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I am a published romance novelist -- not my preferred genre, but stavation and homelessness are not pleasant. I have one non-genre novel being shopped around by my agent, and have another that is a work in progress.
Tips?
Make certain that your manuscript is as grammatically perfect as you can make it. Have someone else proofread it for you; few people can find all of their own mistakes. Read it aloud. When you read silently, your mind fills in what you meant to say, instead of what is on the page. If you think you have it absolutely grammatically perfect -- go over it again.
Write, revise, submit. Repeat as often as necessary.
Grow a very thick skin and learn not to take rejection personally.
Once you start the round of submissions, whether to agents or publishers, start immediately on another project. It is appallingly easy to lose the habit of writing.
Invest in a current copy of Writer's Markets, to determine what agents and publishers are accepting work from new authors, and in what genres they are accepting. WM will direct you to their websites that give specifics on what they want in the way of a query, synopsis, or sample chapters and what format they want them.
Be persistent, there is not an author on the planet that is universally liked. It is unlikely that you will be the first.
Just my tuppence, hope a little of my babbling is helpful.
Rose
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