Fanfare! Unagented Novel Submission Opportunity

[Katie-Ellen]

Tinder Press will be holding an open house to novel submissions for two weeks in March. You might still want an agent; I do, 7 rejections to date, waiting on a few, but maybe, it can be done the other way round. Publisher then agent.

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/tinder-press-accept-unagented-manuscripts-march

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Which leads to an important question. How many submissions do people send out at a time? The agents expect you to only do one at a time, and if you do multiple, then they won't even look at it. However at that rate, it could take 10 - 20 years to get published. I send out lots, and you also have to bear in mind, some never answer! Keep sending I say

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I do one at a time, after research to see what they like, making sure there are a few in the pipeline. If I get a rejection, and two were prompt, didn't keep me hanging on, I research again and send out again that day. I won't waste anyone's time. But my own time is important, too.

 

[Steven McC]

Thanks for posting Katie-Ellen

I totally agree with both of you. Given the success rate of applications to agents and their turnaround time for a response (usually two months) it's totally impractical not to go with multiple submissions. Our time is important, too. I tailored submissions to agents as carefully as I could (in one case this involved almost producing a portfolio to go with my submission; in response I got a standard rejection letter) and was left exhausted by the process. It felt like a waste of time as it was.

Hope you both have better luck

 

[julieanne]

The Tinder Press opportunity sounds great. Thanks for the heads-up Katie-Ellen

 

[tabby3]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

A number of agents expressly say they understand that writers will be making multiple submissions. They may ask to be informed, or just informed if anyone asks for a full MS.

 

[EPHahn]

I've been doing a few at a time... maybe three? I agree, trying to personalize each and every query is tiresome, and those generic rejections make me want to scream. I am still early in the game- only five rejections thus far. I imagine that the thick skin everyone keeps telling me about will grow eventually... is it weird I feel more offended for my characters than myself?

 

[Alistair Roberts]

I lost count at over 100 rejections, and half a dozen positive rejections! Still some famous works/authors had it worse than that.

 

[EPHahn]

Oh man, that does my heart good. So you're telling me I WON'T actually die of disappointment?

 

[Richard Sutton]

Here's a story... Once I had submitted a partial to an pretty well-known agent who immediately asked for more, then commented on it. Finally, she told me that my subject (Western Mayo Coast Historical Fantasy) was one she'd just purchased from her best friend, who, by the way, just climbed Craigh Pahdraig, so no more Irish Subjects, pleeze... She was chatty and friendly, and despite saying many nice things about my writing, we never connected. It feels to me like finding an agent (if you;re the one doing the looking...) is like hitting a moving target at 400 years in the dark. A shotgun blast won;t get there, and even with a night-vision scope, you're still shooting blind. The only way I will probably ever find an agent is if I can physically hold them down, or with an introduction from someone in the industry, someone they went to school with, or one of their existing clients. Doing your homework is CRITICAL, and as I'm without the whole Masters in Literature network... I'm just out there, stalking... stalking...

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Well none of us are likely to have a suitable contact, but then neither did Stephen King. So we plug away, and refine our work, and keep on plugging. Eventually you have got to get lucky especially when they say "which we have read with interest. Although we did enjoy looking at your material...". Now that sort of rejection has got to give you hope

 

[Richard Sutton]

I have a few of those around here somewhere... Hopeful, I remain.

 

[EPHahn]

So TRUE. My first three rejections were so kind "Although you show great potential, but we are looking for very specific material, please send us future manuscripts", but my last one was one of those awful blunt ones that sounded like a breakup! It was hard to refrain from sending a reply of "I didn't want you anyway."

I saved my nicer ones to keep the faith.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Tinder Press say no previously published fiction. They don't specify whether that means not even previously published short stories. I'll ask.

 

[Jennifer Stone]

Tinder Press say no previously published fiction. They don't specify whether that means not even previously published short stories. I'll ask.

there's a comment section below the full article, i suggest reading those first, people ask the same questions over again, poor people replying must've felt like they're banging their heads against a brick wall lol

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Short stories previously published in anthologies will not disqualify you.

The Katie asking in the comments section was not me BTW.

Richard, what bad luck. Sounds like a close thing.

 

[NickP]

Apparently Tinder Press are looking for the "freshest literary voices".

Smelly ol' genre hacks need not apply.

 

[Jay Aitch]

Oh, and a quick glance at the submission terms highlights that no children/YA material will be considered. So that's me out

 

[Judith Baker]

Seems to me that agents and publishers are often after 'different' styles of writing and off the wall characters and genres regardless of whether the writing or plot is interesting or well written. In which case I stand no chance but refuse to give up!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Anyone wanting to throw a hat in the ring on this one, deadline is Sunday.

 

[Judith Baker]

Just re read my bit. I actually meant my characters and plots are fairly conventional, not that I'm a brilliant writer!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Nothing the matter with conventional. You know what they say, nothing new under the sun. Nothing's new or unique, but your own way of looking at the world.