Writing Blog

20221006 Opportunity?

October 6, 2022, 7:15pm

I have been asked at the last minute to give a talk on small traditional publishers of novel-length works this weekend. They want to know how to submit, where to find those open for submissions, what else you need to have ready in regards a manuscript, etc.

How to submit Read their guidelines and follow them to the letter. If your work does not fit their scope, don;t submit. Format your work in Shunn style. Email or online submission manager. Only send as much as they want.

Where to look Duotrope, Authors Publish, Writer Opportunities, specialist listings (e.g. Horror Tree). Only submit when they are open.

What else needs to be ready A synopsis. Write three - a one-page synopsis, a 500 word synopsis and a regular one (2-3 pages). You can't tell what they will ask for. An author bio. Again, write more than 1 - a 50 word, a 100 word, a publication-only bio, and a two-paragraph one. A pitch. Summarise your story in one sentence or short enough to fit in a single Tweet. This is becoming more and more commonly requested.

How long to wait This depends on the company, but generally 3 to 6 months before sending a nice, pleasant email asking how things are going. But they can be as long as 12 months. After acceptance, it can be up to 2 years before your book sees the light of day.

How much it costs In traditional publishing - nothing. You might have to buy copies to sell yourself, but every place I've worked with gives a very generous author's discount. If they charge and claim not to be a self-publishing service, they are not a traditional publisher, but might be a vanity or hybrid publisher, and those are hiding their costs more and more in contracts and on websites, so be careful.

So... do you think I've left anything out? An hour long session, my talk, then Q&A. 27 people have signed up, and more could turn up on the day.