Editors Are Acquiring!

I just received a ton of messages via social media yesterday about editors seriously acquiring authors. That's right! Editors want your books.

Harlequin is looking to acquire authors. They are reaching out to you.

Now... before you go sending anything, let me tell you something. DON'T RUSH.

You know that I am someone who is constantly preaching for authors to do your research. With this opening, there will be a ton of authors who start shipping everything they have to the editors. The problem is that they have not taken the time to really understand what the editors or the lines are looking for. Writing for Harlequin is FANTASTIC, but it is a lot harder than most authors think.

First of all, remember that their lines are not so much about having a specific plot or a specific type of character. It is all about voice. Each line has a unique voice to it. Yes, there are many characters and plots that fit those voices, but it is still the voice that comes first.

Secondly, it is not about the word count. Just because you have a story that fits that line does not mean that your story fits there.

Next, and this is the biggest one out there. If you visit their submission page, you will find all of the specifics they are looking for. Unfortunately, too many authors miss the part on each of those pages that say, "You should read some of our authors to understand what we are looking for." This is SO important and one step that too many authors skip.

So, on this Friday, please, do not make the mistake that many of your fellow writing people will make. Do your research. Know your line. Know what you are doing. AND THEN... submit.