So let's say a MS you've submitted is rejected

Is it customary to make revisions and changes and then resubmit it to the same publisher, or is a "strike one - you're out" kinda thing?

 

If they don't offer an R&R they won't be interested in seeing it again unless you make really significant changes - so much that it's practically a different manuscript. You'd want to wait several months before resubmitting, so they know you haven't just edited a couple of things and sent it off again.

 

It's usually best to focus your energy on other markets. If they gave you a personalized rejection, take their advice to heart, go through your manuscript again to make sure there are no egregious mistakes you might have missed, and send it to a different publisher or agent, or whatever.

 

Agreed with the above. If they want you to revise and resubmit, they'll ask you to do so. If they don't explicitly ask you should move on to another, taking into account any critique or advise they may have offered in the rejection letter.

 

What if there was no rejection letter? Just a long time has passed and you heard no response?

 

Do they have a "no response means 'no'" policy? And how long have you waited?

There's a tradition of "nudging" publishers who have held manuscripts for longer than the period mentioned on their websites. I'd suggest adding a bit to their stated time just so you don't seem like you're nagging. Then just send an e-mail saying you're following up on an MS you submitted - make sure you mention the original date you submitted it.

 

They're one of the big 5, or more specifically, an imprint of one of them, and it doesn't really say, but I'm assuming they're receiving tons of MS since they they don't require an agent, thus I wouldn't expect a personalized rejection response. They do say that after 3 months of no response, you're free to send it elsewhere.

 

So it sounds like no response means 'no', for them. In which case I think you're done with that MS and that publisher. Or at least that imprint.

Sorry.

 

Is it fair to assume that if you get a good agent after such a rejection, that he can "unburn" you with that publisher, assuming you've done plenty of revisions and changes in the meantime?

 

Getting no response doesn't' mean you've been burned with a particular publisher. If you've only submitted to them once, chances are they wouldn't be offended if tried submitting another project to them and even a really, really good agent can't make a publisher buy a manuscript they don't want.

 

Concur with what others have said above about one shot with the publisher...

That would be a conversation with the agent once they've agreed to represent you. Of course, it may be a concern, as that may have been a market they were going to target. Generally, a good agent will have a working relationship with the editors at various publishers, and you might get another shot with that publisher via the agent.

My concern would be:

1. If you're going to continue to submit that manuscript. that you get it in top shape before sending it out again to publishers. Don't be impatient. As you generally get one shot, give it your best shot.

2. If you intend to get an agent to represent you, consider not sending your manuscript out to publishers. Focus on securing the representation of an agent.

 

I agree that you should be looking either for an agent or a publisher - most agents won't want a book that's already been shopped around.

That said, my understanding is that rejections count for the imprint, not the larger publisher. So if you were rejected by Berkley, you could still submit to Doubleday, even though they're owned by the same publisher.

Not that either of those imprints takes un-agented submissions, to the best of my knowledge.

 

I may be wrong, but I think the only imprint in the Random Penguin House family that accepts unagented submissions is DAW.

 

That sounds right. I know there aren't many, that's for sure.

 

No, that's not likely at all. That's the main reason you should query agents before moving on to publishers: once you have a rejection for a manuscript, the agent can't resubmit it to that imprint.

As above, if the change are REALLY significant then the agent might be able to pitch it to a different editor as a totally different manuscript, but a professional agent probably won't risk it unless they somehow know the manuscript is totally different.