When writers submit a query with an example of their work, they wait and sometimes wait and wait to hear back. And, like Tom Petty said, The Waiting is the Hardest Part.
But then when that long-anticipated email arrives, excitement floods the writer's heart.
Sometimes, it is a quick let down with the only bit of feedback saying, "The sample didn't speak to me." Or, sometimes the feedback might be, "The voice didn't resonate with me."
"The Voice" might seem like an easy thing to capture but it's not always so easy.
Voice is a difficult thing to define but literary agent Rachel Gardner said, "Your writer's voice is the expression of YOU on the page."
But even hearing this definition, voice is still an "unseen" characteristic of your writing. I think of it as an element that makes the characters come alive.
This is a clip I put together years ago with my family to help "show not tell" what Voice is.
Each person will show an example of Voice, that illusive element all writers strive to achieve.
I hope you enjoy it.
If you can't view it, copy and paste this url into your browser: https://youtu.be/_4h_PnIFLzg
1) Jessica Faust of Bookends Literary: https://bookendsliterary.com/submissions/
Accepting: fiction, women's fiction, mystery, thrillers,
suspense and domestic suspense. She enjoys dark stories and loves a Midwestern
perspective.
Also accepting: some nonfiction: including current affairs,
personal development, self-help, mind, body, and spirit, and business.
She’d also like to represent more business books by women
and business leaders of color.
To submit: to Jessica Faust go to her submissions page and
submit to her Query Manager form https://querymanager.com/query/jessica_faust
2) Bernadette
Baker Baughman of Victoria Sanders Literary:
https://www.victoriasanders.com/about-us
Accepting: thrillers, contemporary novels, magical realism,
young adult, and books for kids.
Also accepting: pop-culture, gift books, and memoir.
To submit: Send a query letter with the first three chapters (or about 25 pages) pasted into the body of the message to queriesvsa @gmail .com
3) Andrea
Somberg of Harvey Klinger Literary:
https://www.harveyklinger.com/about/harvey/#andrea
Accepting: fiction and nonfiction, including projects for
adult, young adult and middle grade audiences.
To submit: Send your query to: andrea @ harveyklinger . com
Picture Book Writers, if you're looking for Publishers who will accept manuscripts from unrepresented authors, you might want to take some notes because here are three publishers accepting unagented picture book manuscripts:
1)
Albert Whitman & Co accepts submissions from authors without agents:
They are looking for fiction and nonfiction picture books for kids 1 to 8 years old.
The Word count should not exceed 1000 words.
Send a cover letter (inside the email) including the following information:
Send letter and attachments to:
2)
Charlesbridge Children's Book Submissions:
Charlesbridge publishes fiction and nonfiction picture books.
They tend to focus on nature, science, math, social studies,
biography, history, and the arts.
They accept only digital submissions for all manuscripts,
including author/illustrator book dummies.
Send the complete picture book manuscript.
Via Email to:
childrens.submissions@charlesbridge.com
3)
Flashlight Press
Seeks fictional children’s picture books for children 4-8
years old.
Word Count: Under 1000 words with a universal theme that
deals with family or social situations
Email: submissions@flashlightpress.com
Include in the Subject Line Include: QUERY for the Title of Your
Manuscript.
Attach your manuscript as a .doc, .docx, or PDF and copy the
following text into the body of the email with your responses to the blanks
included:
Title of Story: _____________
Word Count: _________
Target Age: ________
Subject or Theme of story (1-5 words): _____________
Summary (3 sentences or less):___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your Name: _____________________________________
Occupation: ________________________________________________
City, State, Country:
_________________________________________
If you have been published previously, list titles,
publishers, and pub dates: _____________________
Anything else you’d like to tell us: _______________________________________________
And for my writer friends, I've got an interview from a writer who is also a business owner, a science teacher and has had an eco-mystery published as a trilogy. So, if you're interested in science this might be right up your alley, or perhaps you're interested in writing a trilogy and getting it published, Heather might be the person you'd like to hear from.
So check out my interview of her below.
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