The basic process:
1) Write something.
- For fiction, the Snowflake method is a great start.
- On your first draft, focus on word count – not polish
- On your second draft, we recommend you write with something like Grammarly. While it’s not perfect, it will easily get you to an 80% solution, and likely improve your writing along the way. Warning: Grammarly is NOT a substitute for professional editing, and it’s fairly easy for us to spot! Find you’re own voice. Just let Grammarly help a bit!
2) Proof read it (or have someone else do it that will be honest).
3) We have a requirement for a professional edit prior to submission. We currently recommend a company. While you are not required to use them, they significantly increase manuscript acceptance. Their price is normally $8-11 per 1k words, which is on par with normal market prices (better than most), and they know Kamel Press expectations for layout. It makes the follow-on steps a lot faster and smoother.
3) Contact us
Here’s what we’re looking for:
- The Manuscript
– editable electronic format (.odt, .doc, .docx, etc.)
– prefer single document with each chapter at a page break - Plot Summary – 1-page plot summary. Tell the whole story in 1-2 pages. Plot. Primary characters. Etc.
- Dustjacket – A 250-325 description (think back of book / Amazon description – your sales pitch).
- Author Biographies – a) Single sentence version; b) 200ish word version. c) Optional: Long version if you want an “About the Author” page in the back of your book (~750 words).
- Style Guide preferences:
– U.S. Style – something close to Chicago / Turabian (Consistency is more important)
– Smart (curly) quotes. Most programs have a default or search & replace feature.
4) Hold on tight!