Submissions

Welcome to Buzz Books! We are currently seeking compelling, entertaining stories in fiction and creative non-fiction.

Submissions are currently OPEN for the following projects and categories listed below. Please read the submission guidelines, carefully.

Please include in all queries:

• Your pitch and contact information in the body of your email.
• A subject line that clearly states the intention of your submission, as detailed in the submission guidelines.
• Your social media credentials, including your Facebook author page, Goodreads account, Twitter handle and/or blog or website URL. We want to know how social you are on the web (but it’s not a deal breaker if you’re not).
• Your submission, which varies by the project as listed below, should be included in a double-spaced attachment (either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF). A synopsis should be included in the body of your email.

Compensation will vary by author and by project and will be outlined in the offer letter. Please note that if we are interested in the writer’s work or love the voice, we will likely work with a writer until we are fully satisfied with the piece before acceptance. This may entail editing—from minor to major—and the editing process will happen both before and after acceptance. We have a minimum of two editors review the project before acceptance and may include our early readers for feedback during the revision process, once the project has been contracted.

A few more tips about our hive:

• We want originality. Characters with feeling and emotion that draw us into their story, cause us to become invested in their outcome.
• We want to keep it relatively PG. We are not seeking edgy crime dramas, scary killing sprees or X-rated sex scenes. However, we do welcome a good amount of criminal intrigue, suspense and romance.
• Have a political or religious angle? That’s fine but we are not seeking far left- or right-leaning politics or religious fiction.
• First-timers and seasoned writers are welcome to submit. The only experience you need is what you have.
• Be open to feedback. If we are going to seriously consider your work, we are going to read it and edit it and send it back to you for revisions. You may not agree with our criticism and you are free to dispute something you feel strongly about. But be aware that in the writing and editing process, there is the potential for criticism.
• If we don’t accept your submission, it could just mean that it’s not right for us. So don’t give up.

Justification of rejection is not guaranteed and please know a rejection does not mean your project may not be a great fit somewhere else.

Thanks for looking!

2012 Projects – Currently Seeking

YA Short Stories for the Mythology High Series – this new series will release one short story per month, all branded under Mythology High. Please only send ONE story at this time. If you have more, please mention it in your query letter, but only send the partial of the one you feel is strongest. The story should be set in modern times, contemporary fantasy in a high school setting. The story should be an updated version of a mythological tale but not use the precise mythological names EXCEPT in a short paragraph describing the original mythology. Please send us your source of the tale as we will research it. Think Grimm and Once Upon a Time, but without the back and forth between past and present. Should be PG-13 regarding violence, intimacy and leave the reader with a feeling of a satisfactory conclusion at the end. The TWIST on the original is what should make it original as well as being extremely well-written. Fast-paced, dialogue over too much inner dialogue, theme-heavy and the feeling of “wow, that was a great ride,” when my eyes read the last word. Humor is encouraged. Dark is fine as long as it doesn’t feel depressing. Provide a working title, but know that it will likely change to fit in with the series. Once we feel we have enough short stories, we will combine them into a print book. (Could be one year later, for example.) Would love for guys to read these, too, so consider that when writing. Mythology can be Greek, Norse, etc. just let us know in your description.

Minimum 3,000 words. Maximum 4,500 words.

Submit the query letter, one-page synopsis and a partial of at least three double-spaced pages to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put MYTHOLOGY.

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YA Prom Anthology

Much like our Sleigh Ride anthology, this project will feature several authors with a short story based on a prompt. In this case, the setting and story should be about a modern PROM, paranormal or magical realism genre. Please be original because each story must be very different, so we don’t want all ghost stories, etc. Would prefer no vampires or werewolves, but all other creatures are welcome if it works! Also PG-13. ebook and print

Minimum 2,500 words. Maximum 4,000 words.

Encourage submission by February 15th.

Submit the query letter, one-page synopsis and a partial of at least three double-spaced pages to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put PROM.

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Holiday Romance Anthology

Contemporary romance set around the holidays and/or winter. PG-13

Minimum 3,000 words. Maximum 4,000 words.

Encourage submission by January 15th. ebook certain, print TBD

Submit the query letter, one-page synopsis and a partial of at least three double-spaced pages to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put HOLIDAY.

Submission deadline: May 1, FIRM.

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Essays on  Modern Husbandry (sub-title)

This Good Read/Good Deed project will benefit a non-profit and all husbandly writers who submit must agree to donate their essay. This cultural essay collection will (hopefully) give us a wide range of views on what it means to be a a husband, told by engaging, thought-provoking, fresh voices. Newlyweds, married with kids, marriage in empty nest, widowed, gay marriage, humor, slice of life, serial husbands and so on. Note that we will likely only pick one “type/theme” for each category (and these are no way set in stone, just giving you an idea of the field.) Please no “memories only” pieces or doled out as advice only or preachy. Should be very personal. Sex okay to mention or be a topic, but not graphic or offensive.  Our hopes is that this will make a great gift for newlyweds as well as a keepsake cultural piece. Should ultimately be uplifting. Prefer no cheating hearts stories, but if it’s done really well (and you are still together as a couple and the spouse think it’s okay) perhaps we could be convinced. Overall, “husbandry is alive and well!” sort of thing. A bit of history and generational influence and reflection on your own marriage is great if weaved into the theme of the piece. Check out “best of” essays on the web to get an idea of well-written and formatted essays. We’re planning a national campaign for this one all writers should receive a lot of promotion and publicity opportunities with this one!

Encourage submission by April, 2012.

Approx. 1,500 words

Submit the query letter, one-page synopsis and a partial of at least three double-spaced pages to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put HUSBAND.

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SUMMER/BEACH READ NOVELLA

Buzz Books will be releasing the follow-up to LIFE’S A BEACH by Malena Lott with THE LAST RESORT in May, 2012. We’d love to piggyback your great summer set contemporary women’s fiction piece this summer, too. Double the promotion, double the fun! While many think of beach reads as fun and light, a heavier topic is fine, too. Like a novel, a novella has a beginning, middle and end, only lower word count. IF we get a submission we are crazy about, this project could be released as early as July. Original and well-written and FULLY EDITED, please.

20-25,000 words, ebook only

Encourage submission by April 1, 2012.

Submit the query letter, one-page synopsis and a partial of at least three double-spaced pages to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put SUMMER.

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Buzz Books Stingers – compelling essays, short stories and creative non-fiction

Short works. Big impact. These “singles” can be anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 words in length in ebook formats. Journalists, niche experts and thought leaders are encouraged to submit. For fiction, the short stories can be literary or genre; young adult and adult. No children’s books or middle readers, please. No poetry. If you are an existing author, this is a great way to promote your style and gain new readership.

Submit the query letter, one-page synopsis and a partial of at least three double-spaced pages to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put STINGER.

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Genre Series or Trilogy, Open

No, this isn’t an “everything else” category, but very specifically if you have a trilogy that has been critiqued by others, maybe even won awards at conferences or writing contests, then we want to hear about it. Have you been told (in a rejection) that the house, “just has too many XYZ stories on their plate” and it almost made the cut? We want to see your “so close” stories. We would love if book two was nearly done, and all three need to be plotted, because if we like book one, you can be sure we’re going to immediately ask to see book two.

50-85,000 but nothing much longer, please. ebook, print TBD, audiobook TBD

Submit the query letter, one-page synopsis and a partial of at least three double-spaced pages and one page on books two and three to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put GENRE.

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Small Business Book for the LITTLE BRAND series

Buzz Books is launching a new imprint, Buzz Books Biz, and we’d love to see expertise in all areas of running a small business. The series will kick off with THE LITTLE BRAND THAT COULD by brand strategist and author Malena Lott, about branding your business. Please, no branding pitches. A “little brand” is another way of saying small business. Every business has a brand. We are looking for NICHE business books that help a small business find success and persevere. You may submit a working title, but it will likely be changed to fit within the series. We are particularly interested in a “rock star” book showcasing small biz success stories, so journalistic writers may be interested in this series, as well niche experts. Must be engaging, witty voice encouraged, informational and highly marketable. If you and your idea has the “wow factor” we want to hear from you!

ebook and print (likely as guidebooks)

20-25,000 words

Submit the query letter, full proposal and the first chapter to buzzbookseditor AT gmail DOT com. IN ONE ATTACHMENT ONLY. In subject heading, put BIZ.

Good luck writing, friends! Keep on rat-a-tat-tapping. Please pass this along to your writers groups and writerly pals.