Did you know we are taking pitches at Realm Makers this year?
Michele Israel Harper, our acquisitions editor, will be traveling to this incredible writers conference to hear all about the wonderful stories you’ve written.
{Read about the conference here.}
What are we looking for?
- A well-crafted tale, masterfully told
- Light Sci-Fi
- Fairy Tale Retellings
- Any other genre with speculative elements
- Adult, NA, or YA Audience
- Completed manuscripts only
Honestly, we are not picky regarding content (as long as it’s fairly clean) if the tale grips us, sucks us right in to the story, and won’t let go until the last page has been read. We only publish speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, or any other genre or subgenre with a fantastical element), and we are looking for a few good stories to fill our 2020 production schedule.
Story comes first, but we will also be looking at platform and how the author interacts with followers, as well as the author’s level of professionalism and dedication to growing in the craft.
What should you bring if you plan to pitch your manuscript to us?
- Business card, headshot preferred
This should have basic information, such as your author name (whether actual name or pen name), contact info, such as your email, and a way to look you up online, such as your website. All of your social media should be linked to your website to make it easy to find you across all platforms, but if you only have a Facebook page or Twitter account, that’s fine too. Just make sure you’re easy to find online!
And be sure to include that headshot! We meet with hundreds of people every year at conferences and conventions, and we’d love to be able to put a face with your name as we go through submissions.
- One Sheet
We prefer proposals to one sheets, but if you’re bringing one to conference anyway, go ahead and hand us your one sheet as well. This usually includes your headshot, contact info (email and website), short bio, and a synopsis of the story you are pitching–yes, on one sheet of paper. Be sure to mention if your tale is a standalone or part of a series. If you are pitching several stories, include one story per one sheet.
There are some excellent examples online, and Cara Putman especially has a wonderful resource for getting ready for conference, including one sheet examples.
- Proposal
Many authors bring a one sheet to conferences, but we prefer the proposal.
{See our submission guidelines here.}
Briefly, a proposal shows us your level of professionalism and how well you know your story, audience, platform, marketing strategies, and the business of publishing as a whole. Publishing is a partnership between the publisher and the author, and we want to know you know what you’re doing.
We love our authors, we love our readers, and we cannot wait to publish more of the stories you crave.
*UPDATE: Scott Minor of Realm Makers contacted Michele with her direct scheduling link, so we will include that here. As of Monday, July 2nd, there are only four spots left. She cannot wait to meet with you, and we cannot wait to discover more wonderful stories!
{Sign up for an appointment with Michele Israel Harper here.}
Happy writing!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
*Realm Makers graphics © by the incredibly talented Kirk DouPonce of DogEared Design.
About Michele Israel Harper:
Author of Wisdom & Folly: Sisters, Zombie Takeover, Beast Hunter, and the soon-to-be released Kill the Beast, Michele Israel Harper is also a freelance editor and the acquisitions editor at Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing, LLC. Harper has her Bachelor of Arts in history, is slightly obsessed with all things French–including Jeanne d’Arc and La Belle et la Bête–and loves editing fiction manuscripts. She hopes her involvement with writing, editing, and publishing will touch many lives in the years to come. Visit www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com to learn more about her.