Information for Authors and Scriptwriters.

quince is always on the look out for new authors, and what we’re looking for is entertainment.  We don’t mind if your book isn’t very well written (we can help you with that) but it must capture our imagination and make us care about the characters.

Please note that we only want manuscripts electronically: so that our office doesn’t disappear under heaps of paper… and we all save lots of trees. 

We know your manuscript is precious to you so we hope this section is helpful – use the ‘contact us’ form if you have ideas for improvement.

What do I do if I have an idea for a book?

1. If it’s fiction, stop talking about it and get on and write it!  (We like books that are between 60,000 and 100,000 words).
2. If it’s non-fiction, use the ‘contact us’ form to explain what your idea is and how it differs from other books already available.
3. If it’s a script, then let us have a synopsis.

 
What do I do when I’ve finished my book?

1. Read it out loud: this will tell you whether what you’ve written – especially the dialogue – flows or whether it’s ‘lumpy’
2. Write the synopsis – a step by step storyboard telling us what happens, chapter by chapter, including the ending (you can use bullet points for this)
3. Click here to look at author v author; and...
4. Send it to quince.

How do I send my book to quince?
Use the ‘contact us’ form or email us at info@quincebooks.com

Tell us something about yourself and how you came to write your book; send us the synopsis and the first three chapters.

What will quince do next?
We will send your synopsis and three chapters to our team of readers.  These are ‘ordinary’ people who read a lot and can quickly spot a book that has potential (as well as one that doesn’t).

Will quince make a charge for reading?
No, we won’t.  We won’t ask you for a penny unless we talk to you about a publishing contract – see below.

What if quince thinks my book hasn’t got potential?
We will tell you – nicely, but we will tell you.

What if my book has potential?
We will talk to you about ways to get your book into print – see below.

Will I get an advance?
No, you won’t: we’re a new company and don’t have the resources for that.  If it’s what you really want, you should approach a Literary Agent and the large publishing houses.  If you are lucky, you might find an Agent to take you on and a publishing house to make you an offer. 

But it’s much more likely that you’ll be one of the estimated 150,000 whose books are rejected every year.

So what’s the deal with quince?
The deal with quince is quite simple: if we like your book and think it has the potential to sell, then we’ll talk to you about a publishing contract.

Is quince a vanity publisher?
No, we aren’t.  If we were, we’d tell you your book is wonderful (even if it isn’t) and we’d charge you lots of money and be much richer than we are.  (You would also soon be in possession of boxes of books, all beautifully finished.  You might have difficulty selling them – but remember: they make a convenient coffee table if stacked neatly in the centre of the sitting room).

It’s not easy getting published, is it?
No, it isn’t.  But quince will help, if we can.