Black Elephant will be published online four times a year, and twice a year in print. Additionally, they will release an audio publication four times a year. Their first issue contains work from nine contributors.

Poets may submit up to five poems. Fiction and creative nonfiction writers may submit stories between 2,000 and 5,000 words. Essayists may submit pieces under 2,000 words. Spoken word artists may submit MP3 audio files under four minutes. Photographers may submit up to five black and white photographs, and filmmakers may submit short films less than ten minutes in length. Submitting authors and artists can expect a response within about eight to twelve weeks.

Black Elephant accepts submissions online, but not via post or email. They do not accept work previously published in print or in other online literary journals; however, they accept work that has appeared on personal blogs or websites as long as the work is removed before it is submitted to Black Elephant. They accept simultaneous submissions of fiction, creative nonfiction, and essays, but ask that authors immediately withdraw work accepted elsewhere.  They do not accept simultaneous submissions of poetry, spoken word, photography, or short film. Any author or artist may submit to more than one category.

If you would like to learn more or submit to Black Elephant, please visit their website at http://www.blackelephantlit.org/read-me/.

By our first birthday we were reviewing one literary journal and one manuscript publisher every week. The writing prompt and feature article still went out every week. We added the manuscript publisher reviews based on requests and I am so glad that we did. At first Emily Harstone had a hard time finding good ones, but overtime her researching became top notch and now each year we have reviewed more exciting and established publishers.

By our second birthday we stopped publishing the writing prompts and started to focus more and more on providing quality ebooks for our readers. We have now published 7 eBooks. Many of them now are now going into their second or third editions. I must say that I am particularly proud of our eBooks. I feel like each one contains quality information focused on an important subject. I also love the fact that we are able to pay our authors a significant amount of money to write them.

Now it is our third birthday! We would love to get some feedback from you, our wonderful readers, on what new features you would like. Be it a new regular feature or a one off article, or a suggestion for a new eBook. Please send us any and all feedback you have to support@authorspublish.com.

Over the years as Authors Publish has changed so has our lives. When we started Authors Publish we were about to celebrate our second wedding anniversary and now we are approaching our fifth. When Authors Publish first started we were living in an apartment and now we own a house, and have a dog and one very adorable seven month old.

Thank you so much for being our reader! Without you Authors Publish would not be around.

We would also love to thank all the wonderful writers who have contributed over the years to our publication.

Warmly,
Caitlin and Jacob Jans

Jolly Fish Press was started in 2012. They are based out of Provo, Utah. Their authors have won numerous awards. They initially published a wide range of genres for adults, children, and young adults. They are now part of North Star Editions. They now only publish middle-grade and young adult books. They especially want books showcasing strong voices, unique stories, and diverse characters. The reason they stopped publishing adult books appears to be that North Star Editions bought them out around a year ago.

Their covers are well designed and appealing. It is easy to get a better idea of what they publish by browsing their titles. Their website is well organized and easy to navigate. It is oriented more towards selling books than recruiting authors.

You can learn more about the press and their staff, on the about us page. The information included in the acquisition editor bios are particularly helpful to help you know more about what they are interested in specifically.

They have switched over to having three reading periods a year. They are open to submissions in February and March, June and July, and October and November. They will automatically reject unsolicited submissions made outside of these periods.

To double check or learn more visit their website here.

#PitMad is a quarterly Twitter pitch party coordinated by writer and social media guru Brenda Drake. There was an event on 17 March 2016 and I decided to give it a try.

There are several Twitter pitching events out there and they all have slightly different rules and entry requirements. Twitter provides the perfect platform for micro-pitches because of the 140 word character limit per tweet. At #PitMad authors are allowed up to 3 tweet-pitches per day. You are allowed to pitch more than one project, but it must be a finished manuscript which is edited, polished and ready to go.

Agents and editors scan the pitches throughout the event, and tweet their standard query format, for example 3 chapters and a synopsis, early in the day. If a book catches an agent’s eye, that agent can ‘like’ the pitch, and after the event the writer submits their query.

There are plenty of success stories out there: adult genre fiction has done well at previous events, as have young adult and new adult.

Anyone can take part, as long as they follow the rules. The full rules are posted on Brenda Drake’s website. I won’t rehash them all here as they do change, and would strongly advise anyone interested in taking part to check the current rules in advance.

You can’t contact agents or editors unless they contact you first. And because the ‘like’ function is used by the agents and editors to keep track of pitches that pique their interest, people are requested not to like or retweet their buddies’ pitches.

You need to include the hashtag #PitMad to be visible to participating agents and editors, and using a hashtag for your category and genre means you’re more likely to get spotted. You can get the complete list of hashtags from Brenda Drake’s site.

The book I wanted to pitch is a middle grade fantasy adventure called ‘Seal Skin’.
That means my category hashtag is #MG. I could also add a genre hashtag, #F for fantasy and/or #AD for adventure, but I also needed to bear in mind those precious 140 characters.

The event ran from 8am EDT to 8pm EDT and I’d seen advice to spread the tweets throughout the day. There are applications available that schedule tweets for you, so you could, theoretically, set the whole thing up in advance. But that way you’d miss an opportunity to learn from other writer’s pitches during the day.

In the days leading up to 17 March I did some advance research. There are writers online offering advice on constructing a good pitch, and even online groups stress-testing pitches in advance of the big day.

Advice varies by genre and advice-giver, but there are themes, including:
• focus on your central conflict or dilemma
• focus on your main character’s journey or transformation
• be as colorful and specific as possible
• aim to give a flavor of your own unique voice
• compare your pitch to existing work (this does a lot of the work describing the premise, whilst keeping the character count low).

I sat down to write my first pitch, trying to capture the central dilemma of my book. Early in the day I tweeted this:

12yo Josh’s mum’s dying; a stay w/ weirdo cousins is the last thing he needs. Magic might save mum but who will Josh betray? #PitMad #MG

Predictably, perhaps, this didn’t receive any likes. I decided to work my way through the winning pitches, looking for a formula. Only a tiny minority of pitches were getting likes. YA seemed having a good day, particularly when combined with sex and violence. For example, take this pitch by @melissaveres:

Marley wakes up on a cold beach with blood-stained hands, her twin sister’s severed arm, and no memory of how she got there. #PitMad #YA #T

Or this one by ‏@tammy_oja

To win a cruise with “Captain Hot Pants” & boys polo team on board, rocks! But who ordered the killer? Can a cheer team survive #PitMad #YA

There were also winners amongst the romance pitches. For example, this pitch from @VivWrites won five likes:

Feisty horse trainer doesn’t believe in fairytales until new mentee is a real-life prince. Will she swap cowboy hat for crown? #pitmad #A #R

I also noticed that books touching LGBT themes were doing well. For example, ‏@JStryker21’s pitch got 2 likes.

#WNDB When Sam refuses to be Amanda, he has to survive peers and family who use religious dogma to justify their abuse. #LGBT #A #PitMad

I went back to my first pitch. Was it too boring? Too confusing? Looking at it again, the causal relationship between first and second ideas was unclear. I’d also noticed successful pitches often made comparisons with existing books or old stories, even TV shows, and this chimed with the advice online. For example, this one by ‏@ChooseUrGeek:

#PitMad #A #M #SF Murder She Wrote + The Justice League. A cozy mystery about a retired superhero.

Four hours after my first pitch, I tweeted:

Who or what will 12yo Josh sacrifice to save his mother’s life? Wolfblood, but with hippy Selkies. Danger, magic, heroism. #PitMad #MG

Next I used the hashtags #PitMad and #MG to see what was doing well in the middle grade arena. ‏@tomleveen won a whopping four likes with this pitch:

A 13-year-old girl goes against her war-hero father to free giant arachnids, engineered for war, from human slavery. #MG #pitmad

Admittedly that book did sound pretty awesome. I looked for a successful pitch which sounded more similar to the tone my own book, and discovered this one, from ‏@HilaryHarwell:

A magical trinket shop. Family secrets locked inside. 12yo Oliver must unravel them to save his Grandfather and the land of Mim. #MG #PitMad

Using Hilary’s winning pitch as my model, I delivered my third and final pitch towards the end of the day:

Weird cousins. A-selkie-in-disguise stalked by a sea-witch. Can Josh
navigate this to save his mum? And what might it cost him? #MG #PitMad

Sadly, by close of play, I’d received no likes. But what had I learned from my #PitMad experience?

I’ll have a better idea of how to approach this if I do it again. Working hard on your pitches in advance, and even workshopping them with other writers, could well pay dividends.

I’ll also go back and trawl through the agents who liked middle grade pitches, to understand better what they’re looking for. Even if #PitMad isn’t for me, this industry intelligence could be useful down the line.

I think I learned that #PitMad is probably best for punchy commercial fiction with a clear, action-packed premise. I’d certainly been plagued all day by the feeling that maybe my book didn’t fit well into a 140 character pitch.

But then again, maybe there’s something to be said for being able to describe your premise clearly and succinctly. If you can’t explain the relationship between the initiating event and the central conflict in one sentence, maybe it’s not just the pitch that’s flawed.

I’ll certainly be taking another look at my manuscript, the plotting and structure in particular, to make sure it’s as coherent as possible. Then, just maybe, I’ll have another go.

If you want to learn more you can read this interview with two participants and the creator of #pitmad to learn .

Bio:
Rebecca Ann Smith writes novels for adults, teenagers and children. Her first published novel, Baby X will be published by Mother’s Milk Books in 2016. She’s interested in creativity, feminism and social justice, and blogs about swimming, parenting, writing and other random bits and pieces at www.rebeccaannsmith.co.uk She lives in West Sussex with her husband and two young sons and works part time as a copy-writer and project manager.

If Twitter is a writer’s playground, then “pitch parties” are that spinning-platform-of-death thingy that makes you giddy, terrified, and nauseous. Of all the pitch parties out there, #PitMad may be the most reputable. But what is it? To find out, I connected with three generous writers to get the scoop on the good, bad, and ugly of this quarterly pitch contest.

Below are interviews with #PitMad contestants: Jessica Blockzynski and Rebekah Kritsch, as well as the creator of #PitMad, author Brenda Drake.

INTERVIEW #1: JESSICA BLOCKZYNSKI

Writes: Young Adult Science Fiction
Contests: 4
Requests: 12-15

Erica Secor (ES): How is #PitMad different from other Twitter pitch parties?

Jessica Blockzynski (JB): I would say that it’s probably the most reliable one. Brenda [Drake] runs tight contests. She knows what she’s doing. She has a huge community behind her. The people who are going to be requesting on Brenda’s contests are going to be just a bit more on the level. And it’s more organized.

ES: Have you ever entered a pitch contest before you were ready?

JB: I have. It’s a tempting thing to say, “I’m ready enough” when you’ve only written your first book. It’s hard to know if you’re actually done. The first [contest] I entered, I knew [my manuscript] wasn’t done but I got all caught up in the adrenaline.

ES: Why pitch if you know your manuscript isn’t done?

JB: Because it’s exciting. It’s validating. It’s gratifying to have somebody say “Oh that looks so interesting!” even if it’s not going to come to anything. Every time I’ve pitched without being ready, I have gotten requests. But there is nothing crappier than realizing you have material that’s not ready. Having to tell an agent “Actually, I’m not really done yet” makes you look like a jerk.

ES: How did you know that you were done with your manuscript?

JB: You don’t. There’s always more work to do. You can get it to really beautiful polished form and there can still be issues.

ES: What was the best part of your #PitMad experience?

JB: Finding so much community. I’ve made a lot of friends. And it’s really, really fun to get requests. It’s good for the self-esteem. It’s good for the ego.

ES: What is your best #PitMad pitch?

JB: A geek girl sleuths out why her sister’s cancer cure has set vengeful scientists on their trail MY SISTER’S KEEPER meets CINDER.

ES: What was the worst part of your #PitMad experience?

JB: Oh, that sinking feeling in your stomach when you realize “Oh, this book is really not ready for this. This book is horrible.”

ES: What would make #PitMad better?

JB: Some more guidelines for having an idea of what a polished manuscript looks like.

ES: That would make life better.

JB: Ha!

ES: What advice do you have for someone who is considering entering #PitMad if they truly believe the have a finished manuscript?

JB: Keep a positive attitude. Go in not expecting any requests. If they happen, awesome. If they don’t, well, whatever. Because even if agents request, they may take a very, very long time to get back to you.

ES: What advice do you have for someone [cough] me [cough] who is considering entering #PitMad before a manuscript is really ready?

JB: Don’t do it! You’re shooting yourself in one of your lower extremities.

ES: How so?

JB: #PitMad is a shortcut to querying. If your manuscript goes in front of people, and they see it and say, “This person does not know what they’re doing,” you may not be able to query them again. It feels really crappy when you realized you jumped the gun.

ES: What do you want to say about #PitMad that I have not asked yet?

JB: There’s often an expectation that if you don’t get any favorites during the 12 hours of the event, that you are not going to get any. But I’ve gotten so many late-coming requests the next morning, the next day, the next week. Don’t count yourself out just because you didn’t get any requests right away.

Find Jessica on Twitter at @jablockzynski.

INTERVIEW #2: REBEKAH KRITSCH

Writes: Middle Grade Science Fiction
Contests: 2
Requests: 0

ES: In your own words, what is #PitMad?

Rebekah Kritsch (RK): A pitch extravaganza. It’s your elevator pitch. If someone asked you, “What’s your book about?” what would you say in one sentence?

ES: What is your best #PitMad pitch?

RK: Oh, gosh. I feel like they’re all crap. Probably: DR WHO meets Hansel & Gretel #MG. Siblings risk identities & memories to save mom from bodysnatchers before she vanishes into the future.

ES: How is #PitMad different from other Twitter pitch parties?

RK: Brenda [Drake] is more visible and connected to agents than other hosts, which means a better turn out of publishing professionals.

ES: What were your expectations when entering #PitMad?

RK: Of course I hope for requests, but I’m also logical enough to realize the facts: the number of entries is insane!

ES: How did you know your manuscript was ready for #PitMad?

RK: If I wouldn’t want an agent to read it that day, then I don’t pitch.

ES: What makes your manuscript ready that day?

RK: If it’s not working on a query level at all, then I’m not going to put myself out there. [I] have one chance with each agent and I really do not want to throw it away. I’ve done that. I’ve sent queries before they were ready. And nothing happened. And then a few months later I do read-throughs or revisions and I’m like, “Oh, my gosh! Why did I send that? I can never send them a query on this project again!”

ES: What was the best part of your #PitMad experience?

RK: I met a great critique partner and beta readers through connected hash tags.

ES: What was the worst part of your #PitMad experience?

RK: Feeling like an idiot for even attempting. It feels a lot like shouting at a concert, hoping the hottie singer on stage will see you, then pull you up on stage and BOOM writing-love at first sight. You just feel like you’re shouting, trying to get someone’s attention and they’re far away and they can’t see you and they’re never going to see you and that’s what #PitMad feels like. It feels like you’re shouting your pitch like “LOVE ME! HERE IS MY SIGN IN GLITTER!”

ES: Oh my gosh.

RK: That’s what it feels like. There are so many people. Brenda [Drake] is really trying to streamline it, which I think is great, but I see the same people pitching the same thing every ten minutes…I’ve only done #PitMad twice. I don’t think I will again.

ES: What advice do you have for someone who is considering entering #PitMad?

RK: Be ready with a solid query and manuscript. If you don’t get requests, send your queries anyway. I had zero hits on pitch contests but have had several full requests from querying.

ES: What do you want to tell me about your #PitMad experience?

RK: #PitMad is fun, but don’t let it be a make-or-break moment for your writing.

Find Rebekah on Twitter at @rebekah_kritsch.

INTERVIEW #3: BRENDA DRAKE

Author of: TOUCHING FATE (10/2015) and THIEF OF LIES: A LIBRARY JUMPERS NOVEL (releasing 1/2016)
Creator of: #PitMad

ES: What was your original vision for #PitMad?
Brenda Drake (BD): I decided to do one on Twitter as a consolation prize for writers who hadn’t made it into my Pitch Madness contest. I invited agents and the first #PitMad Twitter pitch party went live on September 13, 2012.

ES: How has #PitMad evolved since its inception?
BD: We’ve added rules in an attempt to slow down the feed.

ES: If #PitMad was a superhero, what would be her Kryptonite?
BD: That since anyone can request on the feed, it’s important for participating writers to research everyone who makes a request. Make sure they are good agents/publishers and have made deals before or have a good agency behind them.

ES: What would make #PitMad better?
BD: Slow motion? Ha! It’s on Twitter, so we have our limits. We can ask for everyone to play nice and follow the rules but it’s not enforceable. But for the most part, and for how crazy the feed is, the majority acts professional and follows the rules.

ES: What else do you want to tell me about #PitMad?
BD: Writers should try everything to get their work out there. Querying, entering contests, going to conferences, and participating in Twitter pitch parties are all great ways to seek representation. Just give them all a try. You never know what will lead you to your perfect agent or publisher match.

Find Brenda on Twitter @brendadrake. Learn #PitMad here!

Bio: Erica Secor lives near some trees with her husband and two human-like dogs. When she’s not reading college English papers, she writes (and was a) middle grade horror.

You have reached the turning point. Now the bulk of your work will go into getting your novel published. The first step towards being published is writing a query letter to a literary agent.

A query letter (sometimes referred to as a cover letter) is a single page cover letter introducing your book to an editor or a publisher that accepts unsolicited submissions. A literary agent is someone who will act on your behalf, dealing with publishers and promoting the authors work.

How to Write a Query Letter that an Agent will Read

When you write a query letter, always remember that it is similar to  a cover letter on a job application. Be professional. Write in a formal style, even if that style is at odds with your novel. Make sure you edit it repeatedly for errors. Make sure it is typed and the font is easy to read. A standard font like Times New Romans works best.

Keep it short and sweet, don’t use language that is too flowery. The query letter should consist of three main paragraphs. The hook, the mini synopsis, and the authors bio.

Creating a Hook that Will Get You an Agent

The hook is a one sentance description of the book. It should be intelligent, intriguing, and concise.

Your hook should not be a rhetorical question.

An agent I knew handed me a small pile of query letters from authors that she rejected. Most of the letters she had not even bothered finishing to read. She asked me what they all had in common. By the third letter it was clear that they all started with rhetorical questions.

In one query letter every paragraph was composed entirely of rhetorical  questions.

It is best to focus on your hook, be it your main character, the location, or something else entirely. That is the best way to keep the sentence concise and maintain the agent’s interest.

Also make sure that the premise of your book sounds unique.  Agents are unlikely to follow up with an author whose book appears to be generic.

In the first paragraph you should also make the genre and the length of your manuscript clear.

Writing a Mini Synopsis that will Appeal to Agents and Publishers

The mini synopsis is the second paragraph.  It is difficult to describe a novel in a paragraph. The key is to just focus on giving the agent an impression of what your novel is like, without getting bogged down by all the details.

Reading the back flaps of books  may really help  you figure out they best way to convey the basics of your book to your prospective literary agent.

Writing an Appealing Author’s Biography

The author’s bio is not a necessary part of the query letter. If you have not been published  before, or do not hold a degree in creative writing, it is probably best not to include an authors bio at all, unless your profession influences the subject of your books. For example, the author Kathy Reichs,  is a forensic scientist who writes novels about a forensic scientist who writes novels.

Conclusion

In the conclusion to your letter you should do two things.

The first is to thank the agent for their time and consideration.  The second is to inform the agent that the full novel is available upon request.

Do not include the entire manuscript with the letter, instead most agents request the first three chapters of your manuscript. When submitting non-fiction you should include an outline, table of contents, and a few chapters for their consideration.

Once you have written your query letter, edit it repeatedly. Keep refining it, even after you have started to submit it to agents.  Good luck with the submission process.