Congratulations! The short story you have carefully crafted has been accepted by a publisher to be included in an upcoming anthology. Whether this is the first time they have chosen one of your submissions or the hundredth time, there are several steps that are incredibly important for you to follow if you want to learn how to be a good team author.

Edit Your Work

• The first step actually happens before you submit your work. Editing is imperative. If you have not taken your story seriously enough to polish it as much as you can before submitting it, expect it to be rejected by the publisher. It is more work for them to proofread and edit your story, which means more work for you. The editor will offer suggestions for you to apply, or you will need to defend your choices if you refuse to apply them in the revised submission.

Resubmit Your Work

• If, by some miracle, your story has enough of a foundation to be built upon, you then must apply all suggested edits and resubmit your story to the publisher a second time. It is wise to remember that the feedback from the editor enhances your work, their feedback is not a personal attack. There are many resources for self-editing, both in print and digital format. There are even free editing programs readily available with a click of your mouse. I use free editing software in Microsoft Word, Grammarly, Google Docs, and ProWritingAid. I have invested in the paid version of ProWritingAid at the advice of another author, and it has many useful tools within to help me to be a better writer.

Proofread The Anthology

• Once you have polished your story to be the best version, you then resubmit it to the publisher. They might do the rest of the work if the publishing company handles sales and marketing for the authors. Chances are, you may work with a small independent publishing company, which implies more of a team effort in all parts of the process. They may ask you to read the submissions of your fellow authors for content or general feedback. This step is helpful for the team because you will all have fresh eyes when reading the work of the other authors. It will provide confidence for the final product when as many people as possible take the time to look at your work and the entire anthology. This step will also be beneficial if they require you to take part in the book’s marketing because you will know what the final published anthology will look like.

Marketing and Advertising

• You should be prepared to help with the marketing of any book you are involved with. If there is a marketing schedule to follow, it helps, but if you have never done this before, it can be intimidating. Creating graphics to catch the eye of potential readers on social media is a great way to market your work. If the publishing team creates the graphics, you will just need to know what to share and when to share them. Most launch parties are online these days, which can challenge any author if they are not familiar with how they work. A good plan is to find out what the minimum requirements are for beginners and follow the lead of the more experienced authors throughout the process. As you develop your online author presence, it will become easier to navigate through these steps.

Communication Is Important

• Finally, make sure that you keep an open line of communication between you and the team you are working with. Pay attention to deadlines. If you need an extension, ask for it as soon as you know it is necessary, and be prepared to explain why you need more time. I have been lucky that the editors and publishers I am working with allow for extensions when I have asked. It is never assumed that it will be granted, but gratefully appreciated every time it is allowed. Authors are people too, and sometimes life needs to be dealt with before you can settle into writing and editing your next bestseller.

If you keep these five tips in mind when you are preparing to embark on the beneficial collaborative efforts put forth in an anthology, not only will you have a book that you want people to read, but it will be a pleasant experience for all who are involved with the process of birthing a new book into the world.

Feature photo by Matthew Watson, photo edited by Tish MacWebber via Canva.