I'm a blogging maniac today. I was glancing through my Romantic Times Monthly, and I couldn't resist blogging about this.
It lists what some publishing houses are looking for in a manuscript. Sometimes it will say, oh we want paranormal, chick-lit, detective-police-crime, etc etc etc. Then I happened upon this one p.h., I've never seen such specificity in their demands of a manuscript. The italicized stuff is their actual, honest to god words...
The focus of the plot should be the romance and interaction between the hero and the heroine. Good sub-genre plots such as mystery, adventure or humor are also welcome. Social issues are okay as long as they don't overwhelm the story.
So far so good eh?
The hero is tall, dark and handsome with issues of trust, fear or some other flaw, but he must be honest. The heroine is beautiful, smart, and successful with issues of trust or fear, but she can't be a man-hater.
Short, ugly dumb people need not apply.
She can't be sexually involved with anyone at the time she meets the hero and he can't be emotionally involved with anyone at the time he meets the heroine.
I swear to God this actually says this.
What does this mean? She can't be bonking someone but she can be in love with someone else? While the hero can be doing the nasty with some girl as long as he's not emotionally involved with her? In the beginning that is. o_O
Professions, educatioin and social status may vary, but remember the audience is primarily educated and middle class.
Fair enough, they are highly aware of their target demographic.
Profanity in text (not dialogue) is not allowed and abusive language is discouraged.
Acceptable: "Damn," she said angrily.
Not Acceptable: Damn, she was angry.
Also, the couple should not be living together; that indicates that there is little commitment.
o_O
Surprisingly, such stringent requirements are not demanded by an Inspirational/Christian line, its the BET Books line.
It lists what some publishing houses are looking for in a manuscript. Sometimes it will say, oh we want paranormal, chick-lit, detective-police-crime, etc etc etc. Then I happened upon this one p.h., I've never seen such specificity in their demands of a manuscript. The italicized stuff is their actual, honest to god words...
The focus of the plot should be the romance and interaction between the hero and the heroine. Good sub-genre plots such as mystery, adventure or humor are also welcome. Social issues are okay as long as they don't overwhelm the story.
So far so good eh?
The hero is tall, dark and handsome with issues of trust, fear or some other flaw, but he must be honest. The heroine is beautiful, smart, and successful with issues of trust or fear, but she can't be a man-hater.
Short, ugly dumb people need not apply.
She can't be sexually involved with anyone at the time she meets the hero and he can't be emotionally involved with anyone at the time he meets the heroine.
I swear to God this actually says this.
What does this mean? She can't be bonking someone but she can be in love with someone else? While the hero can be doing the nasty with some girl as long as he's not emotionally involved with her? In the beginning that is. o_O
Professions, educatioin and social status may vary, but remember the audience is primarily educated and middle class.
Fair enough, they are highly aware of their target demographic.
Profanity in text (not dialogue) is not allowed and abusive language is discouraged.
Acceptable: "Damn," she said angrily.
Not Acceptable: Damn, she was angry.
Also, the couple should not be living together; that indicates that there is little commitment.
o_O
Surprisingly, such stringent requirements are not demanded by an Inspirational/Christian line, its the BET Books line.
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