Hodderscape Open Submission Window

[Serendipity]

Is it me, or is there less interest in open submission windows for novels these days?

Anyways... unagented writers have until 16th August to submit your novel. The link is http://hodderscape.co.uk/open-submissions-the-guidelines/

Good luck to anyone entering...

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Rats. I'm not going to get anything edited professionally and proofed in 5 days. Or have I anything to lose submitting it as it is? "The Apprentice's Talent"

Hi there, quick question. Are you looking for professionally edited submissions?

If so, are there any editing companies that you would recommend that I hire prior to submission?

Reply
Anne Perry says:
July 7, 2015 at 5:23 pm
No, the manuscript does not need to be professionally edited.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Rats. I'm not going to get anything edited professionally and proofed in 5 days. Or have I anything to lose submitting it as it is? "The Apprentice's Talent"

If it's not ready, don't submit. Why waste their time and damage your reputation to them? I'm not saying you need to have had it professionally edited, but you've said a few times editing is not your personal forte, so without that is it polished enough? Only you know.

I'm in for this one, actually, but mucked up the submission guidelines so suspect I'm a quick rule out.

On the other note - why less excitement? Things are changing, quicker than the publishers realise. Last time I was in one of these windows they held Abendau's Heir for 18 months, and rejected it in the last 2 percent, or thereabouts, of the window. I had an agent with Inish for nearly two years. Those culmative 3 and a half years of my life (they didn't run concurrently) were two of my best projects tied up in what-ifs and earning no money.

Many, many more writers are looking at that scenario and asking why wait? Although I'm in this window, the book is being actively subbed and if I get an offer from one of the publishers I'm chasing I'll take it (pending the contract being good - I've already refused one offer on it). If no one offers, I'll publish it myself, with the input of a fantastic editor not unknown to the Chrons who I've chatted to about it.

I don't have the luxury of waiting for the one-big-deal, nor is it the lure it once was, not when you see how many good small publishers there are, and how strong self publishing can be. In short, there's less excitement because, frankly, what's on offer may not be the fairytale it once seemed, but only one avenue to it.

 

[Nick B]

Can't see how you have anything to lose by subbing tbh.

 

[Nick B]

Do publishers do that? Sit on it for 18 months an then reject it?

 

[HareBrain]

Do publishers do that? Sit on it for 18 months an then reject it?

Harpervoyager did, but they clearly underestimated the task they'd set themselves. I'm thus somewhat dubious that Hodderscape will reply to everyone by the end of September as they claim.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Do publishers do that? Sit on it for 18 months an then reject it?

Harper Voyager did. I've just had an agent reject this week who has had a full since January. I had subs pulled when my agent and I called a day where the publisher had had it for a year (with no sign of a response. )This is still a slow, slow business.

 

[Boneman]

What Jo said.

I had a major publisher request the full ms after two months and then took 14 months to reject that... was told (in a personable rejection, handwritten) that they were actively trying to reduce the number of books they published, as the market is "insanely tough at the moment".

 

[Nick B]

That really sucks, I have to say.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

That really sucks, I have to say.

It does. If I'd known how hard the road was I would never have started this - and I've had fewer knocks than most. My advice, these days, is to heck with the agent and get the writing out there. That's how you build a following - writing. I'm pleased I went the small/self publishing route. I wish I'd done it years ago. I know I might never get rich from it - but, frankly, so do few authors with big publishers - but at least I feel like there is progress and that my (damn) hard work is actually coming to something. If I was still sitting on my agent's shelf with no progress, the towel would be in by now.

But I'm not a patient soul....

 

[Nick B]

That is pretty much the most likely outcome for us Jo, small press or self. I'm not in this for the money as such, I have no plans for rich and famous. In fact I would hate to be famous, I like my privacy way too much. What I would ideally like is to replace my extremely poor salary with writing for a living, which to be fair, wouldn't actually take much. I would then be doing the thing I want to do - write for a living instead of working in a job I cant stand any more.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Good luck with it. i think that's all most of us want, really.

 

[Susan Boulton]

Do publishers do that? Sit on it for 18 months an then reject it?

It took Angry Robot about that long to clear the manuscripts submitted for their last open door, though it was due to unforeseen circumstances, i.e. imprint being sold...

I have thought about it, but as I have a full out of the manuscript I would submit, with another publisher I am not going too.

 

[thaddeus6th]

I do wonder about announcing an open door window (ahem) such a short time before it happens, given it takes a year to a year and a half (or more) to write a book. Unless you happen to have something finished or 99% done, it's hard to see how something could be submitted.

Edited extra bit: of course, things will be, but they're reducing the number of potential submissions (although perhaps that's deliberate, given the number of would-be writers there are).

 

[Droflet]

I guess I have been really lucky. Agents and publishers I've approached have been universally prompt with their rejection slips.

 

[chopper]

It took Angry Robot about that long to clear the manuscripts submitted for their last open door, though it was due to unforeseen circumstances, i.e. imprint being sold...

I have thought about it, but as I have a full out of the manuscript I would submit, with another publisher I am not going too.

with the window i was in too - 18 months from in to out. i'm in for Hodder - why the hell not? by the time they say yay or nay, i should have finished the draft...

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I have 5 drafts I have finished that could maybe meet their conditions. But I only started writing a synopsis this morning. I'm not optimistic about having even one synopsis done.
I know now why I was putting off the evil hour of writing these.

 

[HareBrain]

Unless you happen to have something finished or 99% done, it's hard to see how something could be submitted.

Not the case here, bizarrely. In the comments, Hodderscape's Anne Perry says they're happy to accept submissions for works that aren't finished.

We only require the first 3 chapters or 15,000 words. If we like it and we call it in, and it’s not finished… well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

 

[Droflet]

Ahhh, the ongoing appeal of story, story, story.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.