What's up in Wicked House: From the editor's desk
A bit behind the scenes
So, last night, Joe and I were running through submission queries. It's a part of this that I really enjoy - It's incredibly fun to get first glimpses of so many wonderful books, to read samples, and to see introductions from so many amazing folk.
That said - there ARE some things that quickly emerge as issues that interfere with our willingness to move forward with a submission. One that I've noticed quite clearly for me is that I want the submission packet to be VERY clear on what kind of horror it is. I want to know what in the book I'm supposed to find scary in direct terms. Some queries are coy about what kind of story they pitch and that is likely to make it hard to get excited about them.
This matters for multiple reasons.
1) We are a horror press, and that is the center of our identity. We are not opposed to publishing sci-fi horror or a horror-thriller - but the defining point should be its horror. Put that front and center.
2) It suggest a misunderstanding of the purpose of the query process. You want to make us excited to read more for sure - but that doesn't happen by hiding what KIND of story you want to bring to market. Make me want to see HOW you do it - not what you are doing.
3) Subgenres do matter in the selection process because we do talk about submissions in terms with how our slate spreads across sub-genre. It's a matter of simple pragmatism that we'll be hesitant to release 4 werewolf stories in a year - but maybe we've not done a gothic witch horror in a while and dang that could be cool.
Just me thinking out loud really.
