We’re delighted to announce #JBPitch, the Joffe Books Twitter pitch party series, on 14 March, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. GMT. Pitch your unpublished novels in 280 characters or less directly to the Joffe Books acquisitions team. If we ‘like’ your pitch, we’ll request three chapters and a synopsis to read more closely. And one lucky writer will receive a 30-minute consultation.
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! If you are or are writing commercial fiction with characters that are BAME, LGBTQ+, working class and/or have disabilities, we especially want to hear from you!
HOW IT WORKS
On 14 March, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. GMT, tweet us your pitch in 280 characters or less, using the #JBPitch 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
We would like to read a pitch from any 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 synopsis, ready to submit if we ask for it.
We especially want to invite writers from communities typically underrepresented in the publishing industry to participate. If you identify as a writer from an underrepresented community and would like to flag this in your pitch, please feel free to use the hashtag #UC in addition to any genre hashtags below.
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 a page).
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
We want to see punchy pitches that immediately grab us, whatever the genre. We want to be excited by pitches that reveal an addictive plot and fresh voice, and characters we want to root for.
We are looking for pitches in one of our favourite genres, including:
· Cosy crime
· Chiller thriller
· Crime thrillers
· Domestic noir
· Historical mystery/romance
· Murder mystery
· Police procedural
· Psychological thriller
· Reading group
· Romance contemporary/romcom
· Saga
· Traditional mystery
· Women’s fiction
· WWII mystery/romance
To get a great feel for what we publish, head to our books page.
THE PRIZE
The prize for pitches we have liked is editorial and marketing feedback on your first three chapters and a synopsis of the whole story. So if we have ‘liked’ your pitch, please send your chapters and synopsis to office@joffebooks.com. We will return feedback within a week of the receiving your email. From the submissions we receive, we’ll choose one author to receive a 30-minute online consultation with an editor from the Joffe Books acquisitions team. We’ll email the winner within a week receiving their email to set up a date and time.
FAQ
Do I have to have completed my full manuscript to enter?
No. All you need are three chapters and a synopsis ready to share.
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 do not publish sci-fi, fantasy, 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 return feedback within a week of the receiving your email. We can guarantee that we write back to everyone who submits.
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.
#CC = Cosy crime
#CHT = Chiller thriller
#CT = Crime thrillers
#DN = Domestic noir
#HMR = Historical mystery/romance
#MM = Murder mystery
#PP = Police procedural
#PT = Psychological thriller
#RG = Reading group
#RCR = Romance contemporary/romcom
#S = Saga
#TM = Traditional mystery
#WF = Women’s fiction
#WWMR = WWII mystery/romance