Life at Open Heart Publishing

Posts Tagged ‘Writing’

Just a reminder that submissions for An Honest Lie, Vol. 2: Delusions of Insignificance are due March 15. As in 15 days from now. As in just over 2 weeks.

Submissions should be 3,000-6,000 words and relate to the theme “Delusions of Insignificance.” You can write 200-400 words a day, can’t you? Be sure to read the FAQ before you submit: www.anhonestlie.wordpress.com/faq.

And to all of you who didn’t come to The Cave of Colors Premiere, nanny-nanny-boo-boo! It was a wonderful time. More on that later, but in the meantime you can order your copies of The Cave of Colors, An Honest Lie, Vol. 1, or A Children’s Book of Necromancy from the OHP website.

I’m cracking it to remind you that submissions for An Honest Lie, Vol. 2 will close on March 15, just a little over a month from today. Unlike last year, the deadline will not be extended, so be sure to turn in your work on the theme “Delusions of Insignificance.” Submissions should be at least 3000 words in length and no more than 6,000 words total. Please be sure to read the faq for further details before submitting: www.anhonestlie.wordpress.com/faq.

In addition, the deadline is also March 15 to be considered as a writer or illustrator for an upcoming serialized fiction project with Open Heart Publishing. The setting is modern and based around a specific location and a diverse cast of characters; the “story collections” created by this team will be linear and as such the changes to characters within the story will have unique effects to plotline and development, and authors chosen for this episodic serial will receive full credit for the pieces. For more information regarding those writing and illustration opportunities, click here: http://debrincase.com/blog3/opportunities-with-o-h-p/

Artists interested in doing illustration for other projects should send a link to their work to ohpcareers@debrincase.com.

Open Heart Publishing announces the premiere of “The Cave of Colors,” an Open Heart Opportunity Project. The focus of the event is “The Cave of Colors,” a children’s book with accompanying audio that was conceived and written by children. 100% of the profits from sales of “The Cave of Colors” will benefit a charity of the childrens’ choosing.

The story of “The Cave of Colors” revolves around a magical place called The Cave of Colors, wherein everything you say and do happens.

Sunday February 28, 2010. Doors open at 12:45 pm at the Center for Spiritual Living facility at 4801 Spring Valley Rd (at International Pkwy.), Dallas, Texas 75244.

Meet some of “The Cave of Colors” children, buy your own copies of this charming book, and get more information on this and other Opportunity Projects.

Also featured at the Premiere will be “An Honest Lie, Volume 1: Encouraging the Delinquency of your Inner Child,” a short story anthology, and “A Children’s Book of Necromancy,” a spell-binding book by Debrin Case.

Here at OHP, I don’t write rejection letters … that task falls to Senior Editor ME Johnson. But at Moulin Review, I personally respond to every submission we receive.

As a writer myself, I’m painfully aware of what it feels like to get a rejection letter. First it’s disappointing (although as I’ve received more of them over time, they’ve become less disappointing), and then it’s just confusing. You want to call the editor up and ask, “Why not?” Some of the time, editors will reject an author but say that they like their work, and invite them to submit again. As a writer, you think, “If you liked it, why did you reject it?”

So the task of writing rejection letters has become my least favorite part of the position. I can’t help but imagine the person I’m writing to reading it.

Here at OHP, every rejection comes with a reason, whether it’s that the author’s technical skill needs to be further developed, the work does not apply to the requested theme, or just doesn’t fit.

I know from experience that the “doesn’t fit” is the most frustrating of reasons to receive. You wonder why it doesn’t fit and how you’re supposed to know what does. The best remedy for this situation is to thoroughly research the market you are submitting to before you choose what piece you will send them. You can only get a feel for what fits when you’ve read an example of the market’s taste.

As an author, if you want more detailed feedback on your work, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Some writers are not responsive to criticism, so it can’t hurt to add “I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts,” at the end of your submission letter. You’ll still invariably get form letters, tons of them if you’re doing it right.

But remember when you get them that they’re as hard to send as they are to read.