The Hidden Checklist: 10 Things Independent Publishers Won’t Tell You About Your Manuscript

When you hit "send" on a manuscript submission, it can feel like dropping a message in a bottle into a vast, dark ocean. You wait for weeks … sometimes months …. only to receive a polite, standardized "not a right fit" email.

At DELANEY, we believe in the truth and transparency. In an era where AI can churn out "content" by the ton, the relationship between an independent publisher and an author is more sacred than ever. We aren't just looking for words on a page. What we’re looking for is simple but difficult to verbalize except to say: connection.

To pull back the curtain, here are the top 10 things independent publishers are actually thinking when they review your submission (but rarely say out loud).

1. We Decide Within the First Three Pages

It sounds harsh, but it’s true. We don’t need to read 300 pages to know if the voice is there. In a world saturated with generic prose, a sea of absolute sameness, it’s a unique human "voice" stands out like the full moon in a clear night sky. If the first chapter doesn't have a soul, we likely won't make it to the second.

2. We’re Checking for the "AI Aftertaste"

We are becoming hyper-sensitive to "perfect" but "hollow" writing. If your prose feels mathematically balanced but emotionally flat, DELANEY gets suspicious. It’s not about perfection; there’s a rigorous editing process to go through, after all. Rather, we’re looking for those beautiful, human idiosyncrasies that a machine can’t replicate.

3. Your "Comparative Titles" Tell Us How Much You Read

When you tell us your book is "a cross between Harry Potter and The Bible," it tells us you might not be grounded in the current literary community. We want to see that you know where you belong in the current market. It shows you respect your future readers enough to know what they’re already enjoying.

4. We Look at Your "Village," Not Just Your Book

In our focus to foster belonging, we look at how you engage with others. Do you have a community? Do you support other authors? It’s not about ensuring you have a million followers. But we are looking for a person who understands that publishing is a collaborative team sport, not a solo mission.

5. Sometimes the "No" is About Our Budget, Not Your Talent

Independent publishers have limited slots. We might absolutely love your 120,000-word epic fantasy, but if we’ve already committed our budget to three other long novels this year, we simply can’t take it on. So it’s not a rejection of your gift. It’s more of a reality of our resources.

6. The Query Letter is Your "First Date"

If there are typos in your query letter or if you addressed it to "Dear Editor" (or worse, the wrong publishing house), these are a clear signals of a lack of care. We want to work with authors who are as passionate about the process of publishing as they are about the act of writing.

7. We Are Looking for the "Why Now?"

Meaning is time-sensitive. Something we always ask is: Why does the world need this story right now? If your manuscript speaks to the deepseated human needs of this specific moment—the search for identity, the craving for connection, or the nuance of modern life—it scoots up toward the top of the pile.

8. We Can Fix a Plot, But We Can't Fix a "Vibe"

If the plot has a few holes, we can edit those. But if the "vibe"—the underlying spirit and energy of the writing—isn't there, no amount of editing can fix it. We publish the spirit first, the story second.

9. We’re Wondering if We Can Work With You for Two Years

Publishing a book is like a temporary marriage. From editing to cover design to marketing, it’s about constant contact. That can be for a year or it can be for two. If an author seems defensive or difficult in the initial emails, we might pass on a great book just to avoid a stressful relationship that might linger for up to 730 days.

10. We Truly, Desperately Want to Love It

This is the biggest secret. Every time we open a new submission, we are holding our breath, hoping this is The One. (This goes back to our temporary marriage metaphor in #9 maybe?) But seriously, we aren't gatekeepers looking for reasons to say "no". Think of us as treasure hunters looking for a reason to say "YES." We are full of hope and waiting to be your ally.

Very truly,

- The DELANEY team

What profound human story are you ready to share? We are actively looking for manuscripts that unabashedly bare their soul. If you’re ready to submit, review our submission guidelines on our Queries page.