1Source is a collaborative effort between publishers and includes Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, Believers Press, Bethany Press, and Anchor Distributors. Their new books will appear as part of 1Source’s Jerry B. Jenkins Select Line in spring 2014.
CQ Press focuses on American and international politics. Submit a proposal and two sample chapters.
Forge and TOR both publish sci-fi and fantasy. They’re under Macmillan’s umbrella so they represent major players who accept submissions directly from authors.
Willow Creed Press specializes in nature, outdoor and sporting books. Prospective authors should submit a chapter-by-chapter outline and sample chapters via mail.
Kensington Publishing is a major indie house. They produce hardcover, trade and paperback books and have several imprints under their primary company.
Dzanc Books focuses on literary fiction. It is interested in great writing even if there isn’t a clear marketing niche for a specific manuscript.
Amazon offers a White Glove publishing service. In this program, your agent works directly with Amazon to publish your book.
I wrote not too long ago about agent-assisted publishing, and this is just another incarnation of the same process. You might end up walking this road if the traditional publishers reject your agent’s efforts to place your book. But again, you end up with the agent as your book’s advocate.
On this road, you don’t travel alone. That in and of itself can be a boost to your passion. The fact that it can also boost your career sweetens the deal.
A written analysis is one of the most popular services authors request. This examines the structural and storytelling elements of fiction and memoirs such as opening chapters, the
ending, primary events, character development/history, point of view, use of narrative and dialog, and other critical components. When the work is nonfiction, the structural and writing elements of that category are considered.
The write-up for a manuscript of average length is usually between 10 and 15 single-spaced pages. This is all narrative text; no tables, charts or graphs are used as filler. The commentary points out major and minor issues that should be addressed. It also makes recommendations for how to correct the issues along with discussions of how specific changes might resonate with other areas of the manuscript.
The usual turnaround time is 3 to 4 weeks.
The rate for a manuscript of standard length is $6.50 per double-spaced page. Short story or article/essay collections have a slightly higher fee if each piece is short.
There is a minimum fee for shorter books; if the project is longer than average, a flat rate is applied because the per-page rate would become prohibitive.
If you decide that you do not have the time to implement the recommendations or would like the work done for you for other reasons, this can be accomplished as the second step. A price quote will be created at that time based on the amount of work to be done. If the work progresses within 30 days of delivering the write-up, 60% of the write-up fee will be credited to that price quote.
Another way to approach this issue is to work with only the first 100 pages, including a synopsis. This allows me to see how you are handling the primary structural elements on the page. Since so often the primary issues appear in those first 100 pages, the mini-analysis can help you take a big step forward in a more affordable fashion. The write-up you receive averages 4 to 6 single-spaced pages. Once you see how certain issues impact those opening pages, you can extend the lessons learned to the rest of what you’ve already written.
Turnaround for a mini-analysis averages 2.5 to 3 weeks. The rate is a flat fee of $985.
Titles are important. Any author can agree to that. But are subtitles as important, less so, or possibly more important?
One consideration is how subtitles impact algorithms that help readers find a book. Subtitles that seem unwieldy because they are so long can actually boost sales on websites.
A second consideration has been around for a while: a descriptive subtitle tells readers exactly what they’ll get from the book.
Finally, a subtitle can indicate the author’s voice (funny, academic, etc.) or tone (the emotional quality of the work). That can be attractive to readers and thus generate sales.
Subtitles are clearly not more important than titles…but they are equally important.
Poets & Writers published a cool guide to literary and writing sites in different cities here. But the list is far from inclusive. If you know some great sites in your area, why not pitch them a round-up from your hometown?
This agent caught my eye because I’ve worked with several preteen and teenage authors who have gone on to reach wide audiences.
Steven Hutson of WordWise Media wants fresh ideas, particularly from young authors. He also represents fiction and nonfiction books for adults and children, especially those with spiritual themes.
Considering how much change has come to publishing in the past few years, determining whether a manuscript is publishable is important. Authors want to know what their chances are before they invest a lot of time, effort or money in creating new drafts, revising and rewriting current drafts, editing to the final stage, or creating book proposals and query letters.
The two most important things to consider when asking whether a manuscript is publishable are:
1. Quality
2. Marketability
Quality issues for fiction encompass the writing level (voice, use of structural elements, etc.) and storytelling skill. For nonfiction, quality includes the writing level and how the content is presented.
Marketability is an issue that can trend across timelines ranging from a few months to a decade or more. It includes areas outside publishing as much as what is being published now and what is scheduled for publication over the next two years. And since those same issues affect self-publishers (although in different ways), authors who are committed to that path often have the same question about whether their manuscript is publishable.
Authors can access twenty years of experience across a broad range of categories and genres by having their work read by Writer’s Resource. The service that determines if a manuscript is publishable…and if not, to guide the author along the steps to be taken to make it publishable…is a baseline review. The review usually takes 2 to 2.5 weeks to complete and costs $425. The nominal investment can safeguard authors from spending much more on editing or other services that will not pay off in the long run.
Eric Simonoff of William Morris Endeavor, says of publishing:
“What I see is an industry in which we want nothing more than to discover an amazing voice. Who wouldn’t? If you actually have a great book, it matters who sends it out, because you want someone who understand the business, who has the best possible relationships, and who can negotiate the right deal for you as a client. But your book will get discovered regardless. It might just be a question of when.”
Shambhala has been one of the better known niche publishers for years. They put out about 100 titles per year, mostly nonfiction related to Buddhism, yoga, mindfulness, creativity, martial arts, natural health, and green living. They ask authors to submit a book proposal.
Seal Press puts out 30 titles per year. Their books are by women for women. They specify that authors should send a query letter and proposal.
Writer's Resource/Sunspot Lit 