By Edward Nawotka
• Pubmission.com, which launched last Friday, offers writers an efficient means of submitting their unsolicited manuscripts to publishers, and publishers a way to sort through the slush.
• “Publishers are overwhelmed and don’t want more manuscripts than they can handle. That’s where we come in,” says owner Wolf Hoelscher.
FLATROCK, NC: “As somebody who went through the slush pile for 14 years, I know the gems are few and far between, but the ones that are there do stand out,” says Wolf Hoelscher, owner of Pubmission.com. The service, which launched on Friday, aims to streamline submitting blind manuscripts to publishers and make it easier for publishers to discover books that might suit their tastes. It is intended to be used by editors and agents –- “anyone with a slush pile,” says Hoelscher, as well as authors seeking publication.
While several online companies allow writers to post information about their manuscripts and proposals, Hoelscher promises to make the process more efficient. The site tailors the user experience so publishers only ever see what they want and writers are encouraged to submit to publishers who might be interested in what they have to offer.
The service is offered to publishers as a subscription, which allows them to tailor the manuscripts they see based on their preferences, or else perform targeted searches. Participating publishers are given an HTML code they can embed in their site or emails, redirecting authors to submit via Pubmission’s site. They can also opt to be emailed when manuscripts matching their parameters are updated to the site.
Initially, the beta version is being offered for free, and handful of publishers have signed on to the site, including Brighter Books, TSTC, and Wampum Books. Once launched, subscriptions will cost $300 per year.
On the author side, writers are given the opportunity to upload up to three chapters of a manuscript to the site, as well as supporting information, such as a biography and a short pitch or precis. Writers are asked to “tag” their submissions these with keywords that identify what the book is about. They then buy “credits” at $2 each which can be used to submit directly to individual publishers. New users are given 15 free credits during the beta period (this falls to six after the official launch). The site offers discounts for bundle purchases and long-term users will be rewarded with additional free credits.
Hoelscher does not plan to offer editorial services or hone manuscripts or proposals, but is in the process of recruiting editors and agents to critique manuscripts and provide star rating on a scale from one to five at the cost of additional credits to the writers.
Hoelscher began developing the site last year after being laid off from Lark Books where he was an acquiring editor. His previous experience also includes several years working on acquisitions and editorial at Charlesbridge Publishing and Carson-Dellosa publishers.
“In each of my previous jobs I was always dealing with the slush pile, trying to find manuscripts for my company to work with,” he says. “A lot of publishers have simply closed their doors to unsolicited and unagented manuscripts -– and I know why: publishers are overwhelmed and don’t want more manuscripts than they can handle. That’s where we come in.”
At the same time, it is not intended that Pubmission serve as a replacement for or to compete with agents –- it won’t take a fee for any deals struck from submissions made through the site, for example -– but merely to serve as an intermediary. If anything, Hoelscher’s experience in publishing reinforced his believe in the importance of traditional gatekeepers and publishers. “Editors and agents are really necessary in that they are curators in that they filter out the slush in much the same way as when you got to a museum. There are people who decide what goes up on the wall,” he says, adding, “Nor am I someone who thinks the publishing industry will go away. Certainly, there will be major changes in the way books are made, but we’ll have publishers who help us decide what we should spent our time and money on.”
Above all, says Hoelscher, Pubmission is about efficiency. “So many of the publishers just hate dealing with the slush pile and have acknowledged there needs to be a better way and more efficient means of managing these submissions. they need more control over what they’re getting.”
He acknowledges that as much as it frustrates editors, it frustrates writers even more. “I’m a writer too,” he points out, “and I have spent $16 to send in my manuscript to a publisher only to never hear back from them.”
If Pubmission can breathe new life into slush pile remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: it’s going to save a heck of a lot on postage, a lot of trees and a lot of editor’s backs.
“Have you ever seen how big a slush pile gets? How much paper gets wasted? How heavy those piles are?” says Hoelscher. “That’s one problem I know we can fix.”
DISCUSS: What is the worst query you’ve ever received?
By Siobhan O'Leary Berlin’s Haus der Kulturen der Welt has announced the shortlist for its [...]
By Hannah Johnson The Poole Literary Festival in the UK has partnered with the Media School [...]
By Hannah Johnson Today was a big day for product launches. Sony has updated its line of [...]
Loading ...
What’s the Worst Book Idea You’ve Ever Heard?
1 month ago
[...] Today’s story discusses the launch of the beta site Pubmission.com, which promises to streamline the process for submitting unagented manuscripts to publishers. In turn, Pubmission promises to relieve editors’ burden of dealing with the slush pile. [...]
Raven A Masterson
1 month ago
Yeah, I like this….this is a winner. Will be interesting to see it on the other side of Beta.
Jeff Rivera
1 month ago
I think it’s a GREAT idea and if agents and editors get behind it, it can be something really special.
Kyle
1 month ago
As someone who has been an editor at a large publisher for many years, I can tell you that there is no way that anyone other than maybe the smallest of publishers will seriously use this service. Editors at the big six publishers and most mid-sized publishers are already swamped with way more quality proposals, from agents, than they can possibly invest in. There is no time left over to search through this site for a needle in a stack of needles. I fear that this just takes advantage of naive authors who will believe that if they spend money on this service, they’ll somehow find the shortcut to publishing. And by the way, there are already other services almost exactly like this out there, and editors aren’t using those either.
Edward Nawotka
1 month ago
@Kyle — Yes, of course, there are already several services that offer to do something similar — which is noted above as well — Publishers Marketplace and PubMatch, among them. Still, I think it’s important to note when new services come online, why people have established new businesses, and to chronicle the ebb and flow of the publishing business. And you’re right, the utility I see for such a service is for small publisher and new agents looking to bulk up their client list. I believe it’s better for writers, editors and agents to have more options, not less.
Like the heated seats in my car, I almost never need them in the summer time heat, but once in awhile when my back hurts — they are a godsend.
Janet Reid
1 month ago
Of all the things in publishing that need to be fixed, the slush pile is about last on the list.
The biggest barrier to being published is bad writing or a weak story, not how you submit your query letter.
Ted Weinstein
1 month ago
This is a silly idea. “Inefficiency” is not a problem that any service like this can address. No reputable agency will ever pay for this, nor any significant publisher. I’m going back to work now, to read this week’s sumbissions myself.
KH
1 month ago
I disagree that this is a silly idea. Sure, it’s a new idea that involves using technology—that makes it scary for a lot of people. But from what I am reading here, it doesn’t prevent you from reading submissions. It just lets you look for ones that are relevant to what you are interested in publishing. As an established writer trying to break into a new market, I think this is a good idea—just one more way to get my work out there that doesn’t take three months while I wait for mister editor to get around to me.
Arven
1 month ago
KH – I have my doubts as to whether this service will get your work in front of anyone worth showing it to.
Wendy
1 month ago
Hmmm, hundreds of dollars a year to just weed through SOME of the slush pile, or an intern for free (or nearly-free) who will not only weed out the completely misdirected queries, but the poorly-written ones too? Surprisingly enough, the majority of queries editors and agents receive are NOT in the wrong genre – they’re just for non-publishable manuscripts.
Congratulations on yet another not-entirely-novel way to part naive authors from their cash.
KH
1 month ago
If you don’t think that small publishers are worth putting your work in front of, then so be it. I happen to like small publishers just as much as big ones. Agencies don’t bother with small publishers.
Julie Weathers
1 month ago
1. Publishers are not going to pay a fee to avail themselves of this “service.”
2. There are two ways to get your manuscript in front of publishers. Either through a reputable agency, ie a legitimate agency, not a query service. Or, submit to a publisher that accepts over the transom queries.
3. Save your money and invest in a query workshop if you’re unsure of your ability to write a compelling query letter. Go to sites such as Miss Snark, Query Shark, and Evil Editor and see what makes a good query.
4. Write a story people can’t put down.
No one, including this “service” has the magic bullet that allows you to go to the head of the line with an inferior product.
Meredith
1 month ago
The real (and unavoidable) cause of “inefficiency” is volume, pure and simple. This system doesn’t reduce volume. As Kyle points out, editors are swamped with manuscripts–those vetted by agents with whom they have relationships. It’s sales 101: you’re more likely to buy from a friend than a stranger, no matter how many relevant keywords his product is tagged with.
This is just paying to submit to the same unagented slush pile that one used to submit to for free. Though the search feature is well-conceived, most authors don’t currently “tag” their manuscripts accurately insofar as they don’t properly research what genre, etc. their manuscript fits into. The results of a search for, say, a thriller, is going to return a lot more than actual thrillers. Some people think their memoir counts.
Teddy Wojnicki
1 month ago
Hey, Wolf, maybe you mean well, but honestly, the service looks to me like yet another scheme to milk the writers, seen as suckers and nuisance.
Theresa M. Moore
1 month ago
Those of us who have waited in vain before have stopped waiting. I publish all my own books now, and with the same quality as the pros. With the volume of manuscripts being submitted there is no “efficiency” at work here, just another money making opportunity for those managing the site. I’ll pass, thank you very much.
Meredith
1 month ago
@KH I believe agencies are just as willing to work with small as with large agencies. It’s been my experience, at least.
Claudia Rinaldi
1 month ago
This service is DOA. There are way too many “writers” out there and not enough readers to support them; simply arithmetic. Former BIG bestseller authors are down to a fraction of what they used to sell and generally people on tight budgets buy one book and that is Stieg Larsson.
Teresa
1 month ago
I fail to see the value of authors spending their money on this. How much does it cost for Agents/ Publishers to belong to this? It is a myth that they don’t read the slush pile – they do it’s their job. Agents have recently posted, “why pay someone for something I can do for free?” The topic was this very issue, not this site, but there are hundreds like this.
Writers need to get over the quick shortcut thinking – The road to publishing is not quick, it is a long treacherous road that requires you to pay your dues. Bottom line. Do the work required, stop being lazy. As for the saving postage?? 90% of agents/publishers only accept e-queries. The percentage who don’t are so small, you would still save money by sending snail mail. If a company only accepts snail mail submissions -why would they spend money to sign up for a site?
Open Thread: Are Direct Submission Services a Fad or Trailblazers? | The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog
3 weeks ago
[...] is already an insightful discussion over at Publishing Perspectives. What do you think? [...]
The Proposed "Advanced Search" Submission Model | The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog
3 weeks ago
[...] an insightful discussion logged at Publishing Perspectives referencing a similar service, [...]