Unfortunately, even though I’d love to represent each writer I’m fond of and enjoy hanging out with, I can’t represent everyone for a variety of reasons. That’s okay. CBA has many agents and authors, and God has a plan for all of us.

But let”s say you hope your proposal rises to the top of my stack. Here are a few tips when submitting:

1.) Please follow our guidelines:

2.) Please check over your work to avoid gaffes such as telling us you have wrote a fiction novel where it’s heroe and heroin fall in love at first site while running frum a bare. Seriously, read your work. As you can see from this example, you will not fair well with spell checker hear.

3.) Let us know if you have won or placed in a contest. This tells us that industry professionals have evaluated your work favorably against other authors writing, marketing, and submitting in your genre. Reputable organizations hold prestigious contests every year. If you’re not familiar with these contests, one place to start is with our list of our authors’ awards and recognition.

4.) Tell us about all of your activity on social media. Give us numbers. Don’t be afraid. If for instance, you opened your Twitter account yesterday so you could write your proposal today, that’s fine. Tell us your Twitter handle and let us know you are building your following. You are certain to increase your following by the time we begin marketing your proposal to editors. But do engage in social media as soon as possible and stay active.

5.) Be honest about your past publishing history. All of it. That includes the novel you put on Amazon in 2008 that sold 72 copies that you wish would go away. Why? Because we, and every editor we know, will find it. That’s okay. Just tell us about it.

6.) If you need to hire an editor to make your work sparkle, do so. Our agency lists editorial services here. Sending us a letter saying, “I know this needs editing,” won’t help you with us. And yes, we seem to receive letters with this phrase at least once a week.

7.) Study the market and make sure you are following the rules of your genre. It’s fine to write experimental fiction, but don’t pitch it to any agent as appropriate for Love Inspired.

8.) Last and most definitely not least: Write the best first five pages you possibly can. Make us keep reading. This will assure that you stay on top of the slush pile long enough to get you a fuller read.

Now it is up to you to write a fantastic complete manuscript so you can stay there.

Your turn:

1.) What do you think sets a writer apart from others?

2.) If you had to choose one conference to attend, which one would you choose.

3.) If you could enter your unpublished work in one contest, which one would you choose?

This post originally appeared on The Oregon Christian Writers Conference blog,

Tamela looks forward to being on faculty at their conference in August this year.