Publishing … and Other Forms of Insanity Newsletter: May 2024
On Writing: Why I Don’t Listen to Stephen King
Famous writers get big bucks for telling other people how to write. Their publishers figure, “Hey, the guy’s famous. People will want to hear how he got there.” That much is true; people do want to hear how Stephen King, for example, became a writer. But do famous writers really know anything about writing? Read more here>>
86 Calls for Submissions in May 2024 — Paying markets
This May there are more than seven dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays. (Also see Paying Markets for hundreds of paying markets arranged by form and genre.) Read more here>>
72 Writing Contests in May 2024 — No entry fees
This May there are six dozen free writing contests for short fiction, novels, poetry, CNF, nonfiction, and plays. Prizes this month range from $50,000 to publication. None charge entry fees. (Tip: If you want to get a jump on next month’s contests, see Free Contests.) Read more here>>
37 Marvelous Writing Conferences and Workshops in May 2024
This May there are more than three dozen writing conferences. Some conferences and workshops will be held online, but most will be held in person or use a hybrid format.
These writing events offer everything a writer might want: intensive workshops, pitch sessions with agents, to how to market yourself and your books, discussions — there is something for everyone.
For a full list of conferences held throughout the year see Writing Conferences. If you miss an application deadline, put it on your calendar for next year. Quite a few conferences offer scholarships, so apply early. Plan ahead!
AGENTS SEEKING CLIENTS
3 New Literary Agencies Seeking Nonfiction and All Genres of Fiction
New literary agencies are usually started by established agents with considerable experience in the publishing industry. They have reliable contacts in publishing houses and a roster of successes getting writers published. New agencies are looking to expand, and are eager to take on prospective clients. Read more here>>
8 New Agents Seeking Commercial and Upmarket Fiction, Kidlit, Picture Books, SF/F, Nonfiction, LGBT and BIPOC Writers and more
Here are eight new agents actively seeking clients. New agents are a boon to writers. They are actively building their lists, and will go the extra mile for their clients. All of these agents work for established agencies with good track records. They are looking for all genres. Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. Read more here>>
PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES
35 LGBTQ Publishers Accepting Manuscripts — No agent required (Plus 26 paying journals)
If you write LGBTQ fiction or nonfiction, here are 35 publishers that are eager for your work, none of which require an agent. The majority of these are small publishers, which means most do not offer advances, however all pay royalties, provide editing and covers, and distribute books without any charge to authors. Read more here>>
12 Feminist Publishers — No agent required
To compensate for the domination of the male voice in the publishing world, a number of houses have sprung up that cater exclusively to women writers. The majority are feminist, meaning they represent a female perspective. Most of these are small presses, which means they rarely offer advances. All offer royalties. None require an agent. Read more here>>
WRITING WORLD
Rejected by Publishers All Over NYC, Amanda Hocking is Now a Self-Published Millionaire
I am fascinated by self-publishing success stories. This is one of those rags-to-riches stories that is truly inspiring. Why? Because Amanda Hocking wasn’t “discovered” by an agent or a publisher. She’s still self-publishing, and selling 100,000 books a month. Read more here>>
Top 6 Online Resources for Short Story Markets
Unlike novels, which allow for a fair amount of meandering, short stories are an art form that requires fast efficient character development, a plot that moves at the speed of light, and an ending that sticks in your mind like a song you can’t get out of your head. If you can write a good short story, I envy you. Get it published!
Tracy Bloom’s Self-Published Book Rockets to the Top of Amazon’s Charts
With no UK publishing deal for her debut novel, Tracy Bloom decided to go it alone. A few weeks later, her book was sitting at the top of the Amazon Kindle chart.
In a nutshell, this is what she learned about self-publishing:
“It is hugely time-consuming. If you are going to do it properly you cannot rush it, and implementing an effective marketing plan just drains time away from the actual writing.”
What Makes You Put a Book Down?
GoodReads is famous for analyzing every aspect of reader behavior — from what makes a person read a book, to what makes a person put it down. Here are the results from one of their recent surveys.
These results should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, these readers abandoned Catch 22!! (I confess that although I finished Ulysses, I really didn’t want to. Sometimes we persist with a “classic” even when we’d rather be reading something else. It’s called guilt.) As for the top five most abandoned books, I put down every one of them.
Like this newsletter? Want to get a jump on next month’s calls for submissions, agents seeking clients, free writing contests, and publishing news? Sign up for the Publishing … and Other Forms of Insanity newsletter on my blog. It’s free! (I also have a ton of free writing resources on my blog.)
