Comments for Literary Magnet http://creativebyline.wordpress.com A blog for writers and publishers by Creative Byline Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:21:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on We love questions! by creativebyline http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-151 creativebyline Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:55:19 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-151 Thanks for your question. Let's start with the similarities. Both Creative Byline and a literary agency look to connect writers with editors. Both will give you feedback on whether your project is submission-ready; Creative Byline does that through our first readers. The differences are the process, the timeline, the services offered, and the accompanying fees. Creative Byline uses technology to let editors specify their interests; writers have direct access to that information. Because of that direct connection, we guarantee that the process will move quickly—weeks instead of months. An agent develops his/her own network of editors and publishers; we have subscribing publishers whose editors are committed to using the online submission process through Creative Byline. We anticipate that Creative Byline will have greater reach than any individual agent. Finally, most agents negotiate the contract once on offer has been made; Creative Byline doesn't. (Lawyers specializing in publishing can review your contract for a reasonable fee; you can contact one directly or through membership in the Authors Guild.) Creative Byline doesn't offer that service, but we charge only for the submission process, not a percentage of what you earn over the lifetime of your book. Reputable agents charge 15% of whatever you earn over your book's lifetime. So if you receive a $10,000 advance for your first book and later that book gets optioned for a movie for $5,000, an agent will keep $2,250 ($1,500 for the advance plus $750 for the movie option). Creative Byline charges a flat fee for each manuscript submission, $9 for children's picture books and $19 for other genres. Thanks for your question. Let’s start with the similarities. Both Creative Byline and a literary agency look to connect writers with editors. Both will give you feedback on whether your project is submission-ready; Creative Byline does that through our first readers.

The differences are the process, the timeline, the services offered, and the accompanying fees. Creative Byline uses technology to let editors specify their interests; writers have direct access to that information. Because of that direct connection, we guarantee that the process will move quickly—weeks instead of months.

An agent develops his/her own network of editors and publishers; we have subscribing publishers whose editors are committed to using the online submission process through Creative Byline. We anticipate that Creative Byline will have greater reach than any individual agent.

Finally, most agents negotiate the contract once on offer has been made; Creative Byline doesn’t. (Lawyers specializing in publishing can review your contract for a reasonable fee; you can contact one directly or through membership in the Authors Guild.) Creative Byline doesn’t offer that service, but we charge only for the submission process, not a percentage of what you earn over the lifetime of your book. Reputable agents charge 15% of whatever you earn over your book’s lifetime. So if you receive a $10,000 advance for your first book and later that book gets optioned for a movie for $5,000, an agent will keep $2,250 ($1,500 for the advance plus $750 for the movie option). Creative Byline charges a flat fee for each manuscript submission, $9 for children’s picture books and $19 for other genres.

]]> Comment on We love questions! by Tatjana http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-150 Tatjana Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:23:24 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-150 What's the difference between your service and a literary agency? What’s the difference between your service and a literary agency?

]]> Comment on Why is an outline required for novels? by creativebyline http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/why-is-an-outline-required-for-novels/#comment-133 creativebyline Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:19:47 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-133 The outline we require for a children’s novel is the same as the outline we require for an adult novel. There is a sample outline posted on creativebyline.com, but you have to be logged in to see it (registration is still free). Click on “Support”; the sample is under “What to submit.” We do include young adult as a category. When you are creating a new query package, click on “children’s fiction novels” and then, below that, click on “click here to select genres.” Not only can you select young adult, but you can also select what kind of young adult the manuscript is—action and adventure, coming of age, fantasy, historical fiction, romance, and a whole lot more. Hope this helps. If not, let us know. The outline we require for a children’s novel is the same as the outline we require for an adult novel. There is a sample outline posted on creativebyline.com, but you have to be logged in to see it (registration is still free). Click on “Support”; the sample is under “What to submit.” We do include young adult as a category. When you are creating a new query package, click on “children’s fiction novels” and then, below that, click on “click here to select genres.” Not only can you select young adult, but you can also select what kind of young adult the manuscript is—action and adventure, coming of age, fantasy, historical fiction, romance, and a whole lot more. Hope this helps. If not, let us know.

]]> Comment on Fast facts: What you told us by creativebyline http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/fast-facts-what-you-told-us/#comment-132 creativebyline Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:18:23 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/?p=76#comment-132 It sounds like you might be confusing first readers with editors. First readers are the folks paid by Creative Byline to determine whether or not a manuscript is ready to be submitted to an editor at a publishing house. You can find out about Creative Byline’s first readers here [http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/all-about-first-readers/]. Once a first reader approves your manuscript, you can submit it to an editor, none of whom are paid by Creative Byline. Editors simply use our system to access manuscripts. All the editors work at one of the publishing houses listed on our front page [http://www.creativebyline.com/]. Editors can’t sign up individually; only editors who work for the publishers who have signed contracts with Creative Byline can access the system. And we only do business with publishers who pay writers for their work, not the other way around. If we haven’t fully answered your question, please ask again! It sounds like you might be confusing first readers with editors. First readers are the folks paid by Creative Byline to determine whether or not a manuscript is ready to be submitted to an editor at a publishing house. You can find out about Creative Byline’s first readers here [http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/all-about-first-readers/]. Once a first reader approves your manuscript, you can submit it to an editor, none of whom are paid by Creative Byline. Editors simply use our system to access manuscripts. All the editors work at one of the publishing houses listed on our front page [http://www.creativebyline.com/]. Editors can’t sign up individually; only editors who work for the publishers who have signed contracts with Creative Byline can access the system. And we only do business with publishers who pay writers for their work, not the other way around. If we haven’t fully answered your question, please ask again!

]]> Comment on Fast facts: What you told us by Claire http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/fast-facts-what-you-told-us/#comment-131 Claire Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:23:43 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/?p=76#comment-131 I am wondering how you qualify editors to be a part of your system. How do we know we are dealing with a quality editor or reader. Are there organizations that rate these editors so we know if we are being reviewed by someone associated with an actual publishing house and not some vanity press or worse? I am wondering how you qualify editors to be a part of your system. How do we know we are dealing with a quality editor or reader. Are there organizations that rate these editors so we know if we are being reviewed by someone associated with an actual publishing house and not some vanity press or worse?

]]> Comment on Why is an outline required for novels? by Peg Berkhousen http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/why-is-an-outline-required-for-novels/#comment-130 Peg Berkhousen Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:04:09 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-130 I don't understand the requirement for an outline for Children's novels. Also, there is no "Young Adult" (12-18) catagory. This is very different from picture books or middle-grade novels. Thanks! This is a wonderful idea. I don’t understand the requirement for an outline for Children’s novels.

Also, there is no “Young Adult” (12-1 8) catagory. This is very different from picture books or middle-grade novels.

Thanks! This is a wonderful idea.

]]> Comment on We love questions! by creativebyline http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-129 creativebyline Wed, 21 May 2008 15:21:35 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-129 We believe that the best approach is for writers to do research (on our site, or visit a bookstore and check out other books they’ve edited) on the best editor fit for their manuscript, and then submit directly to them. Editors are reviewing manuscripts that are in the manuscript library, but as a writer you can’t beat the fact that over 90% of the time, editors at our subscribing publishers are looking at manuscripts sent to them within three weeks. Obviously, we can’t require editors to read every part of a manuscript. They read as little or as much as they need to in order to determine if it’s a good fit. The synopsis appears on the first screen that they see (along with the cover letter), so it’s critical that it be compelling. Editors at our client publishers use Creative Byline in different ways. Some use just the search function to look for a specific type of manuscript (which could be the reason for the “Not Accepting Submissions” flag), while others are actively looking for writers to submit manuscripts, and a few don’t use it at all. We believe that the best approach is for writers to do research (on our site, or visit a bookstore and check out other books they’ve edited) on the best editor fit for their manuscript, and then submit directly to them. Editors are reviewing manuscripts that are in the manuscript library, but as a writer you can’t beat the fact that over 90% of the time, editors at our subscribing publishers are looking at manuscripts sent to them within three weeks. Obviously, we can’t require editors to read every part of a manuscript. They read as little or as much as they need to in order to determine if it’s a good fit. The synopsis appears on the first screen that they see (along with the cover letter), so it’s critical that it be compelling.

Editors at our client publishers use Creative Byline in different ways. Some use just the search function to look for a specific type of manuscript (which could be the reason for the “Not Accepting Submissions” flag), while others are actively looking for writers to submit manuscripts, and a few don’t use it at all.

]]> Comment on We love questions! by John Sawinski http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-128 John Sawinski Thu, 15 May 2008 19:54:37 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2007/12/27/we-love-questions/#comment-128 I'm curious as to the relative merits of submitting to a particular editor rather than placing it on the general pile. How often are editors actually fetching non-targeted submissions? Any statistics? When editors sign up to accept submissions, are they committed to reading the entire submission package, or only parts? Also, I notice that many of the newer St. Martins editors are flagged as 'Not Accepting Submissions'. Why is that? Are they interested in something other than submissions, or are they just lurking? Thanks. Once again, the site is a great idea. The face of publishing continues to change rapidly. Creative Byline seems to be a change for the better. I’m curious as to the relative merits of submitting to a particular editor rather than placing it on the general pile. How often are editors actually fetching non-targeted submissions? Any statistics? When editors sign up to accept submissions, are they committed to reading the entire submission package, or only parts?

Also, I notice that many of the newer St. Martins editors are flagged as ‘Not Accepting Submissions’. Why is that? Are they interested in something other than submissions, or are they just lurking?

Thanks. Once again, the site is a great idea. The face of publishing continues to change rapidly. Creative Byline seems to be a change for the better.

]]> Comment on Why is an outline required for novels? by creativebyline http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/why-is-an-outline-required-for-novels/#comment-125 creativebyline Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:47:22 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-125 Great idea! We'll get an example of a children's picture book synopsis included on our site. Great idea! We’ll get an example of a children’s picture book synopsis included on our site.

]]> Comment on Why is an outline required for novels? by Julie Bickford http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/why-is-an-outline-required-for-novels/#comment-124 Julie Bickford Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:57:36 +0000 http://creativebyline.wordpress.com/?p=71#comment-124 I am mostly interested in why a synopsis is required for children's picture books. These are very short stories. I understand writing a brief summary of what happens, which is exactly what a synopsis is supposed to be, but I would like to see an example of what the first readers are expecting from a picture book synopsis. I am mostly interested in why a synopsis is required for children’s picture books. These are very short stories. I understand writing a brief summary of what happens, which is exactly what a synopsis is supposed to be, but I would like to see an example of what the first readers are expecting from a picture book synopsis.

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