From the Editor - Formatting Your Submission

It's a new year and our thoughts naturally turn to new submissions. Each Friday, we'll post a blog entry on what our submission editors would like to see in our inboxes.

Formatting Your Submission

The way a submission is presented tells us a lot about the author. Just think about it: if the submission contains a query letter, synopsis, and excerpt, in a professional-looking font and layout, we naturally feel this person made an effort with the submission. It conveys respect, both for their own work and for the publisher's requirements.

A large part of the journey with a publisher is handling edits, writing blurbs of varying lengths, and interacting with potential readers. Professionalism is crucial.

As for genre, we take stories with queer, straight, or anything in between, but some areas are simply no-go. Like incest. Scat. Bestiality. The reason for this is quite simple. J.M. Snyder has moral objections to those kinds of stories, end of discussion. It's her press, so she publishes what she likes.

When we get a submission containing material the submission requirements clearly state we don't take, it tells us the author didn't bother to read the guidelines. It suggests someone who blindly sent in a submission to any publisher, not necessarily one they want to work with or one whose press will be a good fit for their book. The ability to follow simple submission requirements tells us whether the working relationship with the author will be a pleasure or a pain. Faulty submission format does not automatically determine an accept or reject, but it is definitely noted by the editor.

Submit a story to us today!