Before submitting to any publisher, you should have some important issues addressed.

If you do not belong to a critique group of fellow writers serious about their craft, join one immediately. They will prove invaluable.

Have someone who knows grammar and punctuation beta read the manuscript before any portion goes before an editor.

Educate yourself. Join writers’ groups, attend events that host editors and agents as speakers. Understand trade tools of the craft like plotting, characterization, minimizing passive voice and properly anchoring POV. Also, understand what to include in, and how to write query and cover letters. Learn what makes a submission packet create a strong impression.

Check the publisher. Call or write to agencies designed to monitor business practices. Contact a writer currently under contract and ask questions. This will as much insure your safety, as determine if the publisher will make a good fit for your work.