The Composing Process -- Submitting for Publication

For the next several weeks, The Creative will be taking an in-depth look at the steps I go through in composing a piece of music, from first ideas clear through the end of the publishing process.  Realize this is only my process -- this may or may not work for you, so use it only as a guide.  This is the sixth post in the series.

Now comes the moment of truth -- your piece is done, it looks good, and you're ready to shove it out of the nest and see if it can fly.  Yes, you are ready to  ... (gulp) ... submit the piece to a publisher.


Before you send the piece out to every music publisher with a website, there are some things it's good to know.  What I'm including here are some of my own observations from the many submissions I've made.  If you want some better advice, search the internet for advice on submitting music for publication.  The best advice I've seen anywhere around is this article on the Lorenz website -- the information there is geared mainly toward Lorenz, but much of what they say is applicable no matter where you're submitting.

Here then, with that being said, are my suggestions for submitting your music to a publisher:

1. Figure out what publishers publish music in your medium (SATB choral, handbell, string orchestra, band, piano, or whatever) and visit their websites.  Nearly every publisher out there now has a website, and you would do well to check these all out before you submit anything anywhere.  
2. Create a master submission spreadsheet.  In my spreadsheet, I give each publisher its own row.  In the first column, I put the publisher's name; in the second I put their preferred method of submission; in the third I put their contact information.  You can include any information in this spreadsheet you want, and you will update it regularly as you submit more and more.  Every time I submit a piece, I indicate what date I submitted it and to which publisher, so I don't accidentally resubmit.
3. On each website, search for the submission guidelines.  All publishers should have these somewhere.  Some of them will state, in no uncertain terms, that they don't take unsolicited submissions.  What this means in layman's terms is, if they haven't asked you for the piece, they won't even look at it, and will be offended should you send it to them.  Trust me -- don't send it to a publisher that won't take unsolicited submissions; it reeks of unprofessionalism.
4. For each website that will take unsolicited submissions, note what they ask for.  Some will want hard copies mailed to a physical address; others will want PDF files emailed to a central submission email.  Still others will want Finale or Sibelius files sent to a specific editor.  A few will want to see only one piece at a time, while most say to send two or three of your best pieces.  Whatever they ask for, give it to them.
5. When you've got the information narrowed down, peruse their catalogs.  In this wonderful digital age, most publishers not only list their pieces online, but also will provide links to sample PDF pages and audio files of the pieces.  Find a publisher that publishes the sort of music you've just written and zero in on them.
6. Submit the material, being sure to include either a cover letter (for physical submissions) or a brief email (for electronic submissions).  The letter/email doesn't need to be extensive, but it MUST be written well and spelled correctly.  When I first submitted pieces, I included not only information about me and the piece (a 3-5 octave arrangement of the hymntune "OLD RUGGED CROSS" with optional 3 octaves of handchimes), but also a description of the piece (This majestic arrangement depicts the struggle and strife of Christ's last days and the triumph of the Resurrection.)   I have sense dispensed with the description and kept only my information and the basic information about the piece -- these editors are all top-notch musicians, so they can play through the piece (or listen if they've requested an audio file) and can tell if it's majestic or not.
7. Wait.  If you're very lucky, the publishing house will respond within the week with a letter or email letting you know they've received your music and are considering it.  Don't read anything in to this -- it's simply a courtesy to let you know your submission isn't lost somewhere in Never-Never Land.  (Even this can be a wonderful thing to receive and can rid your life of a ton of stress.)  Not all publishers do this, but some are exceptional about it -- Hope Publishing is one, in particular, that springs to mind as responding within at most 36 hours (of course longer if it's a weekend or a holiday) to let me know they've received a piece and, usually, how long I can expect to wait before receiving a decision.  Again, not all publishers do this, so if you don't hear anything in a day or two, don't panic, and don't email or write immediately.  

That's all there is to it.  This makes it seem very simple, but in reality, it can be a nerve-wracking experience.  Every time I send a piece out, there's the fear that the piece won't be good enough; that I'll have messed up in writing it and I'll be exposed as a fraud for the world to see; that I'll have sent it to the wrong publisher and they'll label me as an amateur who doesn't know what he's doing.  In truth, most publishers I've dealt with have been exceptionally kind and encouraging about anything I've submitted.  I've had form rejections (typical), nice rejections (where a publisher or editor passes on a piece but either talks about how it wasn't right for them at this time, or that I'm on the right track and they'd like to see more from me in the future), and acceptances.  I've yet to have one say to me, "What were you thinking?  This is the worst piece of drivel I've ever seen."

But what do you do when that fateful day comes and you finally hear back from the publisher?  We'll talk about that next time.  Until then, keep creating, and start submitting!