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Eraserhead Press Is Open To Novellas And Novels
June 30, 2020
Deadline: June 30th, 2020
Payment: 50% of net revenue
Theme: Bizarro!
WE ARE CURRENTLY OPEN TO SUBMISSIONS APRIL 1 – JUNE 30, 2020
All submissions will receive a reply on July 31, 2020.
What we are looking for:
- Eraserhead Press is seeking original novellas and novels of 20,000 to 100,000 words in length that fit into the Bizarro Fiction category.
- We want surprising, unique, well-crafted weird stories with compelling plots, eccentric characters, and never-before-seen concepts.
- We want a balance of both plot and character – we love weird characters with weird problems in weird places. We are looking for exciting concepts that make people say “I have to read that!” and well-developed characters they can fall in love with along the way.
- We’re most drawn to darkly absurd tales that are addictive to read and contain a strong emotional core. We love fiction that is both heart-rending and fun. While it may or may not be funny, we are interested in more than just a joke. If you can make us both laugh and cry or creep us out and draw us in, we will love your book.
- We are looking for entertaining and accessible stories that speak to a specific audience. Will your book appeal to vegan punks? Riot grrls? Overworked airline pilots? Cos-players? Fans of 80s New Wave? If you’ve identified the audience for your work, please tell us in your book description.
- Multiple submissions are okay – during our open submission period we are open to reading as many manuscripts as you feel would meet our criteria but we are only interested in your best work. Bring it on!
- We are interested in writers from underrepresented populations. This includes, but is not limited to, writers of any race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, class and physical or mental ability. We want to work with open-minded, creative people who are interested in connecting with diverse audiences.
- We have high standards – we have been the leading publisher of Bizarro Fiction since 1999 and have worked with everyone from brand new authors to established heavy hitters. We have gained a cult following for our high-quality boundary-pushing weird fiction and are looking for books that will top everything else we’ve ever published. The best way to understand what we are looking for is to familiarize yourself with our catalog. If you feel you’ve written something completely unique that stands apart from everything being published today, then we want to see it!
What we are not looking for:
- No simultaneous submissions – During the time that we are open for submissions we prefer that you do not simultaneously submit your manuscript elsewhere.
- We are not accepting short story collections, poetry, non-fiction or comics at this time
- No experimental formatting – while we appreciate visual poetry, epistolary novels, and playful formatting, we are currently only interested in publishing conventional formats.
- No reprints – We want to bring our readers fresh new stories that they can’t find anywhere else. If your book has previously been published by another publisher or has been self-published, we will still consider it, but your chance of the book being accepted for publication by Eraserhead Press is less likely than submissions that have not previously appeared in print.
Special Note for 2020:
Our publishing schedule is already full through mid-2021, and we are only looking to accept a small number of submissions during this open period.
How to submit
- Email your submission to [email protected].
- In the body of your email message please include an author bio and a 3-5 sentence summary to pique our interest (worded like a back cover description).
- Attached to the email include your full manuscript
- Please include a one-page synopsis of your book on the first page of your manuscript or attach as a separate document. Writing a good synopsis is important because if we are not interested in your synopsis, we may not read any further into your manuscript.
- Format your manuscript as follows:
- Word document .doc or .docx or Rich Text File .rtf (no .pdfs please).
- Times New Roman or Arial 11-12 pt font.
- Your author name, email address, book title and word count should appear on the first page of your manuscript. All subsequent pages should have your name, title, and page number in the header.
- Your manuscript should be well edited and free of grammatical errors.
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in an automatic rejection.
What we pay:
- Our standard royalty arrangement for both print and digital is 50% of net revenue.
What rights does that give you:
- Our contract covers the rights to publish your work in paperback and ebook formats, worldwide, in English. All other rights (e.g. audiobook, film, hardcover) are retained by the author.
Via: Eraserhead Press.
- About the Author
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Stuart Conover is a father, husband, published author, blogger, geek, entrepreneur, horror fanatic, and runs a few websites including Horror Tree!