Erica Verrillo's Blog, page 95

14th Free “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest: Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction

Hey, it's Spring! That means contest time.

This one is FREE. (I am a strong believer in free contests.)

What do you get if you win?

Essentially, you get a chance to be represented by the agent who is reading the entries. So, make sure you check out Christa at McIntosh and Otis (scroll down). You never know - she could become your agent!

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Writer's Digest, March 4, 2014 | Chuck Sambuchino

Welcome to the 14th (free!) “Dear Lucky Agent” Contest on the GLA blog. This is a recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here’s the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes—meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. So if you’re writing contemporary middle grade fiction, this 14th contest is for you! (The contest is live through EOD, March 18, 2014.)

WHY YOU SHOULD GET EXCITED

After a previous “Dear Lucky Agent” contest, the agent judge, Tamar Rydzinski (The Laura Dail Literary Agency), signed one of the three contest winners. After Tamar signed the writer, she went on to sell two of that writer’s books! How cool! That’s why these contests are not to missed if you have an eligible submission.

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to dearluckyagent14@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

The first 150-200 words of your unpublished, book-length work of contemporary middle grade fiction. You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also, submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with each entry.

Please note: To be eligible to submit, you must mention this contest twice through any any social-media. Please provide a social media link or Twitter handle or screenshot or blog post URL, etc., with your offical e-mailed entry so the judge and I can verify eligibility. Some previous entrants could not be considered because they skipped this step! Simply spread the word twice through any means and give us a way to verify you did; a tinyURL for this link/contest for you to easily use is http://tinyurl.com/kva3w9j. An easy way to notify me of your sharing is to include my Twitter handle @chucksambuchino somewhere in your mention(s) if using Twitter. And if you are going to solely use Twitter as your 2 times, please wait 1 day between mentions to spread out the notices, rather than simply tweeting twice back to back. Thanks.

WHAT IS ELIGIBLE?

Contemporary middle grade fiction. This means any middle grade set in our present world and time — mainstream, thriller, romance, mystery, adventure, humor, etc. What the agent judge will NOT consider as part of this contest is stories set outside our present world — sci-fi, fantasy, historical, steampunk.

CONTEST DETAILS

This contest will be live for approximately 14 days—from March 4, 2014 through the end of March 18, 2014, PST. Winners notified by e-mail within three weeks of end of contest. Winners announced on the blog thereafter.

To enter, submit the first 150-200 words of your book. Shorter or longer entries will not be considered. Keep it within word count range please.

You can submit as many times as you wish. You can submit even if you submitted to other contests in the past, but please note that past winners cannot win again. All that said, you are urged to only submit your best work.

The contest is open to everyone of all ages, save those employees, officers and directors of GLA’s publisher, F+W Media, Inc.

By e-mailing your entry, you are submitting an entry for consideration in this contest and thereby agreeing to the terms written here as well as any terms possibly added by me in the “Comments” section of this blog post. (If you have questions or concerns, write me personally at chuck.sambuchino (at) fwmedia.com. The Gmail account above is for submissions, not questions.)

PRIZES!!!

Top 3 winners all get: 1) A critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) A free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com ($50 value)!

JUDGE

Christa Heschke is an agent with McIntosh & Otis. (Find her on Twitter, and see her blog, Neverending Stories.) Christa graduated from Binghamton University with a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. She started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children’s Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively looking for picture books, middle grade, young adult and new adult projects and is currently building her list.

4 Major Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishers Accepting Unagented Manuscripts

Speculative fiction publishers have a tradition of accepting manuscripts directly from authors.

This is a genre that has a market of readers who think in terms of possibilities, and who don't, as a rule, like to follow the mainstream.

These readers also have their own networks, which means a science fiction novel can achieve fame strictly through word-of-mouth ( e.g. Wool). Publishers in this genre realize that mavericks have a place in the sci-fi world, and are thus willing to work directly with writers.

Because many sci-fi houses publish fantasy as well, fantasy writers also get a break.

As always, go to the publisher's website, and read everything on it before you submit your work.
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Baen Books 

Baen Books was founded in 1983 by science fiction editor and publisher Jim Baen (now deceased). Baen was one of the first publishers to use the Internet as a means of "spreading the word" about a book or author.

In addition to publishing emerging authors, Baen republishes older science fiction in collections and omnibus editions, such as the works of the 1960s authors Christopher Anvil and others.

What they are looking for: Science fiction and fantasy. Powerful plots with solid scientific and philosophical underpinnings are essential for science fiction submissions. For fantasy, any magical system must be both rigorously coherent and integral to the plot, and overall the work must at least strive for originality. Manuscripts should be at least 100,000 words, but if your novel is really wonderful send it along regardless of length.

Reporting time: usually within 9 to 12 Months.

How to submit: Complete manuscript accompanied by a synopsis. No simultaneous submissions.

Electronic Submissions: Send your manuscript by using the submission form at: http://ftp.baen.com/Slush/submit.aspx

Attach the manuscript as a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file. Any other format will not be considered.

Send the manuscript as a single file (do not break it into separate chapter files). The form only accepts a single file so any synopsis and contact info needs to be in the file with your manuscript.

Your submission must include your name, email address, postal mailing address, and telephone number on both your cover letter and the first page of the manuscript. If you have an alternate permanent email address, please include it, in case your primary account goes out of service. Include a plot outline if possible.

You may include your ideal cover treatment, including cover copy, a teaser page, and whatever else you would like.

Hardcopy Submissions: (for those who cannot submit electronically)

Standard manuscript format only: double-spaced, one side of the page only, 1 1/2" margins on all four sides of the page. We will consider photocopies if they are dark and clear.

Font must be seriphed or at least semi-seriphed, 12-point or greater.

Title, author (last name only is okay), and page number at the top of each page are mandatory. Include your name, mailing address, and telephone number on the first page.

All submissions should be accompanied by a stamped return envelope. Submissions from outside the U.S. should be accompanied by sufficient International Reply Coupons.

Send manuscripts to:

Baen Books
P.O. Box 1188
Wake Forest, NC 27588
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DAW

DAW is part of the Penguin Group.

From the website: Founded in 1971 by veteran paperback editor Donald A. Wollheim, along with his wife, Elsie B. Wollheim, DAW Books was the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy. Now more than 30 years and more than a thousand titles later, DAW has a well-deserved reputation for discovering and publishing the hottest talents in the industry. Many stars of the science fiction and fantasy field made their debuts in the pages of a DAW book, including Tad Williams, C. J. Cherryh, Mercedes Lackey, Melanie Rawn, C.S. Friedman, Jennifer Roberson, and Tanith Lee. Despite its high profile, DAW is still a small private company, owned exclusively by its publishers, Elizabeth R. Wollheim and Sheila E. Gilbert. Betsy and Sheila are strongly committed to discovering and nurturing new talent, and to keeping a personal "family" spirit at DAW—something they feel is all too rare in today's world of international conglomerate publishing.

What they are looking for: Science fiction and fantasy novels. The average length of the novels is almost never less than 80,000 words. They do not want short stories, short story collections, novellas, poetry, or novels in other genres.

How to submit : DAW does not accept electronic submissions. Send the complete manuscript with a cover letter. Manuscripts must be letter-quality computer-generated. Clear photocopies are acceptable. The manuscript should be on 8 1/2" x 11" paper or a close equivalent, double-spaced, with at least 1" wide margins all around. Please use only one side of the page, number your pages consecutively, and put the title of your novel at the top of each page if possible. Manuscripts should always be unbound.

Type your name, address and phone number in the upper right hand corner of the first page of your manuscript. Right under this, please put the length of your manuscript in number of words.

Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission for our correspondence. Manuscripts will not be returned,

Send manuscripts to:

Peter Stampfel
Submission Editor
DAW Books
375 Hudson St
New York, NY 10014
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TOR

TOR was founded by publisher Tom Doherty in 1980. It was sold to St. Martin's Press in 1986, making it part of the Holtzbrinck group. Tor has published more award-winning and -nominated science fiction books

than any other publisher.

What they are looking for: Science fiction, as well as other genre fiction. Imprints include Starscape: science fiction and fantasy for middle grade readers ages 10 and up (grades 5 and up), published in hardcover and paperback, and Tor Teen, science fiction and fantasy for young adult readers ages 13 and up (grades 8 and up), published in hardcover and paperback. All titles are age- and theme-appropriate. Some editions include reader’s guides and other supplemental materials.

How to submit: TOR has an open submissions policy. Every proposal is reviewed by at least one member of the editorial staff.

Please note that these guidelines are intended for writers who do not have agents.

Your submissions packet should include:

The first three chapters of your book, prepared in standard manuscript format on white paper. (If your chapters are really short or really long, or you don't use chapter breaks, you may send the first 40-60 pages of your book, provided you stay under 10,000 words.) The submitted text must be made up of consecutive pages and should end at the end of a paragraph, not in mid-sentence. Standard manuscript format means margins of at least 1 inch all the way around; indented paragraphs; double-spaced text; and Courier or Times Roman in 10 or 12 pitch. Please use one side of the page only and do not justify the text. Do not bind the manuscript in any way. Make sure the header of the ms. includes either your name or the title of the book and the page number (on every page).

A synopsis of the entire book. The synopsis should include all important plot elements, especially the end of the story, as well as aspects of character development for your main characters. The synopsis should run between three and ten pages in standard manuscript format.

A dated cover letter that includes your name and contact information and the title of the submitted work. Briefly tell us what genre or subgenre the submission falls into and mention any qualifications you have that pertain to the work. Please list any previous publications in paying markets.

A self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope for our reply letter. Unfortunately, it's no longer possible for us to return submissions due to a change in postal service policy that requires packages weighing more than a pound be mailed at a post office. Since we use a company mailroom rather than a post office, when we try to return submissions, they are sent back to us by the postal service or disappear in transit. We recycle your proposals. (That's not a euphemism for being tossed in a wastebasket--we recycle all white paper.) If you live outside the United States, please go to http://www.usps.com/onlinepostage to see internet postage options. If you do not include an SASE, you will not receive a reply at all.

Please send only one proposal in each submissions packet. If you have written a series, send a proposal for the first book only. If we like what we see, we'll ask for the rest.

Many people include postcards for us to return when the proposal reaches us. Unfortunately, we don't open submissions until we're ready to read them, so you'll likely get the "I got it" postcard the same day you receive our response to your project.

If you want to be sure that your manuscript was delivered to our offices, please ask for a return receipt or a signature confirmation when you post it.

Here are some tips to help the whole process work smoothly:
Don't send a query letter. It's practically impossible to judge a project from a query. We'd rather see your proposal.Don't send submissions or inquiries by email or fax. We do not respond to emailed or faxed submissions, queries, or inquiries about the status of submissions.Don't send disks. We want to read words in black type on white paper. And it's not that we don't trust you, but your system might have viruses you don't know about.Don't send us the only copy of anything. Things get lost in transit.Don't send interior or cover art or an author photo. There's time for that later, if we like your project.Don't send jewelry, food, toys, 3-dimensional representations of anything, or anything that might be construed as a bribe.Send submissions to:

Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
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Ace

ACE Books is the oldest continuously operating science fiction publisher in the United States. It is now part of Penguin Group. It issued some of the most outstanding science fiction writers of the 1950s and 1960s, including Samuel R. Delany, Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Robert Silverberg. Ace was known for marketing innovations such as the Ace Doubles, which contained two short novels bound back to back, and for the critically acclaimed Ace Specials edited by Terry Carr.

What they are looking for: Science fiction and fantasy. (The publisher recommends that you look at their list to see what they publish.)  Ace and Roc do not accept submissions of short stories, non-fiction, children's books, poetry, or artwork.

How to submi t: The usual length for a manuscript is between 80,000 and 125,000 words.

All work should be submitted by emailing a query letter with the first ten pages of your book pasted in the body of the email. Do not attach any documents. Text should be formatted in the industry standard of Times New Roman 12 point font.

Our email address is sff@us.penguingroup.com. Please note that we no longer accept paper submissions.

No simultaneous submissions.

Reporting time: 5 months for a reply to an e-mail query.

25% of Top 100 Kindle Books on Amazon from Indie Publishers

Somehow, it does not surprise me that a quarter of the top 100 Kindle books are self-published. These books consistently underprice the competition from traditional publishers, and are often available for free through Amazon's KDP Select program. Readers are more then willing to take a chance on a book that costs nothing.

And, of course, now that Amazon owns Goodreads, a whole new world of reviews and reader endorsements has opened up.
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Source: The Guardian, Dec 4, 2013

As many as a quarter of the top 100 Kindle books on Amazon.com are from indie publishers, according to data revealed at a trade presentation by the retailer.

A chart detailing the 25 top-selling indie titles in 2012 was passed on by an audience member via Twitter. Though the term indie is broad, covering everything from self-published authors to publishing houses that fall outside the big six, the news has been interpreted as a victory for the go-it-alone author. However in the US the term has come to mean self-published. A spokeswoman for Amazon.com said: "This figure is referring to Kindle books on Amazon.com in 2012, with 'indie' meaning books self-published via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). So a quarter of the top 100 bestselling Kindle books on Amazon.com in 2012 were self-published via KDP."

Writer.ly , an online marketplace that connects authors with freelance editors, book designers and marketeers, tweeted a picture of the chart on Wednesday. It displayed the top 100 books, with about a quarter of the covers highlighted, under the title "A Quarter of top 100 on Amazon.com Indie-Published".

The figure refers to Amazon's US book market but is a strong indicator of what's ahead for the UK. "If the UK isn't quite there yet then it's just a time lag – we are seeing that more and more of the top books around the world are published by authors themselves," said Orna Ross, director of the UK Alliance of Independent Authors, which represents self-published writers.

"We are in the middle of a major change. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we reached a situation where the majority of the top books are author-published. I don't see what would stop that," Ross said.

Read more HERE.

6 Publishers Accepting Unsolicited Manuscripts from Writers - No Agent Needed

These publishers accept manuscripts directly from writers. As is the case with most publishers that don't require an agent, they have a narrow focus. But, if your work falls into the categories they publish, you will have a good chance of having your proposal read. As always, go to the website, look at their other publications to see if yours will be a good fit, and follow all of their submission guidelines carefully.
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Small Beer Press

Small Beer Press was founded in 2000 and is run by Gavin J. Grant and Kelly Link. It publishes books as Small Beer Press, Big Mouth House, and Peapod Classics, and occasionally chapbooks and a zine - on recycled paper. 

They also have an ebooksite for indie presses: Weightless Books.

Generally, they publish 6-10 books per year. They pay a small advance and standard royalties. Their ebook royalty rate is 40% of net receipts. While their catalog is not extensive, they do have two short story collections by Ursula LeGuin. 

What they are looking for: Fiction (leaning toward the speculative), both short story collections and novels. No poetry.

How to submit : Print format by post only. 

Please send a query with the first 10-20 pages of the book (not the full manuscript) in standard manuscript format, and an SASE (with a Forever Stamp or an international reply coupon) by mail to:

Small Beer Press
150 Pleasant St., #306
Easthampton, MA 01027
Phone: 413.203.1636
Email: info at smallbeerpress.com
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Allworth Press

Allworth Press publishes business and self-help information for the general public and creative professionals.  They share distribution with Skyhorse Publishing, using W. W. Norton in the United States. Allworth Press titles are now distributed in Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Southern Africa, the Philippines, Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Books from Allworth Press have been translated into many languages, including Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Japanese. Allworth Press currently has 300 titles in print.

What they are looking for: Graphic Design, Business, Performing Arts, Interior Design, Art, Theater, Web Design, Book Arts, Photography, Crafts.

How to submit : Prospective authors should submit a book proposal that includes a query letter, synopsis (1-2 pages), annotated chapter outline, market analysis, sample chapter (or two), bio, and SASE. 

Send all submissions to: allworthsubmissions @skyhorsepublishing.com. If they are interested, they will get back to you within 4-6 weeks
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City Lights

City Lights Publishers is famous for launching several poets, including Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Allen Ginsberg, but this press also specializes in literary fiction and nonfiction. City Lights publishes 12 books a year. 

From the website: For over fifty years, City Lights has been a champion of progressive thinking, fighting against the forces of conservatism and censorship. We are committed to publishing works of social responsibility, and to maintaining a tradition of bringing renegade literature from other parts of the world into English. In our function of discovery, we will continue to publish cutting-edge contemporary literature and brilliant new non-fiction.

What they are looking for: Fiction, essays, memoirs, translations, poetry, and books on social and political issues. They do not publish New Age, self-help, children’s literature, how-to guides, or genre works such as romance, westerns, or science fiction.

How to submit: City Lights does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, but they do accept proposals. Prospective authors should submit the following: 
A one to two-page letter that describes your book and includes your resumé, with a list of any prior publications and information about your relevant writing and professional experience. A sample (10–20 pages maximum) of your work. An additional outline and table of contents for a nonfiction work.To receive a response, you must enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). You will receive a reply from our staff within six months letting you know if they want to see a complete manuscript. Telephoning or e-mailing will not speed up the review process.

City Lights takes no responsibility for the loss or damage of submitted materials. Please do not submit irreplaceable materials.

They do not accept proposals by e-mail or at the front desk at City Lights Bookstore.

Please mail proposals to:

Editorial Department
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco CA 94133
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Chicago Review Press

Academy Chicago Publishers is one of the oldest publishing houses in Chicago. They publish both fiction and nonfiction and have more than two hundred published titles on their list. Academy Chicago publishes about 60 new titles yearly under five imprints: Chicago Review Press, Lawrence Hill Books, Ball Publishing, Zephyr Press, and Academy Chicago. 

What they are looking for : Chicago Review Press publishes general nonfiction on a wide range of subjects including history, popular science, music, film, biography, autobiography, DIY, craft, and travel, as well as an award-winning line of children's activity books and young adult biographies. Lawrence Hill Books publishes nonfiction on topics of African American interest, progressive politics, Middle Eastern studies, and feminism. Ball Publishing specializes in gardening books, and Zephyr Press publishes professional development titles for teachers. Academy Chicago publishes memoirs, mysteries, and other exciting, new, and well-crafted fiction and nonfiction. 

How to submit: For non-fiction send:
A brief synopsis of your proposed book in 1–2 paragraphsThe estimated word count of the final manuscriptThe estimated completion dateAuthor biography or resume specifying credentials and publication credits, where appropriateApproximate sales of previous books published, if anyA complete table of contents and/or a complete outline of the proposed chapters1–2 sample chaptersFor children's activity books, include a few sample activities and list the others
Any information regarding photographs or artwork for the bookA description of the target audience and any information about the marketA list of competing and comparable titles and how your book differs—be sure to tell us what makes your book uniquePlease e-mail your proposal to frontdesk@chicagoreviewpress.com

Their turnaround time on reviewing proposals is about 4–6 weeks.
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Chronicle Books

Chronicle Books  "We're always looking for the new and unusual." Chronicle Books publishes 90 titles per year.

What they are looking for: Art and design, art, craft, graphic design, interior design, photography, food and drink, kids and teens, literature, lifestyle, pop culture.

How to submit: They review all proposals. However, they do not personally respond to unsolicited proposals unless they are interested in pursuing the project. Chronicle accepts submissions by mail or e-mail. Please allow three months for the editors to review a proposal.

What to Include in Your Proposal:
Include a one-page cover letter giving a brief description of the project, why you think Chronicle should publish it, what's included in the package, and your contact information. If your proposal is a simultaneous submission, please indicate this in your cover letter. Include an outline, introduction, sample illustrations or photographs, sample captions, sample recipes (if cookbook) or projects (if craft book), and text/sample chapters. When submitting artwork, either as a part of a project or as samples for review, please do not send original art, as it will not be returned. Anything from photocopies to tear sheets will do. Include a market analysis of the potential readership for the book. Who is the reader? What trends does the title speak to? Include a list of similar titles including the publisher, date of publication, and a brief explanation of how your book differs what's currently available. Include author/illustrator/photographer biography that includes publishing credits and credentials in the field. If you would like confirmation of receipt, please include a self-addressed stamped postcard for the editor to put in the mail upon receiving your proposal.Please send submissions to:
Chronicle Books; Submissions Editor
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
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Lee & Low Books

Lee & Low Books  is a children’s and young adult book publisher focusing on diversity. As of 2012, Lee & Low Books has published more than 650 titles in hardcover, paperback, lift-the-flap, and board book formats. Many titles have also been adapted for Spanish editions. They publish 12-14 titles per year. 

What they are looking for: Lee & Low focuses on titles for readers age 5-12. Tu Publishing is an independent imprint publishing diverse fantasy, science fiction, and mystery for middle grade and young adult readers. Children's Book Press (CBP) publishes bilingual books. 

How to submit: Manuscripts should be typed doubled-spaced and accompanied by a cover letter that includes a brief biography of the author, including publishing history. The letter should also state if the manuscript is a simultaneous or an exclusive submission. They will respond to a submission only if they are interested in the manuscript. If you do not hear from them within six months, you may assume that your work does not fit their needs. Only submissions sent through regular post will be considered.
Picture book manuscripts should be no longer than 1500 words for fiction and 3000 words for nonfiction. Please send the complete manuscript. Do not include illustrations unless you are a professional illustrator. Do not send irreplaceable materials. For middle grade manuscripts of more than 10,000 words, please send a query letter with story synopsis and chapter outline. Do not send the complete manuscript.PLEASE SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TO:

Submissions Editor
LEE & LOW BOOKS
95 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Bait and Switch - Amazon is at it again

At Digital Book World's annual conference, Businessweek contributor Brad Stone described Amazon as "ruthless and self-absorbed."

After reading this announcement in Publishers Weekly, I am tempted to add some other adjectives as well - heartless comes to mind.

What Amazon has done to publishing houses, struggling academic presses, and moribund brick-and-mortar book stores, it is now doing to the very authors who helped make Amazon the monster it is today.

By cutting royalty rates for authors who self-publish their audiobooks on Amazon by up to half, Amazon hopes to "encourage authors to become more aggressive marketers." (Translation: "We will do less for you, and, in exchange, you will do more for us.") (There is a reason for anti-trust laws. It's a pity they aren't enforced.)

In sum, the benefits of self-publishing audiobooks through Amazon are waning rapidly. I expect the same will eventually hold true of all of its other publishing platforms as well. 

It's only a matter of time.
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Audible Lowers Royalty on Self-Published Audiobooks

Publishers Weekly, February 28, 2014

Amazon-owned audiobook retailer Audible is lowering the royalty rates it pays authors who self-publish their audiobooks through the website.

As first reported by Gigaom, Amazon announced the news on a blog post on its ACX website. ACX, or Audiobook Common Exchange, is the company's platform through which authors can post their available audio rights and producers can then bid on the rights, to create the work. Creators then have the option to sell the audiobooks exclusively through Amazon, Audible and iTunes at a higher royalty rate, or through a wider range of retailers, at a lower rate. Up until now, Amazon was offering an escalating rate of 50%-90% on ACX titles sold exclusively; now it is dropping the rate to a non-escalating 40%. (ACX audbiobooks distributed non-exclusively are dropping to a non-escalating rate of 25%.)

The move, Amazon said in the post, which takes effect March 12, 2014, will, in part, encourage authors to become more aggressive marketers. With the drop in royalty rate, for authors selling their audiobooks exclusively, Amazon has bumped up its "bounty" program. The bounty is the amount awarded to the author (or royalty earner) whenever an audiobook is the first purchase of a new member of the program. Previously the bounty was $25, and now it is $50.

Audiobooks signed up before March 12, and those currently selling under the existing royalty structure, will continue to draw the original rates.

Twitter: How to Build a Following - for Writers

The first person to suggest that I use Twitter was my 82-year-old mother. "No, I certainly will not tweet," I told her.

As much as I hate to admit it, my mother was right. I now tweet with gusto, and not only is it fun, it's effective - perhaps more effective than emails, Facebook, or any of the forums I used to frequent.

The reason is obvious: It's brief. As our schedules get busier and busier, it's easier to deal with 140 characters than it is to read an email. (If an agent you are interested in approaching has a Twitter account, by all means, follow.)

It's also incredibly easy to get the word out on your promotions, blog posts, giveaways, and anything else writing-related via tweets.

As a case in point, visitors to this blog have increased dramatically since I started actively building a following. Now, a substantial number of visitors arrive via tweets.

So, read Joel Friedlander's article below. The man knows what he is talking about.
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How to Build an Awesome and Relevant Twitter Following in 6 Minutes a Day

By Joel Friedlander, The Book Designer

If you’re like lots of other authors, you might feel a bit conflicted about Twitter. On one hand, you know that Twitter has become something more than just another social media network. It has started to function as the information network of choice for millions of people around the world.

These days, you even see Twitter feeds on television, and journalists, politicians, and celebrities make use of Twitter’s ability to communicate quite a lot in just 140 characters.

You know it’s a great place to interact with readers and colleagues. And with more and more people joining Twitter every day, you also know it’s a great place to promote your book, your blog and your other activities.

Right now, as Twitter gets ready to “go public” we know that they report over 218 million active monthly users, and that Twitter grew almost 48% in the year between March 2012 and March 2013. This trend shows no signs of slowing down.

On the other hand, Twitter can seem both cryptic and confusing when you first get started.

For one thing, there are lots of people just like you who already seem to have hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of followers. How will you ever catch up?

Read the rest of this informative article HERE.

4 Romance Publishers Looking for Writers - No Agent Needed

Many romance publishing houses are open to receiving unagented manuscripts, particularly digital imprints. Some of these, like Harlequin, are big names in the publishing industry.

I've included some details in the "How to submit" sections below, but be sure to click on the link to read their full requirements. As always, follow all instructions to the letter.
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Harlequin

Harlequin Enterprises Limited is a Toronto-based company that publishes series romance and women's fiction. Owned by the Torstar Corporation, the largest newspaper publisher in Canada, the company publishes approximately 120 new titles each month in 29 different languages in 107 international markets on six continents. These books are written by over 1,300 authors worldwide, offering readers a broad range of fiction including romance, psychological thrillers and relationship novels. The company reported sales of 131 million books in 2006—half overseas and 96% outside of Canada.

 What they are looking for: Harlequin Desire publishes contemporary romance novels that "feature strong-but-vulnerable alpha heroes and dynamic heroines who want love."

How to submit: First: check out the Harlequin Writing Guidelines and identify the Series that your novel best fits. The only lines accepting manuscripts are the Harlequin Series and Harlequin Kimani. Please note that their single title imprints comprising Harlequin MIRA, Harlequin HQN, Harlequin TEEN and Harlequin Nonfiction only accept agented submissions.

Second: check the Electronic Manuscript Guidelines for further instruction. Briefly, have your manuscript saved as .txt, .rtf, .doc or .docx, and follow the naming convention of LastName_SeriesInitials_Manuscript Title. For Series initials, see below. Please include your query letter as page 1 of your file, with your synopsis starting on page 2. The recommended length for your synopsis is between 500-1000 words. Your synopsis should provide an overview of your story – including the ending! Please note that your manuscript should start on the page after your synopsis.

Third: Please sign in or register to use Harlequin Manuscript Submission.

Fourth: If you have had encouragement from a specific editor or have information you think would be useful beyond your query letter, please include it in the comments box. If there is important information, do let them know.
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Forever Yours

Forever Yours is a digital-only imprint of Grand Central Publishing, which is part of Hachette Book Group. Forever Yours publishes new works as well as backlist titles from its nine-year-old Forever imprint. The imprint does two to four e-book titles a month

What they are looking for: Forever Yours is currently accepting romance submissions from all subgenres, including but not limited to: contemporary, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, western, historical, inspirational, paranormal, sci-fi/fantasy, futuristic, urban fantasy, steampunk, time-travel, and erotica. We are not accepting YA, mystery, general fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.

How to submit : They are accepting novella length works (8,000-35,000 words), as well as longer works from 35,000-100,000 words. Send the following to this address: ForeverYours@hbgusa.com
A query letter introducing yourself, the genre you are writing in, and the word count of your work.A detailed 3-5 page synopsis.Your completed manuscript saved as an RTF file. Forever Yours will only consider manuscripts that are complete at the time of submission__________________________________
Carina Press

Carina Press is one of Harlequin’s digital-first adult fiction single-title imprints, publishing first in digital, with releases in audio and print as well.Though Harlequin is mainly known as a romance publisher, Carina Press publishes a wide range of adult fiction genres and features books from talented authors in all genres, including romance, science fiction, fantasy, mystery and more.

What they are looking for: [From the website] We are seeking submissions in all subgenres of romance with all levels of sensuality. We welcome everything from the very sweet to the incredibly erotic, featuring couples (or multiples) from all walks of life and sexual orientation, including same-sex romances. Romances should focus on the development of the relationship, as well as external and internal conflict; the heat level should be appropriate to the book and enhance the story, and the primary relationship in the book should offer a happily ever after (HEA) or happily for now (HFN) in an emotionally satisfying manner. Sorry, but one of the couple cannot die or leave the other if it’s to be sold as a romance!

How to submit: Please submit queries for only completed, fully polished manuscripts, unless previously arranged otherwise with an editor. Queries must include the following and will not be reviewed if any piece is missing:
Required: In the submissions form, you will be asked for a brief, introductory query letter listing genre, word count and a short description of the book, as well as any pertinent information about the author, including both legal name and pen name and any writing credits. The query letter is your sales pitch and we use the information included in it.Required: The full manuscript saved as an RTF or DOC file and attached, with file name TITLE_MANUSCRIPT where you substitute your book’s title in place of TITLE. (example: WarAndPeace_Manuscript)Required: 2-5 page synopsis of book that details character development, plot, and conflict/story resolution. Attach as an RTF or DOC file with file name TITLE_SYNOPSIS where you substitute your book’s title in place of TITLE. (Example: WarAndPeace_Synopsis)Please be sure to put the following information on the first page of all files: manuscript name, author pen name/legal name, email address, phone number, genre and word count. If you don’t include your phone number, it makes it impossible for us to make The Call!Combined size of both attachments must be under 4 MB in size. We’re unable to send files larger than this to our editors due to restrictions in our email system. If your manuscript is over 4 MB, please remove extra images, delete extraneous styles or font use that may increase file sizePlease allow 12 weeks for an editorial response to your submission. If a response has not been received after 12 weeks, please follow-up via your submittable account by adding a note to your submission log.
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Boroughs Publishing Group

Boroughs Publishing Group is a digital-only publisher that focuses solely on romance novels, of all genres and lengths.

What they are looking for:
ContemporaryErotic RomanceFantasyHistoricalMulti-culturalParanormalRomantic Suspense/ThrillersUrban FantasyYoung AdultHow to submit: [From the website] Unpublished authors please submit your finished MS only. Published authors may submit first three chapters. Standard word counts are: 30 - 40,000 words for novellas; 70 - 120,000 words for full-length novels. We are accepting short Romance fiction for our Lunchbox Romance line, 6,000 - 12,000 words. Please submit the full MS for Lunchbox Romances.

Please submit a synopsis of your book that summarizes the story, including the ending, that is no more than two pages long. Please title your synopsis e.g., Synopsis for Romance Novel, 85,ooo words.

Your submission must be double spaced, Times New Roman 12 point, with one inch borders, submitted in MS Word with the book title and your name in the header flush right.

Please submit your personal marketing plan. Don’t panic. We’re a full service publishing house. Of course we’re going to market your book. But in this day and age, let’s be realistic. You have to have some savvy about putting yourself and your work out there. Commitment to your work and your writing goals is a good thing.

All submissions are online. Response time: 8 weeks.

Are the Horror Stories About Traditional Publishing True?

Dana Weinberg has done another survey analysis, this time of author satisfaction.

She compared how happy authors were with royalties, editorial help, copies sold, and so on across three publishing platforms: traditional, self-published and hybrid (a combination of the two).

Are the horror stories about traditional publishers true? Her conclusion was a resounding "meh." 

I have a few comments to make about this survey. The first is that people are more reluctant to give negative answers on surveys than positive ones. This means that every survey will be slanted towards positive responses.

The second thing to keep in mind is that the majority of books that are traditionally published don't make back their advances.

What this means is that publishers don't put a lot of time or energy promoting books by authors who aren't already celebrities. The reason they don't bother is that they would rather invest their resources in promoting cash cows. With hundreds of authors, and thousands of titles on their lists, this makes sense for large houses.

The other thing to keep in mind is that authors who are "cursed with ugly covers ... receive very little assistance or support in the way of marketing and promotion, or learned that their publishers had little investment in their careers as writers and/or no interest in their future books" is not a horror story - it is the reality of the publishing world, and thinking otherwise is delusional.

Just to give you some perspective, here are a couple of real horror stories:

You sign a contract with a major publisher, only to have is scrapped when the house goes through an organizational shake-up. You can't find another publisher. (That happened to a friend of mine.)

You submit your manuscript, and your editor wants you to take out any word longer than two syllables, shift the POV, change the title, and delete half the chapters. (That happened to me, as did having an editor insert the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence into one of my short stories.) Your baby is butchered.

While traditional publishing is not all it's cracked up to be (it really isn't), believing that self-publishing is the road to the Land of Milk and Honey is delusional as well.

Those who find themselves dissatisfied with self-publishing have to ask themselves some hard questions. Have I spent several hours a day marketing and promoting my work? Have I researched the market to find out how I can reach my audience, or have I assumed that simply "putting it out there" is enough? Did I expect instant fame and fortune?

Let's be realistic. No  matter how you publish - whether you have taken the traditional route, or done it yourself - great expectations must be matched by a great amount of work. There is no substitute.
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How Common Are Traditional Publishing Horror Stories?—Author Survey Results

By Dana Beth Weinberg, Digital Book World

I have heard numerous horror stories on the fiction front from authors who sold their books to publishers only to find they had lost control of content, were cursed with ugly covers that doomed any hope of sales, received very little assistance or support in the way of marketing and promotion, or learned that their publishers had little investment in their careers as writers and/or no interest in their future books. Such horror stories often seem pervasive, and they easily become rallying cries for self-publishing and the greater control it provides authors. Are these tales of dissatisfaction with traditional publishing notable exceptions, or are they the norm?

The traditional-publishing victims I’ve encountered typically report that they had been thrilled to receive their contracts and had accepted neglect or poor treatment or disadvantageous terms because they felt they had no choice. Indeed, before self-publishing became a viable option, few of them did. Worse, such experiences could harken the death spiral for an author’s career: no investment from the publisher could lead to sluggish sales which in turn could lead to poor chances of selling a subsequent title either to publishers or bookstores. Authors would be forced to abandon series or throw away their brands and try to reinvent themselves.

Cautionary tales capture our attention, and they tend to get repeated and even embellished. In other posts, I reported survey results showing a preference for traditional publishing among authors. I also found that authors had expectations for several advantages of traditional publishing relative to self-publishing. With so many authors positively disposed toward traditional publishing, perhaps these horror stories are very visible and heartbreaking exceptions, a disappointing conclusion to the struggle to break into the traditionally published ranks.

Read more HERE.

How Common Are Traditional Publishing Horror Stories?

Dana Weinberg has done another survey analysis, this time of author satisfaction.

She compared how happy authors were with royalties, editorial help, copies sold, and so on across three publishing platforms: traditional, self-published and hybrid (a combination of the two).

Are the horror stories about traditional publishers true? Her conclusion was a resounding "meh." 

I have a few comments to make about this survey. The first is that people are more reluctant to give negative answers on surveys than positive ones. This means that every survey will be slanted.

The second thing to keep in mind is that the majority of books that are traditionally published don't make back their advances.

What this means is that publishers don't put a lot of time or energy promoting books by authors who aren't already celebrities. The reason they don't bother is that they would rather invest their resources in promoting cash cows. With hundreds of authors, and thousands of titles on their lists, this makes sense for large houses.

The other thing to keep in mind is that authors who are "cursed with ugly covers ... receive very little assistance or support in the way of marketing and promotion, or learned that their publishers had little investment in their careers as writers and/or no interest in their future books" is not a horror story - it is the reality of the publishing world, and thinking otherwise is delusional.

Just to give you some perspective, here are a couple of real horror stories:

You sign a contract with a major publisher, only to have is scrapped when the house goes through an organizational shake-up. You can't find another publisher. (That happened to a friend of mine.)

You submit your manuscript, and your editor wants you to take out any word longer than two syllables, shift the POV, change the title, and delete half the chapters. (That happened to me, as did having an editor insert the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence into one of my short stories.) Your baby is butchered.

While traditional publishing is not all it's cracked up to be (it really isn't), believing that self-publishing is the road to the Land of Milk and Honey is delusional as well.

Those who find themselves dissatisfied with self-publishing have to ask themselves some hard questions. Have I spent several hours a day marketing and promoting my work? Have I researched the market to find out how I can reach my audience, or have I assumed that simply "putting it out there" is enough? Did I expect instant fame and fortune?

Let's be realistic. No  matter how you publish - whether you have taken the traditional route, or done it yourself - great expectations must be matched by a great amount of work. There is no substitute.
___________________________________
How Common Are Traditional Publishing Horror Stories?—Author Survey Results

By Dana Beth Weinberg, Digital Book World

I have heard numerous horror stories on the fiction front from authors who sold their books to publishers only to find they had lost control of content, were cursed with ugly covers that doomed any hope of sales, received very little assistance or support in the way of marketing and promotion, or learned that their publishers had little investment in their careers as writers and/or no interest in their future books. Such horror stories often seem pervasive, and they easily become rallying cries for self-publishing and the greater control it provides authors. Are these tales of dissatisfaction with traditional publishing notable exceptions, or are they the norm?

The traditional-publishing victims I’ve encountered typically report that they had been thrilled to receive their contracts and had accepted neglect or poor treatment or disadvantageous terms because they felt they had no choice. Indeed, before self-publishing became a viable option, few of them did. Worse, such experiences could harken the death spiral for an author’s career: no investment from the publisher could lead to sluggish sales which in turn could lead to poor chances of selling a subsequent title either to publishers or bookstores. Authors would be forced to abandon series or throw away their brands and try to reinvent themselves.

Cautionary tales capture our attention, and they tend to get repeated and even embellished. In other posts, I reported survey results showing a preference for traditional publishing among authors. I also found that authors had expectations for several advantages of traditional publishing relative to self-publishing. With so many authors positively disposed toward traditional publishing, perhaps these horror stories are very visible and heartbreaking exceptions, a disappointing conclusion to the struggle to break into the traditionally published ranks.

Read more HERE.

Booksellers, Publishers Strip to Protest Banning of Children's Book

This is just plain inspiring. A prominent conservative French politician wants to censor the nude picture book, but publishers and booksellers have defended the book by authors Claire Frank and Marc Daniau.

Booksellers bare all to protest censorship attempt of ‘Everybody Gets Naked’ children’s book

By Michael Walsh,  New York Daily News , Thursday, February 20, 2014

Book lovers would rather be stripped of their clothes than their right to read freely.

A group of French booksellers and publishers took off their clothes Wednesday to protest conservative politician Jean-François Copé's call to censor a children's book from 2011 called "Everybody Gets Naked" (Tous à Poil), the Local reported.

The storybook shows that everyone takes off their clothes sometimes to calm children's fears about their own bodies, according to authors Claire Franek and Marc Daniau.

They wanted to present real bodies in natural situations "to counter the numerous images of bodies, often undressed, altered by Photoshop or plastic surgery, that are shown in ads or on the covers of magazines," according to Melville House Books.

Read the rest of this article HERE