submission guidelines

submission guidelines

Thanks for taking the time to open this link and read our policy.

Please address queries to: admin@wordserveliterary.com. In the subject line, include the word QUERY.

Please Note: WordServe only accepts email submissions – no snail mail.

What to expect:

When you send a query according to the guidelines, you’ll receive an automatic response immediately, so you’ll know we received your query. If your project is something we’d like to see more of, we will be in contact within 60 days. If you do not hear from us within 60 days, please assume we won’t be able to help. (If you don’t receive an auto-reply, you may send your query again.)

If you send your query directly to Greg, Sarah, Nick, or Keely at their personal email addresses, it will still be considered but you will NOT receive an automatic response. After 60 days, you can assume your project isn’t right for us.

We try to respond to all queries, but we’ve put this system in place so you don’t have to wait indefinitely for an answer.

All queries should include the following three elements:

1. A pitch for the book.

2. Non-fiction: Information about you and your platform (very important). Fiction: Information about your publishing background, if you have one. If you don’t, no worries; often the quality of the writing will win the day. A sentence or two about you will suffice.

3. The first 5 (or so) pages of the manuscript pasted into the email.

All information must be in the email. We do NOT open attachments and we do NOT click on links. (Attachments and links are only for when we’ve requested more information from you.)

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for books that will fit in either the general market or the Christian market.

Non-fiction: History, military, biography, health, self-help, memoir, family, current affairs, money, popular culture, psychology, women’s issues, and other various topics. Acceptable word counts: 40,000 to 100,000 words depending on topic.

Fiction: Women’s, historical, suspense, legal, literary, mainstream, supernatural, romance. We will consider select titles in YA, middle grade, and children’s literature. NO fantasy or sci-fi. Acceptable word counts: 60,000 to 120,000.

We will NOT consider: Gift books, poetry, short stories, screenplays, science fiction or fantasy for any age.

HOW TO SUBMIT

• With FICTION, you must have a completed manuscript before contacting us, unless you are a multi-published novelist (this does not include independently published authors).
• With NON-FICTION, you can query when you have a completed book proposal and three sample chapters.
• The query letter is a short pitch (equivalent to one page, about three to six paragraphs).
• Important: Please also include the first five (or so) pages of your manuscript pasted in to the body of the email. Don’t include any attachments to the email – we won’t open them. Please also refrain from asking us to click on a link to find out more. If you have a link to your website in your signature line, and we are interested in your query, we might click on it.
• Please remember this is your first writing sample and it may be your only chance to WOW us… so write your query accordingly. There are numerous books, websites, and blogs on how to write great queries (including our own Excelling at the Craft of Writing).
• Response time for requested partials: Allow three months for a response before following up.
• We DO accept simultaneous submissions and we ask that you notify us if you are considering an offer of representation from another agent.

GUIDELINES & PROTOCOL

• Our policy is to read all queries that are properly addressed and follow the submission guidelines. We may delete a query without responding if the guidelines are disregarded.
• The only way to guarantee your email doesn’t get caught in our spam filter is to make sure your subject line includes the word “query.”
• Please DO NOT CALL us unless: (1) You are a client of WordServe; (2) You are already personally acquainted with one of us; or (3) You are a published author (with a royalty-paying publisher) seeking new representation.
• Always make sure your email address and phone number are clearly visible no matter what you are sending.

We look forward to hearing from you!