The Novelwriter's Toolkit
Page 13
The blurb – the bit designed to whet the buyer’s appetite, which appears on the front flap of a hardback jacket or on the back cover of a paperback – has to be written at this stage. Your editor may ask you if would like to write your own. Some authors are brilliant at this, but many feel uncomfortable writing effusively about their own book and are happier leaving it to the editor. That’s fine. She should send it to you for approval and you can alter it as you see fit. But remember that this is a selling tool, not a summary of the plot or a table of contents. It has to grab the reader in the first sentence and keep him grabbed.
You will probably also be asked to provide a brief autobiography. This is in my experience harder (and more embarrassing) than it sounds, so be prepared. Don’t produce a full CV – no one cares that you were captain of netball at school unless your book is about netball. Do mention anything that shows you are the ideal person to have written this book (you have a degree in archaeology and your novel is set in ancient Greece) or that is quirky, heart-warming or otherwise likely to appeal to your particular type of reader.
Design and Production
When you have a text that everyone is happy with, you start making it into a book. The page size will be decided (you are unlikely to have much say in this). Then someone will mark up the type, which means that they will choose the typeface (font) to be used, the type size, the number and length of lines on a page, what the chapter openers will look like and a myriad of other things of this kind. The book will now be typeset and in due course you will be sent page proofs to read.
Proofreading
Your editor should warn you when proofs are due and when you need to return them. This is not an invitation to rewrite, just to get it right. The publisher will employ a professional proofreader to do a final check, so in addition to any spelling or grammar mistakes that may have slipped through you should be looking out for things that only you will notice, such as errors of fact.
Mark any corrections on the pages you have been given in something bold like black felt tip or red pen. Timid pencil marks are easy to overlook. Write your corrections clearly, accurately and completely. Don’t leave the person who is typing in your amendments to guess at what you mean or to finish your sentences for you.
And Then
… there is a pause, of weeks or even months while the book is printed and bound. And then, something very wonderful happens. The phone rings and it is your editor saying, ‘I’ve got a copy of your book in my hand.’ If she is really kind and you live within half a mile, she’ll courier a copy over to you. If not, you’ll have to wait till tomorrow’s post, but suddenly you have the physical, almost living proof that all this work has been worth it. At this point, it is OK to cry. There is no feeling quite like it.
Part 3 Directory Listings
UK & IRISH BOOK PUBLISHERS
Abbey Press
Courtenay Hill, Newry, Co. Down, BT34 2ED
Contact Co-Founder/Editor, Adrian Rice; Co-Founder/Administrator, Mel McMahon
Established 1997
Insider Info Publishes three titles per year. Receives approximately 200 queries and 100 manuscripts per year. 20 per cent of books published are from first-time authors, and 75 per cent are from unagented authors. Does not publish author subsidy books. Authors paid by small fee, plus free books. Average lead time is seven months. Does not accept simultaneous submissions. Submissions accompanied by SAE will be returned. Aims to respond to queries, proposals and manuscript submissions within four months. Catalogue available online, or via email. Author guidelines available by sending SAE, online, or via email.
Publishes Historical and Literary Fiction titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts query with SAE. Submit proposal package (including outline, one sample chapter, your publishing history, author biography and SAE.) Does not review artwork/photographs.
Recent Title(s) Whereabouts, Mark Roper (Paperback)
Tips Abbey’s target audience is literary or academic readers with an interest in either poetry or history.
Accent Press
The Old School, Upper High Street, Bedlinog, Mid Glamorgan, CF46 6RY
T 01443 710930
F 01443 710940
E info@accentpress.co.uk
W www.accentpress.co.uk
Contact Managing Director, Hazel Cushion
Established 2003
Imprint(s) Curriculum Concepts UK Ltd, Xcite Books
Insider Info Publishes roughly 36 titles per year. Receives approximately 500 queries and 750 manuscripts per year. Three per cent of books published are from first-time authors and ten per cent of books published are from unagented authors. Payment is via royalty (on retail price) with 0.1 (per £) maximum. Average lead time is six months, with simultaneous submissions not accepted. Submissions accompanied by SAE will be returned. Aims to respond to queries, proposals and manuscripts within six months, and all other enquiries within twelve months. A catalogue is free on request and available online.
Publishes Erotica, Historical, Literary Mainstream/Contemporary, Romance, Crime and Thriller titles.
* Check the published titles catalogue to see what kind of fiction is of interest.
Submission Guidelines Accepts proposal package (including outline, with three sample chapters).
Recent Title(s) The Judgement Book, Simon Hall (Crime)
Tips Accent Press has a mainstream and mass-market readership.
Allison & Busby Ltd
13 Charlotte Mews, London, W1T 4EJ
T 020 7580 1080
F 020 7580 1180
E susie@allisonandbiisby.com
W www.allisonandbusby.co.uk
Established 1969
Insider Info Catalogue is available online.
Publishes Literary, Mainstream/Contemporary, Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Crime Fiction titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts agented submissions only.
Recent Title(s) Above the Bright Blue Sky, Margaret Thornton
Alma Books Ltd
London House, 243–253 Lower Mortlake Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 2LL
T 020 8948 9550
F 020 8948 5599
E info@almabooks.com
W www.almabooks.com
Contact Publisher, Alessandro Gallenzi
Established 2005
Imprint(s) Herla Publishing
Insider Info Publishes 25 titles per year. Receives 500 queries and 400 manuscripts per year. 30 per cent of books published are from first-time authors and 20 per cent are from unagented authors. Payment is via royalty (on retail price) with 0.1 (per £) minimum and 0.12 (per £) maximum. Advance offered is from £1,000-£5,000. Average lead time is 12 months, with simultaneous submissions accepted. Submissions accompanied by SAE will be returned. Aims to respond to queries within one day, proposals within one week and manuscripts within one month. Catalogue is free on request, and available online or via email. Manuscript guidelines are available online.
Publishes Humour, Literary, Mainstream/Contemporary and Translation titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts query with SAE or proposal package (including outline, two sample chapters).
Recent Title(s) Remainder, Tom McCarthy (Literary Fiction); The Water Theatre, Lindsay Clarke (Literary Fiction)
Anova Books Company Ltd
The Old Magistrates Court, 10 Southcombe Street, London, W14 0RA
T 020 7605 1400
F 020 7605 1401
E customerservices@anovabooks.com
W www.anovabooks.com
Contact Senior Editor, Emily Preece-Morrison; Commissioing Editor, Michelle Lo (Craft); Commissioning Editor, Victoria Alers-Hankey (Reference, Health); Commissioning Editor, Barbara Phelan (Biography, Popular Culture); Senior Editor, Nicola Birtwisle; Editor, Kristy Richardson
Established 2005
Publishes Erotica, Fantasy, Military/War, Spiritual and Sports titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts proposal package (including outline and one s
ample chapter).
Apex Publishing Ltd
PO Box 7086, Clacton on Sea, Essex, CO15 5WN
T 01255 428500
E mail@apexpublishing.co.uk
W www.apexpublishing.co.uk
Contact Production and Publishing Manager, Chris Cowlin; Marketing Manager, Jackie Bright
Established 2002
Insider Info Publishes 30 titles per year. Receives approximately 500 queries and 500 manuscripts per year. 60 per cent of books published are from first-time authors, and 90 per cent of books published are from unagented authors. 50 per cent of books published are author subsidy published, based on potential sales. Payment is via royalty (on retail price). Average lead time is nine months, with simultaneous submissions accepted. Submissions accompanied by SAE
will be returned. Aims to respond to queries within seven days, proposals within 14 days, manuscripts within 21 days, and any other enquiry within seven days. Catalogue and manuscript guidelines are free on request, and available online or by email.
Publishes Erotica, Fantasy, Horror, Humour, Regional, Science-Fiction, Children’s and General Fiction titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts query with SAE, or completed manuscript (including publishing history, clips, author biography and SAE).
Arcadia Books
15–16 Nassau Street, London, W1W 7AB
T 020 7436 9898
F 020 7436 9898
E info@arcadiabooks.co.uk
W www.arcadiabooks.co.uk
Contact Managing Director, Gary Pulsifer; Associate Publisher, Daniela de Groote
Established 1996
Imprint(s) BlackAmber, Bliss Books, EuroCrime
Insider Info Catalogue available online.
Publishes Ethnic, Gay/Lesbian, Literary, Mainstream/Contemporary, Multicultural, Suspense, Translation and European Crime-Writing titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts agented submissions only.
Recent Title(s) The Envoy, Edward Wilson
Tips Of the different imprints, Arcadia publishes fiction, translated world fiction and gay fiction. BlackAmber publishes multicultural literary fiction and translations. Bliss publishes popular bestsellers, including biography and autobiography. EuroCrime publishes European crime writing. Arcadia Books does not consider children’s, teenage, science-fiction, fantasy, horror or romance titles.
Arris Books
12 Main Street, Adlestrop, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 0YN
T 01608 659328
F 01608 659345
E info@arrisbooks.com
W www.arrisbooks.com
Contact Publishing Director, Victoria Huxley
Established 2003
Insider Info Submissions accompanied by SAE will be returned. Catalogue and manuscript guidelines available online.
Publishes Multicultural and Translated Fiction titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts query with SAE and proposal package (including outline and one sample chapter). Do not email submissions.
Recent Title(s) Everything Good Will Come, Sefi Atta
Tips Titles aimed at travellers interested in world culture, not tourism. All submissions should reflect this principle.
Arrow
Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2SA
T 020 7840 8518
F 020 7233 6127
E arroweditorial@randomhouse.co.uk
W www.randomhouse.co.uk
Parent Company The Random House Group Ltd
Contact Publishing Director, Kate Elton
Insider Info Catalogue available online.
Publishes Mass-market paperback Fiction titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts agented submissions only.
Recent Title(s) Flora’s Lot, Katie Fforde, A Mistletoe Kiss, Katie Flynn
Tips Writers are recommended to get a literary agent, as Arrow will not accept unagented submissions.
Atlantic Books
Ormond House, 26–27 Boswell Street, London, WC1N 3JZ
T 020 7269 1610
F 020 7430 0916
E enquiries@atlantic-books.co.uk
W www.atlantic-books.co.uk
Parent Company Grove/Atlantic Inc
Contact Chairman and Publisher, Toby Mundy; Managing Director, Daniel Scott; Editor-in-Chief, Ravi Mirchandani
Established 2000
Insider Info Publishes roughly 90 titles per year.
Publishes Crime and Literary Fiction titles.
Recent Title(s) In a Strange Room, Damon Galgut
Tips No unsolicited submissions. Accepts agented submissions only.
Aurora Metro
67 Grove Avenue, Twickenham, TW1 4HX
T 020 3261 0000
F 020 8898 0735
E info@aurorametro.com; submissions@aurorametro.com
W www.aurorametro.com;
Contact Publisher, Cheryl Robson
Established 1989
Imprint(s) Amp Books
Insider Info Publishes eight titles per year. Receives approximately 100 queries and 25 manuscripts per year. Ten per cent of books published are from first-time authors and 50 per cent of books published are from unagented authors. 20 per cent of books published are author-subsidy published, based on funding available from the Arts Council. Payment is via royalty (on retail price), or outright purchase. Average lead time is one year, with simultaneous submissions accepted. Submissions will not be returned. Aims to respond to queries within ten days, proposals within four months, and manuscripts within six months. Catalogue is free on request, or available by email.
Publishes Adventure, Erotica, Ethnic, Experimental, Fantasy, Feminist, Gay/Lesbian, Gothic, Historical, Horror, Humour, Children’s Literary, Mainstream/Contemporary, Multicultural, Mystery, Romance, Science-Fiction, Suspense, Translation and Young Adult titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts proposal package (including outline, synopsis, three sample chapters, author biography and reviews).
Recent Title(s) Sobiber, Jean Molla (Young Adult)
Tips Aurora Metro often seeks subsidies from the Arts Council for projects that fall within their funding criteria, such as translations.
Authentic Media
9 Holden Avenue, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK1 1QR
T 01908 364213
F 01908 648952
E editorial@authenticmedia.co.uk
W www.authenticmedia.co.uk
Contact Publishing Co-ordinator, Kath Williams (Authentic); Robin Parry, Commissioning Editor (Paternoster)
Established 1962
Imprint(s) Authentic, Paternoster Press
Insider Info Publishes roughly 50 titles per year. Catalogue available online.
Publishes Young Adult titles.
Tips Publishes Christian books to help all types of Christians, as well as music and other media content. Welcomes unsolicited manuscripts or synopsis submissions, sent by post or email to the editor.
AVON
77–85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith,
London, W6 8JB
T 020 8741 7070
F 020 8307 4440
E enquiries@harpercollins.co.uk
W www.harpercollins.co.uk
Parent Company HarperCollins Publishers Ltd – General Books Division
Contact Publishing Director, Michael Doggart
Established 2007
Insider Info Catalogue available online.
Publishes Women’s Fiction titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts agented submissions only.
Recent Title(s) Down to Earth, Melanie Rose, Mother’s Ruin, Kitty Neale
Tips AVON publishes a wide range of debut and established authors, both British and International, and aims to fast-track them to bestseller status.
Bantam Press
61–63 Uxbridge Road, London, W5 5SA
T 020 8579 2652
F 020 8579 5479
E info@transworld-publishers.co.uk
W www.booksattransworld.co.uk
P
arent Company Transworld Publishers
Insider Info Catalogue available online. Manuscript guidelines not available.
Publishes Historical, Mainstream/Contemporary, Military/War, Mystery, Romance and Suspense titles.
Submission Guidelines Agented submissions only.
Recent Title(s) Twelve, Jasper Kent
Tips Bantam Press publishes hardbacks only.
Barny Books
The Cottage, Hough on the Hill, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2HL
T 01400 250246
E info@barnybooks.biz
W www.barnybooks.biz
Contact Managing Director, Molly Burkett
Established 1980
Insider Info Catalogue available online. Too small to accept unsolicited manuscripts. Manuscript guidelines not available.
Publishes Historical, Children’s, Military/War and Young Adult titles.
Submission Guidelines Accepts query with SAE.
Tips Barny Books offers professional critiquing and editing services, as well as some self-publishing facilities. This process can also include translation when the author’s first language is not English, and help for those who are dyslexic, disabled or elderly. Be advised that services are fee-based and the minimum order for book printing is 300 copies.
Beautiful Books
36–38 Glasshouse Street, London, W1B 5DL
T 020 7734 4448
F 020 3070 0764