We’d like to introduce ourselves, and we hope entertain you,
inform you, and maybe, just maybe, get you to be interested enough to take a
longer look.
We formed Bluewood Publishing in 2009 because we passionately
believed there was a better way to work with authors to produce quality genre
fiction within a reasonable timescale and for a reasonable return for all.
After three years our core goal hasn’t changed from that.
To this end, we’ve assembled a talented team who cover all
aspects of taking an author’s work and turning it into a gleaming jewel of a
book. The process is pretty straight-forward, but many authors find it
daunting.
The first step, once you’ve written your manuscript and
polished it to within an inch of its life, is to pluck up the nerve to submit
it to a publisher. For many authors, and would-be authors, sending off
something to a faceless corporate body is daunting to say the least. Many
authors never find the courage to take this step, and even more find they do
not have the hardened, thickened skin they need to surmount the frustration the
repeated rejection slips bring.
We try to make this step as painless for authors as we can,
but make no mistake, like most high quality publishers, we reject far more
manuscripts than we contract. If you read down our submissions guidelines, you
will find our acquisitions editors, and each of them specialise in between one
and four genres. There is also more than one acquisitions editor for each genre
– and you get to choose which one you want to send your manuscript to. Maybe
it’s the look in their eyes, or the smile on their face, but it’s your choice,
and in terms of that manuscript, you know who is going to be the first person
at Bluewood to see it, and to review it.
If they like the requested sample, then you’ll be asked for
the full manuscript. Less than a quarter of would-be books will reach this
stage, so if it does, congratulations and you deserve a pat on the back. Now
you need the most important quality of all – patience. It takes time for the
Acquisitions Editor to read the whole manuscript, and decide if it’s something
they want to pass up the chain.
If the Acquisitions Editor is satisfied that the book is
publishable, then they will pass it on to the two of us, myself (David) and
Paulette, to appraise it and make a decision as to its viability. Up to press,
the book has been reviewed purely on its quality – does it read well, does the
story flow, is the point of view correct, is the story one that grips and leads
you on, leave you wanting to read more? Now other factors come into play. Do we
feel the book is marketable, does it fit into our portfolio, is it the right
length, does it start with a bang…or does it sag in the middle? We even start looking
at the author… Is the author marketable?
There are three outcomes at this point. The one you, the
author, wants, a contract. The one you don’t want, the rejection, or the
middle, a “we’re interested but it needs
some rewrites. Please revise and resubmit.” Let me assure you, if you get
the latter, look at it in a positive light – you’ve already beaten off over 95%
of the competition to get to this point!
The real work starts from the moment we get a signed
contract back. From dealing with just one Acquisitions Editor, you now find
yourself dealing with several different people, all working to make your book a
reality. There’s the main editor for the book, who will be sending you an
edited copy of the manuscript and, where necessary, asking questions and
e-mailing you at all times of the day and night! (Remember, we are based on
opposite sides of the globe, our directors and our staff are based in the UK New Zealand US
And you thought the hard work was finished when you hit send
on the original submission e-mail? Never mind, this is the real world, and over
the next few weeks, we’ll talk in detail about how to help yourself be prepared
for the hard work, now it’s starting.
So are you interested enough?
David Bowman
Director, Bluewood Publishing Ltd
Author, Cover Artist, Editor and Webmaster.
