Always dreamed of writing for Carina Press? Here’s everything you need to know to participate in #CarinaPitch, our once-a-year Twitter event coming May 13, 2020!
#CarinaPitch is our once-a-year pitch event where aspiring authors are invited to pitch their books to us via Twitter. If an editor requests your work, you’ll receive invaluable professional feedback in addition to consideration of your manuscript.
While nothing feels normal these days, we didn’t want to lose an opportunity to connect with authors and offer professional feedback on unpublished manuscripts. Since we began #CarinaPitch seven years ago, we’ve requested revisions on and/or signed to publication 62 manuscripts submitted through the event. We want to continue to support the romance writing community, and this event is one of our favorite ways to do that!
This is by no means your only chance to submit to us. Carina is always open to unagented submissions, and if you are unable to participate in this event, you can still submit to us through our regular channels anytime.
Authors from marginalized or underrepresented communities are welcome and encouraged to participate; you may self-identify using the appropriate hashtags if you wish, but it is by no means required.
New for 2020: CarinaPitch this year is only for proposals/partials. Submissions should consist of a 1,600 word synopsis and the first 7,500 words For more information, see below.
HOW IT WORKS:
On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Carina Press editors will be monitoring the #CarinaPitch hashtag on Twitter for book pitches from authors.
- If a book pitch is requested by an editor via a “like,” that editor will review the proposal.
- This year, #CarinaPitch is only accepting proposals, consisting of a query letter, a synopsis, and the first 7,500 words.
- Editors will respond with personalized feedback to all #CarinaPitch projects they request and receive by the deadline.
- All authors who receive a #CarinaPitch request will receive a response by July 27,2020.
What kind of feedback will I receive?
Our editors do their best to provide helpful feedback on all #CarinaPitch manuscripts. This feedback is usually in the form of a short paragraph outlining potential areas for growth. These are meant to be guidelines for authors to use as they revise, rather than strict instructions.
Why proposals only? What if I have a complete manuscript?
Working with only proposals means we can get back to you faster. If your manuscript is complete, you’re still welcome to participate, but please only submit your synopsis and first 7,500 words of your manuscript along with your query letter.
ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE:
- Your proposal must be a romance. We accept all subgenres of romance with the exception of inspirational.
- Submissions must be received by June 14, 2020. Submissions sent in after this date will still be considered for publication but will not be eligible for the feedback opportunity.
- Your proposal must be new material. For this opportunity, we will not consider previously published material, whether self-published or released via a publisher. We define previously published as something that has been available for sale or free download on a retail site. Wattpad, critique sites or other similar crowd-reading sites do not count as “previously published.”
- The project cannot be one that has previously received a pass letter from Carina Press.
- You may pitch more than one project.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
- Craft your compelling book pitch into one tweet. Pitches can only be one tweet long and must include the #carinapitch hashtag. You may pitch the same project twice during the event.
- Starting May 13, 2020 at 9 am Eastern Time, post your pitch to Twitter from your public* account using the #carinapitch hashtag. We also suggest using genre hashtags, listed below, to further categorize your submission. * (If your Twitter account is locked/private, we will be unable to see your posts; your account must be public to participate. Posts on private accounts are only viewable to followers, so in order for us to see your pitches, your account must be public.)
- Please do not post pitches for one book more than twice during the #carinapitch event. Even if you’re changing your pitch, please pitch the same book no more than twice during the day. Don’t worry, we’re reading every single pitch, and two pitches per manuscript gives you the opportunity to change things up.
- Watch for a reply/like from a Carina Press editor. Please note that you may only submit your manuscript to one editor, even if multiple editors are interested.
- The requesting editor will contact you via DM with their private #CarinaPitch submission link. You may need to follow the editor in order for them to contact you.
- Submit your proposal via the provided link by 11:59 PM EST on June 14, 2020. Your submission must include the following:
- A query letter, including your Twitter pitch
- A complete synopsis, approx. 1,600 words
- The first 7,500 words
If an editor lets you know they’d like to see your submission and your manuscript is already in our queue:
- Update your submission via Submittable, using a note.
- In the note, please include the Twitter pitch, your Twitter handle, and the name of the editor who requested the manuscript via #carinapitch.
- Update your submission no later than June 14, 2020 at 11:59 PM Eastern.
NOTES ABOUT #CARINAPITCH:
- You don’t need to direct your tweet/post to a specific editor. Everyone will be monitoring the hashtag throughout the day.
- Please don’t post your pitch more than twice during the day on Twitter. We know you want to make sure we see it, but please respect the rules outlined above. This way, the hashtag/page doesn’t become cluttered, and all authors have equal opportunity to be seen.
- You can find our editors’ current wishlists here. Individual editors also occasionally post their MSWLs on Twitter.
- Information about what we publish and our submissions guidelines can be found here.
- Use genre hashtags! We’ve listed a few for you at the bottom of this post.
ONE LAST (VERY IMPORTANT) NOTE:
If your pitch isn’t selected by an editor, that doesn’t mean we don’t want to see it. In the end, it’s the story that will get us to acquire the book, not the pitch, so if you’ve written a romance, please still submit it to us via our regular submissions process.
PARTICIPATING EDITORS:
Stephanie Doig @StephanieDoig
Ronan Sadler @ronanedits
Mackenzie Walton @MackenzieWalton
John Jacobson @femme_trash
Deb Nemeth @DebNemeth
Alissa Davis @AlissaDenay
Kate Marope @TheRibbonMarker
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED HASHTAGS:
#CR = Contemporary Romance
#DIS = Disability
#DV = Diversity
#ER = Erotic Romance
#F = Fantasy
#HR = Historical Romance
#IRMC = Interracial/Multicultural
#LGBTQ = Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer
#M = Mystery
#OWN = OwnVoices
#POC = People of Color
#PR = Paranormal Romance
#ROMCOM = Romantic Comedy
#RS = Romantic Suspense
#SF = SciFi
#TT = Time Travel #UF = Urban Fantasy
