Tag Archives: Publishing

Dear Lucky Agent Contest: Middle Grade Fiction

Contests, Critiques, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chuck Sambuchino announced Writer’s Digest is hosting the 30th “Dear Lucky Agent Contest“. The agent judge is Caitie Flum from Liza Dawson Associates.

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She is now building her own list of clients. She graduated from Hofstra University in 2009 with a B.A. in English with a concentration in publishing studies. She interned at Hachette Book Group and Writers House. Caitie is looking for commercial and upmarket fiction with great characters and superb writing, especially historical fiction, mysteries/thrillers of all kinds, romance, and book club fiction. She is open to science fiction and fantasy that crosses over to a young adult market. She is also looking for middle grade and young adult projects. In nonfiction, she is looking for narrative nonfiction, especially history that’s impossible to put down, books on pop culture, theater, current events, women’s issues, and humor. But remember, this contest is for Middle Grade fiction only.

The contest is now live and runs through the end of January 31, 2017 (PST). There will be three winners! According to the website, they all get the same prize (which is different than prior contest). Top 3 winners each get: 1) A critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work by your agent judge. 2) Their choice of any of Chuck’s two new books that came out in fall (the Guide to Literary Agents 2017 or the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market 2017).

Be sure to check out the submission guidelines and pay close attention to a few things you need to do in order to be eligible. And as always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Digital Book World 2017 + Expo

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With the boom of digital publishing, it’s no wonder conferences are covering the topic. After all, as much as I love holding a book, I download a LOT of books to my Kindle app to read and keep up with market trends. As publishing evolves, so has Digital Book World (a conference for anyone in publishing). They say they will now be known as simply DBW. And that’s not all they’ve changed for the conference January 17-19, 2017:

More Real-World Solutions | Your team needs tactical, actionable solutions to the challenges facing publishing—DBW’s speakers have them.

Fresh Content | Experience targeted programming across a host of four brand-new DBW focus areas.

More Choices | A new program means new pricing and registration options. Now you can bring your whole team—executive, editorial, production and marketing.

Some of the publishers and agents attending are:

With over two hundred publishers and agencies in attendance, there are too many to name! For a complete list of those currently registered, go here. And as for the speakers list, go here. You won’t be disappointed! So be sure to register to attend and make your reservations at the New York Hilton Midtown.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chicken House Books

While they no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts, they do offer unpublished and unagented writers of children’s fiction the chance to submit their work to the annual Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. They’re looking for original ideas, a fresh voice and a story that children will love!

First prize is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000 (approximately $12,500 US), plus representation from a top children’s literary agent.

To enter, you must have written a completed full-length novel suitable for children/young adults aged somewhere between 7 and 18 years. The full-length , manuscript should be minimum of 30,000 words and do not exceed 80,000 words in length.

The deadline to enter is December 18, 2018. Also, there is an entry fee of £15 (approximately $18.76 US). For complete guidelines and entry form, go here.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Intern at Entangled Publishing with Kate Brauning

Internship, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kate Brauning

Exciting news! Editor Kate Brauning of Entangled Publishing is seeking 2-3 additional interns. Yep, you heard that right. Not just one! She looking mostly interns with YA for Entangled Teen but also with single-title adult romance and category romance. POC, LGBTQ+/MOGAI, neuroatypical, and disabled applicants are encouraged. For those not familiar with Entangled teen, know their books are distributed by Macmillan Publishers, which means they can reach 120 countries with English versions of their books (among other things).

This is a remote, unpaid internship. Regular access to the internet will be necessary. Substantial training, mentorship, and copies of the print books from my list are provided. Applicants for the internship should have 8-10 hours per week available, though the internship is somewhat flexible. Prior experience in publishing is not required, but experience in a library or bookstore is a plus.

For guidelines on how to submit, go here.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Sparkhouse Family Children’s Picture Book Contest

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , ,

spark-house-family

Sparkhouse Family is a faith based publisher. They aim to publish creative, winsome, charming stories that help parents instill an open-hearted, transformational, life-long Christian faith in children ages 0-12.

The Sparkhouse Family Children’s Picture Book Contest is an open call for picture books that support this mission. They’ll choose one manuscript to develop into a picture book. The winning author will get a prize of $5,000 and a chance to have their book published by Sparkhouse Family.

To enter, submit a brief synopsis of your book, your author bio, your contact information, and complete manuscript. All submitted works must be finished, previously unpublished manuscripts of 1,000 words or less. The contest is open to new, upcoming, and established writers alike, but only unagented submissions are eligible.

They’ll accept submissions through November 15, 2016. The winner will be notified on December 15, 2016. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

ICONIC HOLIDAY HEN CONTEST 2016

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , ,

hen-ink

The Iconic Holiday Hen is a contest for illustrators, which is so rare! If you are an illustrator and would like to submit your Iconic Holiday Hen illustration to be used as the Hen & ink Holiday Mascot, please send submissions between November 12th and November 15th, 2016. (Go to their website for instructions.)

Per the website, the chosen Hen will spread holiday cheer throughout the publishing world (with the artist’s name intact!) and its creator will be invited to her/his very own Open Coop Iconic Hen Day (i.e., he/she will be invited to present a portfolio or a project for our consideration). What an amazing opportunity for illustrators!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

New Vision Award via Lee & Low Books

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Lee & Low Books

TU BOOKS, the middle grade and young adult imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS, award-winning publisher of children’s books, announced the fourth New Visions Award a few months ago. The award will be given for a middle grade or young adult novel by a writer of color. Established in 2012, the NEW VISIONS AWARD encourages writers of color to submit their work to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. Winning submissions include Ink and Ashes by Valynne Maetani, published in 2015 and the recipient of an honor citation from the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Award for Literature, and The Amaterasu Project by Axie Oh, due for publication in 2017.

Eligibility:

  1. The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States, 18 years of age or older at the time of entry, and who have not previously had a middle grade or young adult novel published.
  2. Writers who have published work in other venues such as children’s magazines or picture books, or adult fiction or nonfiction, are eligible. Only unagented manuscripts will be accepted.
  3. Work that has been published in its entirety in any format (including online and self publishing as well as other countries) is not eligible.
  4.  Manuscripts previously submitted for this award or to TU BOOKS will not be considered.

Submissions will be accepted through October 31, 2016. Since the window is closing, y’all better scoot on over here for complete guidelines!

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Donaghy Literary Group Seeking Agent

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donaghy-literary-group

If you’ve experience in publishing and want to transition to being an agent, this is the post for you! Donaghy Literary Group is looking for an agent. It is a commission based position and can be done from your home. I suppose this means you could work in your pajamas most days if you want. Can I get a woot-woot?

Job Requirements:

  • A College or University degree preferred but will consider equivalent experience
  • 2+ years in an agenting role or editorial experience working with a Publisher
  • Strong editing skills
  • Established relationships with editors and other publishing professionals
  • A solid understanding of market trends
  • Passionate about commercial fiction
  • Excellent communication skills
  • A high level of professionalism
  • A clear understanding of what an agent’s job entails
  • The desire to have fun and work with an awesome team

They are seeking an agent based out of NY at this time, however, will consider other locations for the right applicant. If interested, contact Stacey Donaghy by sending your resume and cover letter to info@donaghyliterary.com by October 14th  use email subject line: Agent Application.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction

The Manuscript Academy

Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

the-manuscript-academy

The creator of Manuscript Wish List, Jessica Sinsheimer, now brings her adoring fans The Manuscript Academy. How amazeballs is this? The website proclaims it had the writer’s need, comfort, and budget in mind when creating the academy. And oh, how true! A writer can watch classes, panels, and ask questions in the forums from the coziness of their home. Hooray, no traveling!

Faculty includes:

  • Laura Barbiea: Social media manager at Alloy Entertainment, a publishing arm of Warner Brothers Entertainment. Actress.
  • Regina Brooks: Founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency LLC.
  • Linda Camacho: Literary agent at Prospect Agency.
  • Jalissa Corrie: Marketing & Publicity Assistant at LEE & LOW BOOKS.
  • Melissa Edwards: Literary agent at Stonesong.
  • Julie Falatko: Author of Snappsy the Alligator (Viking 2016) and other books.
  • Erica Finkel: Works at Abrams Books from picture books to young adult novels.
  • Ali Fisher: Editor at Tor/Forge Books in the children’s and young adult division.
  • Monica Odom: Literary agent at Bradford Literary Agency.
  • Megha Parekh: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group.
  • Adriann Ranta Zurhellen: Literary agent at Foundry Literary + Media.
  • Chuck Sambuchino: Writer’s Digest Books edits the Guide to Literary Agents and managed the Guide to Literary Agents Blog. He is also an author of humor books.
  • Katharine Sands: Literary agent at Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency.
  • Amanda Shih: Assistant Editor at TarcherPerigee.
  • Jessica Sinsheimer: Associate Agent at the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency and  known for #MSWL, ManuscriptWistList.com, #PubTalkTV
  • Stephanie Stein: Associate Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books.
  • Roseanne Wells: Literary agent at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

With that kind of line-up, how can you NOT sign up for this? For the Children’s conference: PB to YA starting November 5, 2016 the cost will be $179. Some of the things the academy promises is:

  •  Priority booking of one-on-one meetings
  • Submit your first page for a chance to be read to our panel
  • Craft and business classes
  • Forums and networking
  • Live literary events
  • Everything you’d learn at a conference–without leaving home

To learn about other conferences or to learn how to register, go to The Manuscript Academy.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

The Bent Agency: Generalist Intern

Internship, Literary, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Bent Agency

The Bent Agency is looking for an intern reader for generalist fiction. You do not need to have any kind of publishing experience, but they’re looking for someone who enjoys books by authors such as:

– Erin Morgenstern
– Tana French
– Eleanor Brown
– Jacqueline Sheehan
– Jodi Picoult
– Gillian Flynn
– Lori Roy
– Laurie Notaro
– Celia Rivenbark
– Elin Hilderbrand
– Kristin Hannah
– Jeannette Walls

– Kate Atkinson

You don’t need to like everyone on the list. But basically, you should like at least two of the following genres: humor, memoir, upmarket women’s fiction and literary suspense. And more exciting, this is a remote internship! That’s right, you don’t have to live in New York.

The internship is a great way to learn more about an agent’s work and decision-making process. Past interns have been writers for children, children’s librarians, elementary school teachers, MFA students, and passionate readers. But if you want to apply, you’d better hurry. They get a ton of applicants and the window will close quickly.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.