The following submissions are accepted for Futureword for 2011.
Nanny's Tales The Dragon and the Unicorn by Kathy Coppinger
May the Best Dog Win by Kelly Hashway
The Pea in Peanut Butter by Allyn M. Stotz
Children's picture book submissions are closed for 2011. All picture books for 2011-2012 will begin reviews in March 2012.
The total number of new titles for children's "picture books" for Futureword for one year is 3 picture books and two novels. One new unpublished author a year.
All questions regarding these submissions guidelines must be answered by email. No phone calls will be answered in regards to submissions. Cherylhaynes@futureword.net
For YA and Adult Manuscripts:
Please do not send us your full manuscript unless requested. Instead, please submit a proposal that includes:
1) A dated cover letter that includes your name and contact information and the title of the submitted work. Briefly tell us what genre the submission falls into and mention any qualifications you have that pertain to the work. Please list any previous publications in paying markets. We accept simultaneous submissions, but please state in your cover letter that it is a simultaneous submission. Please do not forget the word count or marketing plan.
2) Please state you age group and your target audience and why you think your book should be placed on the shelves of Barnes and Nobles. What makes your book more unique than any other book they sell on their shelves right now. Their main office will want a query from you about your special book and why it will become a success in their stores. Please include this in your submission. All submissions that do not have a marketing plan to forward to Barnes and nobles will be rejected. Tell me why I should pay you a large advance for your book and how you think Futureword would make its money back. It has to be a good strategical marketing plan or no advance.
3) A synopsis of the entire book. The synopsis should include all important plot elements, as well as the end of the story. The synopsis should run between three and ten pages in standard manuscript format. Please let us know what makes your book stand out. We want to know the message in your story.
4) The first three chapters of your book, prepared in standard manuscript format as a WORD document. Standard format for manuscript submission: 1" (one inch) margins on all sides; indented paragraphs; double-spaced text; and Times New Roman in size 12 font. Make sure the header (at the top) of the manuscript includes your last name, title of the book (on the left) and page number (on the right). Please use one side of the page only and left-justify your text (except title and chapter headings, which may be centered.)
5) For children’s stories, we accept electronic submissions ONLY. Send your manuscript attached in an e-mail as a WORD document.
No porn, erotica, satire/sarcastic genres will be accepted. There are publishers who publish those genres. Please refer those genres to those agents and publishers who support it. No porn or books with language that is over-done. The definition of sarcasm is to "mock" or "make fun of." Do not send that genre to Futureword. We do not specialize in that type of work. Please check out the lists of agents and publishers for the correct place to submit those genres.There are plenty of AGENTS and publishers who love sell that genre. They know where their target audience is and can sell to them. We are not interested in sarcsm or horror at this time. Please do not send any more porn. Our front page should indicate that we are not into erotica or porn, thank you!
For Children's Manuscripts: 2012 submissions will not be open until 2012.
Your submissions packet should include:
1.Please submit your standard manuscript in Microsoft word format only. Standard manuscript format means margins of at least 1 inch all the way around; indented paragraphs; double-spaced text; and Times New Roman in 10 or 12 pitch. Please use one side of the page only and do not justify the text. Make sure the header of the manuscript includes either your name or the title of the book and the entire document must be numbered. Illustrations must be 8 x 10, 300 DPI, in portrait format only. Please number your pages and include your name and book title in the header. The story must be a minimum of 12 text pages to allow for one illustration page per text page. WE WANT TO KNOW THE MESSAGE IN YOUR STORY.
2.A dated cover letter that includes your name and contact information and the title of the submitted work. Please list any previous publications in paying markets. We accept simultaneous submissions.
3.E-mail submissions to the attention of Cheryl Haynes, Publisher. In the subject of the email please note: Attention: Children's Division.
3. We do not accept picture books of more than 900 words at this present time. Please include the word count in your query.
Generally we respond to unsolicited queries within 2-4 weeks.
