Gain Perspective on Promotion at EPICon 2014 *Writing Conference* @EPICorg

EPIC, the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition™ (www.epicorg.com) was established in 1998 and is a global organization of published authors and industry-related professionals who actively advocate continuing education and further enlightenment of electronic publications.

EPIC’s annual conference, EPICon™, invites industry professionals to share the latest eIndustry information, hone writing and editing skills, and explore new markets and promotional ideas. Keynote luncheon speakers range from world-renowned authors to established publishing houses to eBook and print agents. For more information, please visit http://www.epicorg.com.

Now, why should you attend EPICon 2014? 

For the fabulous workshops?

For the entertainment factor?

For the exciting networking opportunities?

For the delightful Texas charm in San Antonio?

Yes! Yes! Yes! & Yes!

All of this while networking with industry professionals, seeing old friends and making new ones at the eFiesta and Gala eBook Awards Banquet. Delight your senses on a San Antonio River Cruise and gear up for a Ghost tour of the historic--and haunted--Menger Hotel

Register today at EPIC.org!

MEET PRESENTER Jo-Ann Power

Jo-Ann Power knows the publishing industry. In 33 years, she has been published with newspapers,

magazines, 3 traditional publishers, 6 digital and small presses under her own name AND a pseudonym—and now self-publishes some of her work in digital and print. That equals 62 novels under her own name and a pseudonym. Sharing her knowledge of the industry, she ran her own Public Relations corporation for more than 20 years, with an expertise in book and author promotion. She is no stranger to the ups and downs and sideways flow of the biz!

Jo-Ann's workshop will show how PR and PROMO has dramatically changed in the past few years. She'll teach how to assess what you need, why and how to create a PR Plan that works for you!

Attendees will get PERSPECTIVE. Vital to any PR or PROMOTIONAL plan, perspective is one aspect any harried author needs…yesterday. Best of all, Jo-Ann will offer concepts on how to tailor a PR/PROMO plan to an author's personal writing habits, needs and budget.

CONNECT with Jo-Ann on her blog: http://theyalsofought.blogspot.com.

MFRW Monthly Quote January 2014 #MFRWorg

As part of our new series of staff posts, in addition to my Facebook group moderation posts on the 5th of each month, I will also be posting an inspirational quote on each 18th. I’m delighted by this opportunity to share the multitude of quotes I find insightful, profound, inspiring, uplifting, or simply extraordinary in some way. While not all of them will (appear to) directly relate to writing, I personally feel that anything that enhances our sense of groundedness, gratitude, and awareness in life intrinsically supports our creative endeavors. :)

I won’t usually spend so much time introducing—most of these posts will simply be the quote itself—but I did want to offer a bit of background about what I’ll be posting here on the 18th of each month. Without further ado, here is this month's (inaugural!) inspirational quote:

“The role of art (poetry, novels, music, films) is, in part, to question the limits we place on ourselves; the role of art is to offer a glimpse of a different reality. It stands there beckoning to us—there is greater potential in you and in life than you can see, than you are trying to see.”
-Rod MacIver

Enjoy, be well, and see you next month!

Emerald
Emerald is an erotic fiction author whose short stories have been featured in anthologies published by Cleis Press, Mischief, and Logical-Lust, as well as on numerous erotic websites. She serves as an assistant newsletter editor and Facebook group moderator for Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW). Find out more about her at her website, The Green Light District.

Goodreads: Participate, Navigate & Generate

PARTICIPATE. NAVIGATE. GENERATE.
Authors have different takes on Goodreads. Some dislike it, don't understand it and just aren't willing to use it. Some have discovered its hidden secrets and use it as another source of social networking.

I admit that it took me awhile to navigate the site, find all the different ways to use it and make it a useful tool. But, now that I have, it's become part of my media toolkit. I don't spend a lot of time there but I do visit it a few times weekly.

Even before I was an author, I used Goodreads as a reader. I interacted with some authors I enjoyed reading, especially when I wanted to know more about when another book was being released in their series. I also used it to track books I wanted to read and those I'd read. Putting a rating on Goodreads whenever I read a book was second-nature as I kept my growing "Read" shelf up-to-date. I don't think I was alone in this. Many voracious readers gravitate towards Goodreads. So, shouldn't authors too?

Here are the top 12 ways to utilize goodreads as an author.

1. Participate in the site as a reader, not just as an author.
Authors are readers too. List the books you’ve read and want to read. Write short reviews on your favorite books. Be genuine. Notice I said "favorite books". I urge you to think carefully about whether you’ll post reviews that aren’t positive. I make it a policy to only post the books I've read and enjoyed. It's a way to promote those authors while sharing books with others that I liked - a great way to make connections.

2. Friend lots of readers.
Become friends with as many others as possible in the genres of your interest. But don't use them to spam - there's a book recommendation feature on Goodreads that I recommend you NOT use for your own books. Make friends to see what others are reading and share interests. Reading their reviews and posts will give you information on current readers' interests.

3. Join Groups and be active.
Join groups in the categories you read/ write. The groups are similar to Yahoo groups or Google+ hangouts. There is ongoing discussion between members - often a lot of interaction, particularly in the larger groups. There are hundreds of groups on Goodreads, for all different interests. Don't just join author groups - be sure to join groups with readers. Then remember #1 - participate as a reader, not just as an author!

4. Connect Goodreads to facebook.
You can connect to facebook and find your facebook friends who also use Goodreads. You can also allow Goodreads to post your activity to your facebook profile. It's another nice connection to show what books you enjoy as a reader to those who follow you on facebook.

5. List all your books on Goodreads.
They might already be there but they might not. There are a variety of ways books get put on Goodreads - there's even a group of people "the Librarians" who have extra permissions to edit, etc. Excited readers may add a book by ISBN if they can't find it but to be sure that your books are listed as you want, be sure to list them yourself. Include all pertinent information. The more information you include, the easier it is for a reader.

6. Join the Goodreads Author Program.
Through the Author Program, you can create an author profile and then utilize all the other promotional tools they offer. You can host/ advertise events (launch parties, blog tours, book signings, etc) from your profile as well as be able to upload book trailers, excerpts, and create polls or quizzes for your readers.

* Since the site is for readers, here's a place they are likely to look for you. Having a presence here is important. It’s the perfect place to connect with readers who enjoy the genre of books you write. *

7. Link your blog to Goodreads.
You can host a blog directly on Goodreads, or for those who already have a blog, you can connect it to Goodreads so that your posts show up on your profile (see #6). It sometimes takes a day for them to go live but having that connection will draw more interaction to your blog.

8. Create a Goodreads widget for your website or blog.
Goodreads makes it easy to embed a variety of widgets on your site to attract readers to your Goodreads profile. You will be able to choose to promote a shelf (for instance, your "want to read" shelf) or your profile. The directions are simple to follow and its just a matter of cut and paste.

9. Check your Goodreads inbox.
Sometimes readers will try to connect with you through Goodreads because they give you an inbox. I make it a habit to check it weekly so I don't miss an opportunity to "talk" with a reader.

10. Do giveaways.
This is only available if you have print books. Goodreads “First Reads” giveaway program is widely used and is a effective way of getting your book exposure on Goodreads. Once you set the criteria, Goodreads runs the giveaway and you are only required to supply the book once a winner is selected. Having a giveaway will increase those who place your book on their "want to read" shelves and will also lead to more reviews. This is great because the more reviews a book has, the more visibility it gets.

11. Advertise on Goodreads.
I’ve heard positive stories about the outcome of the Goodreads advertising program though it is a big investment. Advertising starts around $500 a month. Authors who've used it do say that it delivered on sales. NOTE: Since I haven't done it personally though, I can't speak from experience. I mention only as a suggestion to look into.

12. Check the Stats.
I love statistics because it gives real data on success. Goodreads gives us this tool. Since our goal is to get our books in reader's hands (aka, on their shelves), we need to know if what we're doing works. As an author member, Goodreads gives updated stats on how many people have added your books to their shelves, how many have reviewed them, your average ratings, etc. Track that data to determine how well your promotional activities on Goodreads are doing. Then make adjustments.

The key to using Goodreads as an author is to learn to navigate the site, participate in a social format and use those interactions to generate sales.

Are you on Goodreads?

Why? Why Not? Share Your Experience.

Paloma
Paloma Beck is a Romance Author living a life of contradiction... she's a happily married carpooling mom writing erotic romance. It's almost naughty! Paloma writes full-time and has three series in the works with others on the fringes. Her books span both the contemporary and paranormal romance genres. 

CONNECT WITH PALOMA ON GOODREADS.

Newbie World: Do I Really Need Social Media?

(This is the first in a series of advice for newbie authors. Caveat: I, myself, am a newbie, but having been through many of these issues and questions myself, I hope I can offer some insight!)

                We’ll be talking about some of the best advice on each social media platform, as well as some general “rules”, should you choose to engage.  Most first-time writers are struggling with not only the pressures of finishing their novel and finding a publisher, but also being told by everyone around them that they “must” have a social media platform. And, should one be lucky enough to find a publisher, then the publisher will most certainly require (at the very least): a website, Twitter handle, and Facebook page. This is a lot of pressure for many of us, especially as writers tend to be observers of life, and not necessarily wanting to be the full-time salesperson of our books.  

Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to be. In fact, you shouldn’t be asking your new readers, fans, and friends to “buy your book”. Harlequin asks its authors to limit any sort of buy links to a 1:9 ratio; one “ask” per every nine content-laden posts or tweets. In my personal opinion, it should be even lower. For example, Diana Gabaldon tweets about what is going on in her life and engaging with her fans, and has a very devoted online following (who then does go out and buy her books!). 

People want to connect with their authors as people, not as an author in an ivory tower. So decide what you are comfortable sharing – kids, what you ate, your dog’s antics? Also, start slowly on each of these media. No need to be on all at once, or even all of them, period. It is better to be very engaged on one than spread thin on many. 

Additionally, start to think of your brand or platform. Your story is your platform; the reader wants to engage on the current story AND the next one. Social media is just the tool through which we tell it. (some great advice: http://thewritepractice.com/fiction-platform/ )

Of course, the writing of your best possible book is still where you need to focus your energies. A good rule of thumb is to spend anywhere between 10-30% of your writing time on marketing (including social marketing) tools.  With all of that said, let’s get down to brass tacks!

Disagree? Have more tips? Leave a comment!

Also, if you’re a fellow newbie, ping me and let me know what else you’d like to know about, either via comments or Twitter. Looking for more blog ideas for next month! 

Erin writes paranormal romances as Erin Moore and has only just begun to learn all about marketing them! She loves Twitter for its brevity, and tries to find her way through all of the other social media on a daily basis. She manages two monsters and one unruly husband in Atlanta, main-lining chocolate and tea. Look her up on www.AuthorErinMoore or, of course, on Twitter: AuthorErinMoore.

There is a Point Behind Point of View #MFRWorg

We hear a lot about Point of View (POV) and how some well known authors seem to be able to ignore the rules with impunity. Since we are not those authors (yet) it’s a good idea to understand POV in all its glory.

From what I’m seeing in contest entries as well as writing sent to me for evaluation, POV isn’t clear to everyone. As I explained to a new author, when we’re in deep POV, all the character should “see” is what they would actually see with their eyes. We don’t “see” our emerald green eyes with a gleam of humor. Nor do we “see” our lustrous black waves pulled into a stylish up-do. After a few paragraphs of that I find myself waiting for the artificial “Don’t hate me because I’m so beautiful.”  In addition to a poor use of POV this also shows a character I find unsympathetic. Right along with the heroines who deplore their awful long blond wavy hair, overly large breasts along with tiny waists and legs just tooo long. At that point it takes a lot for me to keep reading.

We do see this kind of description in many books, as a short cut for authors to gain the reader’s attention. Far better to let the reader learn what the character looks like through the reactions of interaction with other people. “Inevitably, his eyes strayed to my right cheek, then he looked away, no doubt appalled by what he had seen.” What? What did he see? Tell me more! And you have another reader hooked, at least for now.

As far as ‘head hopping’ also known as ‘flying POV’ or in too many of my first books ‘feeling like you’re watching a tennis match,’ it can be a problem even for experienced writers, especially in first draft. Most of the time it’s caught during edits but every now and then it slips through and we find a published book with the heroine experiencing the hero’s excited libido. Does it matter? In my opinion, yes, especially if your goal is drawing in your readers with deep POV. It’s difficult to relate to thoughts and emotions when they keep hopping from character to character.

When the heroine tells the hero to get something from the refrigerator, she’s not going to be seeing the empty shelves or take out containers unless she’s standing right behind him. She can react to his muttered comment with a personal vision or memory of what he’s looking at, and remind herself next time she needs to go through those containers BEFORE they turn into science experiments. This gives you an opportunity to build more character depth: how is he going to react, how is she going to respond.

Deep POV, keeping your character limited to what they can personally see or feel, is much harder to write but Easy Reading, stories that draw a reader in, comes from Hard Writing, spending a bit more time on those pesky craft details so your great story shines through.

POST WRITTEN BY: Mona Karel
Mona Karel is the writing alter ego of Monica Stoner, who wrote Beatles fan fiction and terribly

earnest (read just not very good) Gothics in her teen years. She set aside writing while working with horses and dogs all over the US, until she discovered used book stores and Silhouette Romances.  Shortly after that she also discovered jobs that paid her for more than her ability to do a good scissors finish on a terrier, and moved into the “real” working world.  Right around then she wrote her first full length book.  It only took her twenty seven years to be published.  She writes looking out the window at the high plains of New Mexico, with her Saluki dogs sprawled at her feet. Distraction much? ?  Sometimes these silly dogs take over her life, but there is always room for one more set of characters in one more book.

Moderating the MFRW #Facebook Group - Screening Requests #MFRWorg

Back in May, shortly after I had joined the MFRW staff as one of the assistant newsletter editors, founder Kayelle Allen put out a request among the staff for someone to moderate the MFRW Facebook group. Of course it immediately occurred to me that since I seem to spend excessive amounts of time on Facebook anyway, I could fill that position, both to justify some of said Facebook time and also because, well, I’m already there.

FACEBOOK FACTOIDS

As part of our new series of blog posts from the MFRW staff, I’ll be posting about the ins and outs of moderating the MFRW Facebook group on the fifth of each month. In my first few posts, I’m planning to talk a bit about the behind-the-scenes responsibilities and practicalities involved in being a moderator. After I’ve covered that, I’ll chat a little each month on the group’s stats and/or notable goings-on during the month in question.

NOTE: You can use these posts to moderate a facebook group of your very own!

One of the main responsibilities I have as a moderator is screening requests to join. MFRW is a working group geared toward helping authors and others in the literary community learn more about promotion and marketing. While the Facebook group notably allows promotion, the main MFRW channel, its Yahoo Group, does not; members of MFRW, as I interpret it, are considered to be peers in learning rather than a main audience to which to actually market.

Given this orientation of MFRW, we want members of the Facebook group to have some connection to the writing/publishing/literary community. My job is to check the profile of each person who requests to join to see if there is evidence of such a connection. Something as simple as listing “Author” in the employment section suffices; we’re not screening for a particular number of publications or level of proficiency or any such criteria. (I will admit I love it when this evidence is there, as it makes my job considerably easier and more efficient…all I have to do then is approve the request. ;) )

When I check a profile, I first look at the employment section to see if something relevant (such as “Author” or “Writer”) is listed there. If not, I next move on to the “About” section and look for a website I could visit to find evidence of a literary connection. If that’s not there, I look at the profile pictures to see if they happen to be book covers with the requestor’s name on the cover.

As soon as I encounter evidence of a sufficient connection, I check the number of groups the person is in. If it is fewer than several hundred, I approve the request. I do this because membership in hundreds or even thousands of groups is considered to be a warning sign that a profile may be a spam account, simply seeking to join groups indiscriminately to post bogus or questionable links in as many places as possible. (This is also why I don’t use the other groups a requestor is in as evidence of a literary community connection; if a group doesn’t moderate join requests, there’s no reason any member of such groups couldn’t be a spam account.)

For a number of understandable reasons (such as having a pen name), some people do not display indications of their writing on their Facebook profiles. Many authors have also noticed that Facebook does not allow one to join a group via a “page,” including an author page (which I personally find perplexing, but obviously I’m not in charge at Facebook). And of course, some people have their profiles set to mostly private viewing in general, which I also find understandable. Thus, if none of the aforementioned indications is on a profile (and the requestor is not in hundreds or thousands of groups), I move to the next step of the process: sending the prospective member a message, which I’ll talk more about next month. :)

Thanks for following along, and happy new year to all!
Em
Emerald is an erotic fiction author whose work has been featured in anthologies published by Cleis Press, Mischief, and Logical-Lust. She serves as an assistant newsletter editor and Facebook group moderator for Marketing for Romance Writers (MFRW) and . Find out more at her website The Green Light District.

Understanding YouTube Upload Options for Authors #MFRWorg

MFRW Author Blog 

This is the first in a series of posts by Marketing for Romance Writer staff members. The staff consists of volunteers who give their time to help others learn how to market their books.

Authors who want to upload a video to YouTube often face a confusing array of choices. Here are the basics you need to know for each section. Choosing the options listed below may net you better results than using the default settings.

YouTube Basic Settings Section

Title

Name your video something catchy (a default like "wmv46" is not very attractive). The name of your book is fine.

Description

Use your book's blurb here. We suggest you also add any licensing info (such as your music) and a link to your author site.

Tags (for Book Trailers)

Do not use commas. Separate with simple blank spaces. For tags that consist of more than one word, use quotation marks. Below are tags recommended for book trailers. Use these exact words, substituting "Author Name" for your name (in quotes), your publisher name, your title, and your genres. Try to pick one word genres. It is better to have paranormal and romance than to have "paranormal romance" -- because it will gain you a wider readership.

• Author
• Novel
• Reading
• "Author Name"
• Publisher
• Title
• Genre1
• Genre2

Category

Entertainment

Privacy

Public (anyone can search for and view - recommended)

License and rights ownership

Standard YouTube License

A sample YouTube video

YouTube Advanced Settings Section

Comments and responses (select the following)

• Allow comments: Approved
• Users can vote on comments
• Users can view ratings for this video
• Allow video responses: Approved

Syndication

Everywhere

Caption Certification

Choose: This content has never aired on television in the U.S.

Distribution Options

Allow Embedding

Video location

Leave blank unless you want your address listed online

Recording date

Today or the day you finished the video

3D Video

no preference is fine

YouTube Monetization Section

This section may not be visible to you unless you have monetized your channel. If you have, follow your guidelines.

Embedding Options (suggested)

Choose: This video may be shared in a G+ Hangout. On the YouTube channel, after selecting the video, click Share, and look for the orange G+ Hangout button.

Don't forget to select the Share link and add it to other information you keep about your book.

Kayelle Allen

To share just the video, press play, and click the share button. Uncheck the "share with playlist" option and copy the video link provided. That will be your url for sharing your video.

That's all there is to it. Once you have uploaded your video, share it everywhere. Put it in your newsletter, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and any other social media. Add it to your blog and webpage. You'll find many uses for it. Good luck!
===
Post by Kayelle Allen, found of MFRW, owner of The Author's Secret, an author support company.

Pitch To - AMBER QUILL PRESS, LLC - MFRW's 29th Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-NINTH SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: AMBER QUILL PRESS, LLC.

For this event, AQP will take sub pitches in all genres for all our imprints. We are rarely open to subs....occasionally have a call in our Amber Allure line....so this is a chance for those who're interested in pitching to us for AQP and Amber Heat as well, since they haven't been open for literally years!

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch To - ASTRAEA PRESS - MFRW's 28th Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-EIGHTH SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: ASTRAEA PRESS

Astraea was formed in 2010 when Stephanie Taylor saw the need for a non-erotic e-publisher that offers wholesome reads but still maintains the quality of mainstream romance. The first titles for Astraea were launched in February 2011 and they now house some of the biggest names in the e-publishing industry.

With over six years experience and an avid reader, owner Stephanie looks forward to working with her authors, having fun, and bringing you the best books available.

Astraea is a royalty paying publisher, NOT a vanity press.

What can Astraea offer you as an author? Here's a few highlights:

• Working one on one with our cover artist to develop a cover you can be proud to display
• 50% royalties on AstraeaPress.com site sales
• Individual, customized marketing plan for each author to help your sales that combine with our own marketing efforts for your book
• Direct communication lines between owner, editors, cover artist, and authors. No middle man here!

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch To - CHAMPAGNE BOOK GROUP - MFRW's 27th Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-SEVENTH SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: CHAMPAGNE BOOK GROUP

For this event, Champagne Book Group will accept Romance (paranormal, contemporary, fantasy, historical, science fiction, romantic suspense), Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mysteries, Suspense/Thrillers, Steampunk, Erotic (all genres except m/m and f/f)

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch To - CHANGELING PRESS - MFRW's 26th Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-SIXTH SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: CHANGELING PRESS

Are your characters wild and wicked, your plots hot enough to require a fire-hazard warning? If the answer is yes, Changeling wants YOU.

Cyborgs, vampires, werewolves, dragon shifters, cat shifters, aliens, genetically altered alien cyborg dragon shifters... Chances are, they belong at Changeling.

 We publish Paranormal, Dark Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Futuristic, BDSM, and Action/Adventure romantic love stories. All submissions must be targeted for at least one of these genres. While relationships and endings should be plot driven, we do ask for a HEA(Happy Ever After) or, in the case of serials, a HFN(Happy For Now).

Length: We accept outside submissions from 10 to 28K for single titles. Serials from unsigned authors must be submitted as a completed set. We've only got one heat level. Over-the-top hot!

Razor's Edge -- Changeling's Twisted Sister

Contemporary Single Session short stories, including Dark Desires, Cougar Seduction, Capture Fantasy, Vampires and Werewolves, and BDSM.

Genres: Adult oriented Erotic Sessions, most contemporary genres, including Het, Slash, Bi, I/R, Dark Desires, Cougar Seduction, Capture Fantasy, Vampires and Werewolves, and BDSM.

Length: Single session short stories, from 3000 to 6000 words.

We accept submissions for both lines via email only. Please include a short cover letter including your website or blog and a brief publishing history, as well as a short plot summary of no more than 250 words. Be sure to include the genres you're targeting for this book. Attach your complete manuscript as an rtf (Rich Text File) or txt (Text) file attachment.

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch to - CHOC LIT - MFRW's 25th Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-FIFTH SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: CHOC LIT

We are happy to consider any genre of romance novel: contemporary, historical, mystery, paranormal, etc. (as long as it includes the hero’s point of view).

We’re not looking for erotic fiction, although sex scenes that develop the plot are fine by us!

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch To - DECADENT PUBLISHING - MFRW's 24th Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-FOURTH SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: DECADENT PUBLISHING

We will be available for pitches for all sub-genres and heat levels of romance, mainstream fiction and YA. Our word count limit is typically about 55K and under.

We will also take pitches for any of our series', including:

Western Escape, Elatia (sci-fi romance)

Honor Guard (international action adventure)

1Night Stand

The Edge (erotic shorts)

And our African romance line--stories set in Africa or featuring African characters.

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch To - ELLORA'S CAVE PUBLISHING - MFRW's 23rd Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-THIRD SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: ELLORA'S CAVE PUBLISHING

We're interested in ALL sub-genres of erotica and erotic romance.

Stories may range in length from 7K to 120K-plus. (EC for Men is limited to 7-30K.)

A little about Ellora's Cave Editor-in-Chief: Kelli Collins

Kelli Collins had never read a romance novel before she began editing for Ellora's Cave. Eight years later, she's now editor-in-chief and her genre knowledge might just win her an amateur trivia content at her favorite pub -- as long as there are no questions about Harlequin books, which she still hasn't read. [Cue gasps!] Her likes include tattoos, tequila, the Tenth Doctor, Nathan Fillion, strong heroes and stronger heroines. Dislikes include Brussels sprouts, humidity, TSTL characters and erotic romance prejudice. She also loves long road trips along America's back roads but still admits to eagerly awaiting the invention of the hovercar.

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch To - ETOPIA PRESS - MFRW's 22nd Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-SECOND SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: ETOPIA PRESS

Submission Guidelines

Etopia Press is currently looking for the best, most unique, most well-crafted stories out there — and we know they’re out there. Traditional genre fiction, non-traditional or cross-genre fiction, general and literary fiction — there’s no limit to where a writer’s imagination can go when he or she is inspired, and there’s always a reader who wants to go along for the ride.

We’re a royalty-paying publisher. We are not a vanity press or a self-publishing service. We provide complete, professional editing and cover design by some of the best editors and artists in the business, as well as wide distribution through all major retailers, review coordination, and marketing support. We pay 40% royalties on e-books, and all books over 40,000 words in all genres are released in both e-book and print formats. Shorter works may be considered for inclusion in e-book and print anthologies.

We Now Offer an Advance on Romance and Erotic Romance!

We’re happy to announce that we now offer an advance on royalties for romance and erotic romance over 40,000 words of between $100 and $500. Offers will be made on an individual basis at the time of contract. Shorter works may be considered for an advance based on the author’s publishing history and other factors.

What We Publish

We publish only new, original, previously unpublished work (and select reprints) in electronic and print formats for all genres. The future of publishing is in emerging electronic markets and media, and we specifically want to pursue them. But we also want to make books available in trade paperback for authors and readers who just like them better that way. We’re sorry, but we cannot consider previously or currently self-published work.

We’re currently looking for great novels, novellas, and short stories in the following categories:

Traditional Genres: Fantasy, Urban fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Action, Romance, Erotic Romance, and Erotica. For romance, we’re looking for all subgenres, all lengths, and all heat levels from sweet to erotic, including LGBT, interracial, multicultural, big beautiful women, May/December (either the hero or the heroine can be the December), ménage and poly, BDSM, fetish, etc.
Non-traditional or Cross-Genres: Historical sci-fi, erotic thrillers, paranormal mysteries… you get the idea. Add to this whatever your muse tells you to write that may not fit traditional categories. Will all non-traditional ideas work? Probably not. Will we accept anything just because it’s “different?” Nope. But if you can make it work, and make us stay up too late at night reading it, you’ll probably keep other readers up late, too.

General Fiction and Literary Fiction: If you write this, you know what it is. All themes and styles will be considered, including short fiction and short fiction collections.

Young Adult: We’re looking for books in all subgenres that speak to teens and young adults about the challenges they face in today’s world, whether the story is contemporary, fantasy, historical, or something else. No preachy, dogmatic, or goodie-two-shoes stories (unless the story is about the trials and tribulations of being a goodie-two-shoes in a world full of street gangs, werewolves or Russian mafia). Female protagonists are preferred, but we’ll consider the well-written male-oriented story as well. Please keep protagonists in their later teens. We are not considering middle grade fiction at this time.

LGBT: We happily and proudly accept and encourage LGBT works in all the above traditional and non-traditional genres, including romance and erotic romance, as well as general and literary fiction, in all lengths.

Interracial, Multicultural, BBW, etc: People come in all colors, shapes, sizes, creeds, sexual orientations, cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds… the list goes on. We’d love to see more diversity in all genres and literary fiction.

What We Won’t Publish

Porn (erotica and erotic romance are not “porn”).
Rape for titillation (exploring it for literary reasons is OK. This isn’t the same as capture fantasy or dubious consent in romance. If you’re not sure what the difference is, please query us).

Erotica or erotic romance involving sex with characters under the age of 18, pedophilia, necrophilia, bestiality, incest, or “bodily functions for sport.” All characters in romance and erotic romance must be sentient beings (even if they’re shape-shifters, vampires, or aliens).

Racial or gender intolerance, hatred, bigotry, etc. (where it’s presented as a good thing or your social ideal. Stories “about” racism or other social issues, or featuring evil, well-written antagonists, are welcome and encouraged). If you’re not sure what the difference is, please query us.

For more information on the specific requirements of our various romance lines, please see our Romance Lines page.

For the kinds of books we’re most interested in at any given time, please see our Submission Calls page.

A Note on Fan Fiction

Please don’t send us stories based on your favorite TV shows, movies, books, anime, manga, video games, etc. Fan fiction can be a great way to connect with other fans and keep your favorite worlds alive, but we can’t publish it. Changing the names of characters isn’t enough to qualify the story as an “original work.”

Previously Published vs. Self-published Work

We prefer to publish new, unpublished works; however, we’re happy to consider reprint submissions of works which have been previously published by professional, royalty-paying publishers. If you’re looking for a new home for work that was previously published by another publisher, please note this in your cover letter and give us a brief description of the book’s publishing history. If we accept it, we’ll ask you to provide your reversion of rights letter from the previous publisher.
Due to the high volume of self-published submissions we received over the last year, which proved mostly unsuitable for us, we regret that we can no longer consider previously or currently self-published work.

Simultaneous Submissions

We understand that it makes no sense having your work spend years going around from one publisher to the next getting old and losing its timeliness. Simultaneous submissions are perfectly acceptable. If you accept a contract elsewhere, congratulations! After you celebrate, please remember to be courteous and jot a quick note to the other publishers considering your book and withdraw your submission.

Pitch To - FEATHERWEIGHT PRESS - MFRW's 21st Publisher SPOTLIGHT

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTY-FIRST SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: FEATHERWEIGHT PRESS

An imprint of MLR Press, LLC, owned by author and publisher, Laura Baumbach, Featherweight Publishing is a Childrens and YA press.

Children's picture books to Young Adult romances, thrillers and more, Featherweight Press is an eclectic mix of excitement, adventure and exploration.

While we publish works from experienced and talented adult authors, we also feature a less traditional line of books in our Crayon Line. In the effort to encourage aspiring writer and foster confidence in our next generation of author, we offer children's books written by children. We believe in finding that undeveloped kernel of budding talent and providing it with professional editing and guidance, mentoring our literary future.

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.

Pitch To - SILVER PUBLISHING - MFRW's 20th SPOTLIGHTED Publisher

Marketing for Romance Writers.Org is excited to announce our annual “Write-place, Write-time” Submissions event scheduled for September 8^th and 9^th, 2012.

We have an amazing panel of Publishers and Editors ready to give YOU, aspiring authors or seasoned authors, an opportunity to “pitch your dreams” to a listening audience.

BUT…that ever tricky timing can be a slippery little rascal. So, for you - MFRW is providing a platform of:

“Write-place, Write-time”

Let's say you are on an elevator when...

...the publisher/editor of your dreams steps through the door. Your heart is pumping, your hands are clammy and you know you have a limited amount of time to tell this person about the next New York Times Best Seller for which you have just assigned those coveted words "the end".

MFRW brings you that elevator moment.

OUR TWENTIETH SPOTLIGHT OF THE MANY PARTICIPATING PUBLISHERS/EDITORS: SILVER PUBLISHING

Silver Publishing is an e-Book publisher of homosexual and heterosexual romance and erotic romance novels, novellas, short fiction and anthologies.

We do not offer advances; however we do pay royalties on sales from our website and from our distributors approximately 45 days after the end of each quarter. Silver Publishing pays 50% net on royalties earned for e-book and paperback sales whether it be on Silver Publishing or from one of our distribution partners.

For a sample contract, feel free to email us at admin@spsilverpublishing.com

Services Provided

SILVER PUBLISHING WILL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING SERVICES TO AUTHORS:
• Editorial Service
• Exclusive Book Cover Art
• ISBN for your book
• Promotional Assistance for your book
• Auto removal of your book from various pirate sites

The above services are at no cost to the author.

An exclusive cover will be used for manuscripts with a word count of 15,001 or more, excepting special submissions where a generic cover is a part of the submission (for example, Summer Heat).

DISTRIBUTORS:
• All Romance Ebooks
• OmniLit
• BookStrand
• 1Romance e-Books
• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Sony
• Kobo
• Apple iPad (iBookstore)
• And many more other online distributors!

PRINT BOOKS ARE LISTED ON:
• Amazon
• Various Bookstores and Online Retailers including Barnes & Noble
• Libraries

Our Book Standards

SP accepts both homosexual and heterosexual erotic romance. Although accepted works do not need to contain graphic sex scenes, a sexual relationship between two or more characters must be integral to the storyline. We also welcome stories which are unexpected, surprising, dark, controversial, and cross-genre. We accept both stand-alone and well-developed series. We have only a few exclusions, and here they are:

ABSOLUTELY NO:
 Pedophilia. Specifically, sexual interaction between adults and under aged characters.
 Necrophilia. Specifically, sexual interaction between characters and corpses. (Undead is fine.)
 Bestiality. Specifically, sexual interaction between characters and animals (not shifters).
 Rape for titillation. That is, rape specifically written to arouse the reader.

Rape is acceptable in the following instances:
 If it is not arousing and is used by a character (the non-hero or -heroine of the story) to demonstrate malicious intent
 If it is referenced in the character’s past
 Scat
 Snuff
 Watersports

GENRES:
• CONTEMPORARY – modern day love stories with strong characters
• HISTORICAL – love stories dating back in time which remain within the same era (no time travel); Vikings, Medieval, Tudors, Elizabethan, Regency, Pirate, Colonial, Americana, etc.
• PARANORMAL – vampires, werewolves, shifters, zombies, boogie men, etc.
• WESTERNS – Cowboys, ranchers, and Native Americans.
• BDSM – bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadomasochism (must be Safe, Sane, and consensual).
• MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/ACTION – detectives/police/investigators (anyone with a badge), fast-paced thrillers, political thrillers, mystery, crime thriller, suspense, espionage, and in-the-field stories.
• SCI-FI – Science fiction, urban worlds, futuristic, time travel, and alternate reality.
• FANTASY – magic, dragons, elves, fairies, myths, etc.
• HOLIDAY STORIES – Valentine’s Day, Halloween, or Christmas

LENGTH:
• Sparkle: 5,000 – 15,000 words
• Novella: 15,001 – 25,999 words
• Novel-Lite: 26,000 – 45,999 words
• Novel: 46,000 words and up (We are currently not accepting novel manuscripts with a word count of 46k and above)

Submitting a Proposal
Unsolicited manuscripts are accepted at any time via electronic file. No hard copy, printed manuscripts accepted via snail mail.

We request that you submit your proposal with the following criteria:

A SUBMISSION WITH:
 Your legal name and pen name, if applicable
 Working Title, including Series name, if applicable
 Word count (or expected word count if not completed)
 Genre(s)
 A succinct summary providing an overall summary of the story, characters, major events, climax and conclusion. This is not a blurb, but a synopsis. Please limit your summary to a maximum of three paragraphs.

FORMATTING YOUR SUBMISSION
Please follow these simple formatting guidelines.
 Manuscripts will be accepted in the following formats: .docx, .doc, .rtf, and .txt
 1.5 line spacing.
 Standard 12 pt serif font such as Times New Roman is preferred.
 1 inch margins (left, right, top and bottom) with a 0 .5 indent for the first line of each paragraph only.
 No “tabs” or spacing to indent the first paragraph line are to be used. Manuscripts with tab and space indents will be rejected immediately.
 Page numbers on the bottom center of each page.
 Header of manuscript must contain author name and title. Example: Book Title by Author Name
 All submissions must be spell-checked and edited based on US English or UK English grammar and spelling standards. (Regional words and slang are accepted when appropriate.)

SUBMISSION NOTES & TIMELINES:
 Current submission read time is approximately 6-8 weeks.
 Upon review, editors may request more than the partial manuscript for the preliminary evaluation.
 A complete manuscript will be required before a contract is offered.
 All contracts are electronically exchanged via email.

These Submission Guidelines are subject to change without notice

CLICK HERE!! For more information and detail to submit your manuscript to this publisher click here for further instruction on this event.