Reblog from Carina Press– Angela James | March 30th, 2013
Last fall, we provided an opportunity for authors to submit their work and get both an expedited response and feedback. We had tremendous response to that submissions call, so we decided to do something that would give authors the chance to get similar feedback and response time. I’d also like to share that, from that submissions call, we found over a dozen manuscripts that we either wanted to acquire or see further revisions for, so it was very successful for both authors and us in that regard. Our ultimate goal is always to find new authors to acquire, not new authors to reject!
Last time, we heard from authors who had submissions pending that they wished they could also have the opportunity to take advantage of that, so we’ve come up with a pitch event that will allow everyone, including those who currently have submissions pending, the same chances. Please read on for details of how the event will work.
On Thursday, Carina Press freelance editors will be monitoring the #carinapitch hashtag for book pitches from authors.
The benefits:
Book pitches chosen by editors will be reviewed by the editor who requested it. Response will be given by May 31st, 2013 and those manuscripts chosen via the #carinapitch will also receive personalized feedback. Please note that we ask authors not to expect paragraphs of feedback, but specific feedback will be offered noting what the editor sees as not working or needing attention. We also would like to emphasize that the nature of this business is subjective, so the editor may provide feedback the author may not agree with. We’re offering insight into why the book doesn’t work for us (should we choose to pass on it, rather than acquiring, which is certainly a possibility!), not providing detailed instructions on how to “fix” any issues we see.
Eligibility to participate:
1) A complete, ready-to-send, manuscript that falls within the commercial fiction genres that we publish. (Please view our submissions guidelines here)
2) You must be prepared to send your manuscript within 3 days of the #carinapitch session. Any manuscripts sent after Sunday, April 7th will still be fairly reviewed by editorial staff, but won’t be eligible for the feedback/accelerated response time.
3) The manuscript you’re pitching must be new material, not previously published material, whether self-published or released via a publisher. New material only will be considered during this event.
4) The manuscript cannot be one that has previously received a pass letter from us.
5) You may pitch more than one project.
How to participate:
1) Wait until April 4th from 8am Eastern to 9pm Eastern, which is when the editors will be monitoring the hashtag.
2) Craft your compelling book pitch into one (no more than two) tweets. Indicate if it’s more than one tweet by using 1/2 and 2/2 so we can piece them together.
3) Post them to Twitter from your account using the #carinapitch hashtag (the only way we’ll know they’re for us!)
- Please do not post pitches for one book more than twice during the #carinapitch event. Even if you’re changing your pitch, please pitch the same book no more than twice during the day.
4) Watch for a reply from a Carina Press editor.
5) If an editor lets you know that they’d like to see your submission and your manuscript is NOT currently on submission with us:
- a) please follow the submission guidelines here and include all required information. Send your submission to the submissions email, not the editor directly.
- b) Make your subject line: #carinapitch Title by Author (genre)
- c) Address your query letter to the editor who requested your manuscript
- d) At the top of your query letter, please include the Twitter pitch you used and your Twitter name (to help the editor recognize your request & verify that they asked for it)
- If more than one editor asks for your submission, you may choose which editor to send to, though you may also wish to indicate the second editor who had interest, in case the first editor chooses not to read it.
- e) Send your submission no later than Sunday April 7, 2013
6) If an editor lets you know they’d like to see your submission and your manuscript is already in our queue.
- a) Send an email to submissions@carinapress.com
- b) Subject line: #carinapitch Existing Submission
- c) In the body of the email, please include the Twitter pitch you used and your Twitter name (to help the editor recognize your request & verify that they asked for it).
- d) In body of email, please tell us the date you originally submitted your work, the title of the work, the genre and the name you submitted under. It’s helpful if your email comes from the same email address you used to submit the work.
- If more than one editor asks for your submission, you may choose which editor to send to, though you may also wish to indicate the second editor who had interest, in case the first editor chooses not to read it.
- e) Email us no later than Sunday April 7, 2013
Notes about #carinapitch
- You don’t need to direct your tweet to a specific editor. We’ll all be monitoring the hashtag throughout the day. However, if you want to bring it to the attention of an editor you think it’s particularly suited for, you are welcome to do so. At the bottom of this post is a list of participating Carina Press editors and their Twitter IDs.
- Please don’t post your pitch more than twice during the day. We know you want to make sure we see it, so we don’t mind if you post it at two different times, but please don’t post one book more than that. This includes not changing your pitch five times and posting it five different ways, please. Two pitches per book, so the hashtag doesn’t become cluttered and allows all authors equal opportunity to be seen. Thank you!
- An updated list of what different editors are looking for will be posted here on the blog Monday. You can see editor bios here.
- Information about what we publish, our submissions guidelines and specific FAQs can be found here.
Feedback is welcome! Please email us at generalinquiries@carinapress.com if ever you have specific, constructive feedback you’d like to share.
One last (very important) note:
Even if your pitch isn’t selected by an editor, that doesn’t mean your project isn’t right for us. In the end, it’s the words you write in the story that will get us to acquire the book, not the words you wrote for the pitch, so if you’ve written something we publish, please still submit it to us. Your chances of having the manuscript acquired are just as good as those whose pitches we single out!
*Permission to forward this post, use it on blogs and author forums is permitted.*
Participating editors:
Angela James @angelajames
Tina Burns @TinaBurns
Deb Nemeth @DebNemeth
Jeff Seymour @realjeffseymour
Elizabeth Bass @ElizabethBass
Melissa Johnson @MelissJohnson
Gina Bernal @GinaBernal
Alissa Davis @AlissaDenay
Mallory Braus @MalloryBraus
Meredith Giordan @MeredithGiordan
Megan Records @MeganRecords
You might think this article was about the technical aspects of formatting, but you would only be partially correct. What this article is truly about is respect. If you want to succeed at this dedicated hobby you’ve chosen to pursue (believe me, you don’t want to think of it as a career…it only leads to masses of frustration) then you need to get your head in the correct mindset. You are not alone in your desire. There are countless individuals who want to be authors. There are a considerably less individuals who are in a position to make that possible. Editors have to look through hundreds, even thousands of manuscripts every year. I don’t think I have to tell you that they can’t accept them all. You know what that means? It is your job to make their job as easy for them as possible. You can do that in two ways:
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Jennifer M Eaton 