THINKLINGS BOOKS
  • Home
  • Writers' Cafe
    • Submissions Guidelines
  • Readers' Nook
    • Blog
    • Join Our Email List
    • Become a Reviewer
  • About
    • Our Staff
    • FAQ
  • Books

What We're Tolkien About

Quality Writing, Quality authors

7/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Merriam-Webster defines quality as: “degree of excellence; superiority in kind” (2a, 2b).

So what does it take for a book to be considered excellent and superior? You could Google that question and receive a million—or more—different answers. That’s why we at Thinklings Books thought it important to create our own list of criteria, so that anyone submitting a manuscript to us (or anyone simply curious) can have a reference guide, rather than be left hoping and praying and searching endless web pages.
Of course, as any literary agent, or any professor grading essays or term papers, could tell you, there is a lot of subjectivity when it comes to good writing. We realize there are gray areas and wiggle room, and we keep that in mind when reading any submission. But there are certain general standards on which we will not compromise.

Here are the two lists we compiled, detailing those standards, both for quality writing and for quality authors:

Quality Writing
  • The beginning makes us want to read more, and it fits the rest of the book.
  • World building and explanations are an organic part of the narrative and don't halt the story.
  • There are stakes. The protagonist is able to lose. Actions have consequences.
  • Narratives deliver satisfying payoffs to the promises they've made, not avoid difficult-to-write scenes or otherwise cheat the reader.
  • Action sequences are more than "stuff happens quickly": they involve character development, story progression, learning, and changes, and they have stakes.
  • The narrative tells the truth; it neither sugarcoats it nor indulges in gratuitousness.
  • The end is the inevitable (but not always the expected) consequence of the events that took place in the story. It isn't slapped on, and it doesn't involve ex machinas.
  • The characters have multiple dimensions. They aren't perfectly good or perfectly evil, and not every decision they make is the right one.

Quality Authors
  • Good communicators submit their own manuscripts; unless there is a SUPER good reason for it, they don’t have a third party communicate with us on their behalf. 
  • Low-stress interactions require respect for our business hours. We respond to most emails with authors we’re working with within 1–2 business days. Submissions may take longer, depending on our current submissions volume.
  • Great writers are willing to take critique. No writer is perfect, and taking criticism, although tough, is an essential part of good writing.

The eight points under Quality Writing are (or will be) discussed in detail in our YouTube video series called Advice from an Editor. A new video in the series comes out every two weeks, until all eight are posted.

Follow the above guidelines, and you’ll have a great chance at getting published with us. We look forward to reading submissions that knock our socks off and keep us turning pages late into the night!

Thanks for stopping by and for your support and interest. Readers and writers like you are why Thinklings Books exists, and we will do our very best to bring you the top-notch fantasy and sci-fi stories you love and crave!
​
Picture

Sarah Awa

Sarah writes books about werewolves and lives with two hairy guys. Her debut novel is Hunter's Moon and her author website is www.sarahmawa.com.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019

    Categories

    All
    About Us
    Authors
    Book Promotion
    Book Recommendations
    Book Reviews
    Books On Sale
    Diverse Books
    Fun
    Genres
    Gift Recommendations
    Help Your Author
    Interviews
    Marketing
    Nerdy Stuff
    Our Books
    Our Business Model
    Playlist
    Publishing Industry
    Shop
    Staff Spotlight
    Street Team
    Why Read
    Writers' Collective
    Writing Advice
    Writing Styles

    RSS Feed

Thinklings Books Logo
Books
Submissions
Join Our Email List
​
Our Linktree
Blog
About Us
FAQ
​
Privacy Policy
 As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
  • Home
  • Writers' Cafe
    • Submissions Guidelines
  • Readers' Nook
    • Blog
    • Join Our Email List
    • Become a Reviewer
  • About
    • Our Staff
    • FAQ
  • Books