really great books (The Hobbit is a prime example) don't follow it.

I'm using this as a textbook for a class on fiction writing. I've completely rewritten my manuscript based on the suggestions in this book. It's wise to know what publishers expect before you waste your time writing an entire manuscript.