This is a great article about how to change one agent’s no into another agent’s yes. I love the list of what each comment actually means…it’s realistic, and is something every author should understand.
The 5th annual Laine Cunningham Fiction Contest is closing January 31. Prizes are $1,000 for first place, $500 second place, and $250 third place. Also selecting an honorable mention.
The contest accepts ALL book-length fiction, including YA, New Adult, adult, contemporary, historical, literary, experimental, sci-fi, fantasy, short story collections, novella collections and single novellas.
All winners receive coverage in The Blotter Literary Magazine (circ. 10,000 nationwide print plus website). Send synopsis and first 20 double-spaced pages to the gang at The Blotter. Guidelines available at http://www.WritersResource.us under Contest tab.
$25 entry fee includes a subscription to the print magazine.
Ripple Grove Press is a new children’s picture book publisher. Authors should submit a cover letter with the story summary, age range for audience, brief bio, contact info (all the information in a submissions packet), and a PDF of the manuscript.
Gryphon House Inc handles teacher/parent resource texts. The acquisition editors prefer a query with a book proposal that includes the title, purpose of the book, table of contents, introductory material, and 20-40 sample pages.
We all gripe now and then about how well celebrity bios sell. Well, 2014 is projected to be the year when a different category outsells that standby.
The self-help category is poised for another huge boom. Works that are intellectually “credible,” meaning those that are reflective and offer something readers will find meaningful, will fuel this boom.
If you have something in the works or an idea for a project that fits this category, get cracking! Now is the time to grab for your breakout success.
The Career Press publishes books for adults that helps readers improve their careers, businesses, and related topics. Prospective writers can submit a book proposal with sample chapters. Note that unlike other publishers who accept partial manuscripts for many types of nonfiction, this publisher notes that a complete manuscript is preferred for all its subject areas.
There’s some confusion about when to include front matter and when to leave it out. First, here’s a list of the usual items defined as front matter:
Half Title Page — Which includes the title of the book.
Title Page — The title, any subtitle, author’s name, and publisher’s name
Copyright Page
Copyright Acknowledgments — For reprinted material or material reproduced from the original with permission
Colophon — Production notes about typefaces, name and address of the printer
Dedication — The single most important person/people the author wants to thank!
Table of Contents
Foreword — This is usually written by someone other than the author, often a professional in the field. It usually is used only in nonfiction but an important novel that has already seen success might at times have a foreword
Preface — Often the story of how the book came about
Epigraph — A poem, quotation, or phrase that sets the tone for the book’s message or theme
Prologue — Written by the narrator or a character in the story; must be used carefully as it is often viewed as a weak choice
Acknowledgments — All those folks who helped the author in some way
Introduction — Written by the author to define the purpose and goals of the book
Nearly always, authors will not include any of this material when approaching agents or publishers. The frequent exceptions are the epigraph (fiction or nonfiction) and the table of contents (nonfiction only), the prologue (fiction only) and the foreword (usually only nonfiction).
If you are self-publishing, you do not need to submit this material to your editor. You do need to include it with your manuscript when you send everything to the interior designer.
Note that more ebooks are moving nearly all of the front matter to the rear of the book. This allows a reader to jump right into the work. Readers are also much more likely to read through the materials after they’ve had a satisfactory experience with the book’s content.
While looking at agents and publishers, you might come across the term high-concept.
A high-concept novel has a plotline (and possibly thematic elements) that can be summed up in a single line. It’s going to have a broad appeal (read: mainstream or commercial) and will offer something unique.
So it’s a tricky interplay of immediately recognizable, familiar enough in terms of a specific, clear market, while also being unique enough to spark interest with a broad number of readers.
If you need help with your tagline (that tricky single sentence that pitches your book, high-concept or not), feel free to visit Writer’s Resource’s website for information on assistance with your tagline.
Recently there’s been some chatter about novellas. For a long time, novellas were shunned by all but literary publishers. Too short, it seemed, translated into too little interest by readers. Of course, there was the biggest problem: novellas were not terribly economical to print. That impacts the bottom line, and that means more pushback from publishers.
The trend has been increasing judging by what I’ve been hearing from agents and publishers alike. They want longer books (fiction and nonfiction), and the 50,000 word minimum is being held to more strongly than ever before. This makes sense in a time when publishers are trying to trim every penny to enhance their waning profits.
But organizations that have been keeping tabs on self-publishing are questioning this wisdom. They note that when publishers do take on novellas, they are marketing them as novels so as not to undermine the work in readers’ eyes. Also, they’ve noted that genre works are seeing success as novellas.
This is in part due to self-publishing successes. Authors write what they write…they honor the story itself without having to worry much about lengths and economies of scale if they are self-publishing. Readers are interested in the story, not whether it’s long or short, or which publisher it might have come from.
Novellas, then, might find that they will receive a greater amount of respect from traditional publishers in the future. This will take a year or more to sink in, though. For now, consider your length when approaching traditional publishers. Aim for that 50K minimum to ensure you aren’t rejected on length alone.
Counting over 13 million books sold, Free Spirit is the leading publisher of self-help books for children and teen readers, parents and educators. The press has 300 titles in print to fulfill its mission of providing youth with the tools they need to achieve success.
Longreads, a platform that curates fiction and nonfiction over 1,500 words, is starting a big push to increase membership. It’s free for users or you can buy full access to the site for a nominal fee. Longform works are experiencing a resurgence, so the time is right to find works that mirror your own.
Simon & Schuster is preparing to launch a new imprint dedicated to science fiction, fantasy and horror. The unnamed imprint will publish books “for readers of all ages.”
Ripple Grove Press is looking for picture-driven stories for children aged 2-6. No early readers, middle grade, or YA manuscripts. No religious or holiday themed stories. Desires unique, sweet, funny, touching, offbeat, colorful, charming, different, creative ideas.
Do you have to be Christian or a strong believer to write for the Christian Market?
No. They’re looking for great stories and high-quality writing skills. They of course want to convey a certain message but it’s not required that you follow the press or publication’s own set of beliefs to submit.
Do write well, and make sure your message is in line with theirs.
Keep the stories uplifting and inspirational!
Be open to feedback (as always) and you just might find a new market you’ve been overlooking.
Chronos Books is seeking historical nonfiction and historical biography. They are looking for real history for real people; imaginative, easy-to-digest and accessible text. Topics cover ancient times to the Second World War, and should add to a reader’s understanding of people and events rather than reading like a textbook.
Writer's Resource/Sunspot Lit 