JOFFE BOOKS PITCH FEST: CALLING ALL QUEER ROMANCE & FANTASY AUTHORS
We’re looking for our next bestselling author — and it could be YOU!
At Joffe Books, we want to see many more diverse voices in commercial fiction! So, with a view to acquire from writers who identify as LGBTQIA+, we’re delighted to announce #JBPridePitch, the next instalment of the Joffe Books Twitter pitch party series, this Pride Month. It will take place on Thursday 13 June, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. GMT, and we are particularly interested in reading romance and fantasy.
While this pitch party is specifically to amplify queer voices this Pride Month, we are always looking to see more submissions from writers who identify as BAME, LGBTQ+, working class and/or have disabilities. So we’d love to hear from you in our open submissions all year round!
HOW IT WORKS
On Thursday 13 June, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. GMT, tweet us your pitch in 280 characters or less, using the #JBPridePitch hashtag. You can also indicate your novel’s genre by using the optional hashtags listed below.
If we ‘like’ your pitch, that means we want to see more and welcome you to send three chapters and a synopsis to office@joffebooks.com.
WHO CAN SUBMIT
This Pride Month, we want to invite writers who identify as LGBTQIA+, a community typically underrepresented in the publishing industry, to participate.
We would like to read pitches from any LGBTQIA+ writer working on a novel in one of our favourite genres of commercial fiction (see below), who has written at least three complete chapters and a full synopsis, ready to submit if we ask for it.
WHAT TO SUBMIT
The pitch tweet should be no more than 280 characters. If we ask to see more from you by ‘liking’ your tweet, please submit three chapters and a synopsis of the whole story, including spoilers (no more than one page).
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
We want to see punchy pitches that immediately grab us with an addictive plot, a fresh voice and characters we want to root for.
We are looking for pitches in one of the following genres:
Fantasy
Historical romance
Romance contemporary/romcom
Women’s fiction
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
If we have ‘liked’ your pitch and received your chapters and synopsis, the acquisitions team will read them and be in touch with you by Friday 28 June to let you know if we’re interested in seeing more.
FAQ
Do I have to have completed my full manuscript to enter?
No. All you need are three chapters and a one-page synopsis ready to share. But you should be able to show in your synopsis that you have a clear idea of how the action of the plot will develop until the end of the book.
Can I pitch multiple novels?
No. Only your strongest work, please.
Can I give multiple pitches for the same novel?
No. Please only tweet one pitch for your novel.
If I’ve already submitted my book to the Joffe open submissions, can I pitch it?
Absolutely!
If my book was previously self-published, can I pitch it?
Yes, go for it.
Can I participate even if I don’t live in the UK?
Yes, we are a global publisher with authors from all over the world. So long as the manuscript is written in English, we will happily consider your pitch.
Can I pitch outside the requested genres?
No. We are specifically looking for romance and fantasy, and we are not acquiring novellas or short story collections, YA or children’s, non-fiction, or anything paranormal. Please do not pitch any of these genres.
I can’t be on Twitter on that day, what do I do?
You can schedule your pitch tweet so you don’t miss out.
My pitch was ‘liked’! What’s the next step?
Please email your first three chapters and synopsis to office@joffebooks.com. We will write back to everyone who is asked to submit these by Friday 28 June to let you know if we’re interested in seeing more.
My pitch wasn’t ‘liked’. What should I do?
Don’t be defeated! There are still ways to get your book noticed. You can also submit via our open submissions. What we connect to during the pitch party depends on a host of factors. Some pitches are more in line with what the acquisitions team are looking for right at that moment. Some writers are more practiced at pitching than others. Some books are simply easier to pitch than others.
We actively encourage you to keep writing, keep honing your pitch and keep trying to get published.
OPTIONAL HASHTAGS TO DESCRIBE GENRE/THEME
Please find a list of hashtags below, to help identify your pitch’s genre at a glance.
#FA = Fantasy
#HR = Historical romance
#RCR = Romance contemporary/romcom
#WF = Women’s fiction