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Inkspell Publishing
- Thread starter Willowwriter
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I haven't published with them, but I sent in a MSS, and someone responded within a couple of weeks to say she loved my story but it wasn't right for their line. She also directed me to other publishers that were more appropriate for me. So, they seem very nice, for what it's worth.
I submitted a manuscript to these guys and was told that my book could not be "sweet" romance because it featured two gay characters. The manuscript in question WAS, in fact, a sweet gay YA romance with no explicit sex or even really suggested sex.
They have nice covers, I'll give them that. But I think they should reevaluate some things.
They have nice covers, I'll give them that. But I think they should reevaluate some things.
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Anyone else have things to add here? They've just offered me a contract for my book. I'm still waiting on a couple of other publishers who have fulls...
Just from Oceansoul's post, I wouldn't deal with them...I suspect their worldview and mine are too far apart.
I hate to say it but I'm getting some homophobic vibes. I didn't find any LGBT books on their site either. I really hope I'm wrong.
As the acquisitions editor, I find this very disturbing. Inkspell doesn't accept Christian romance either but that doesn't make them Satanic. And as a parent of a LGBT child, I am hurt that one person's rejection makes the whole company homophobic.
beguilingzoey, it's more than "one person's rejection." Take a look at the submissions page, where for one of their lines they list a requirement as:
- Steamy sex but not erotic (ménage, m/m, etc.)
http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/submission.html
Inkspell clearly equates m/m to a higher level of graphic content. The editor who rejected oceansoul was clearly doing so according to the company's philosophy as a whole. If that is *not* the company's philosophy, then A) the submissions page needs to be updated immediately, and B) anyone responding to submissions needs some training on how not to say BS like "m/m can't be sweet romance" to authors like oceansoul.
Erotic usually means frequent graphic sex. Two gay teens making googly eyes over each other is not erotic. I suppose you could even have a sweet menage where all three characters hold hands and cuddle.
Thank you Tavia for pointing out the submission's page. That wording has been taken down and is in the process of being changed. But I want to address the way we handle ALL submissions.
Each manuscript submitted is read through fully and then discussed as far as Writing Quality, Author's Presence and Marketability. After careful consideration, we make a decision. Sometimes asking for a re-write/re-submit or a denial. Often with a denial, if the writing is still very good, we suggest other avenues such as other publishing companies with a proven marketing or story brand that is a better fit for that author/manuscript. We value each author and their work too much to take on a story that we feel we wouldn't be able to sell/market effectively based on our readership demographics (which we continue to analyze). Inkspell has a wonderful relationship with other publishing houses and have often suggested specific authors to them and they to us.
I have copies of emails in which we have said to authors, much like Oceansoul, that the story isn't a good fit for our readership for whatever reason and we suggest that they submit their story to publisher X, Y, or Z. Never once have we told an author that their story isn't a sweet romance because it contains male/male or female/female characters. This is the same way we handle historicals and more erotic manuscripts which we have found unable to meet sales goals on. It wouldn't be good business sense for us or to the author to publish a book which we can't effectively sell or market to our proven reader base.
Each manuscript submitted is read through fully and then discussed as far as Writing Quality, Author's Presence and Marketability. After careful consideration, we make a decision. Sometimes asking for a re-write/re-submit or a denial. Often with a denial, if the writing is still very good, we suggest other avenues such as other publishing companies with a proven marketing or story brand that is a better fit for that author/manuscript. We value each author and their work too much to take on a story that we feel we wouldn't be able to sell/market effectively based on our readership demographics (which we continue to analyze). Inkspell has a wonderful relationship with other publishing houses and have often suggested specific authors to them and they to us.
I have copies of emails in which we have said to authors, much like Oceansoul, that the story isn't a good fit for our readership for whatever reason and we suggest that they submit their story to publisher X, Y, or Z. Never once have we told an author that their story isn't a sweet romance because it contains male/male or female/female characters. This is the same way we handle historicals and more erotic manuscripts which we have found unable to meet sales goals on. It wouldn't be good business sense for us or to the author to publish a book which we can't effectively sell or market to our proven reader base.
I'm going to mostly step back out of the conversation (since obviously I don't have any insight into Inkspell's acquisitions emails, heh). But I wanted to thank you for moving to update the submissions page so quickly.
I just signed a contract with Inkspell for my YA romance. Super excited to work with them! My book is slated for a December 2017 release date.