Writer wanted (publishing) | $4,500 CAD

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: THE WRITERS' UNION OF CANADA

Deadline: 13 January 2025

Siobhan O'Connor, Associate Director at The Writers' Union of Canada, is looking for a writer:

The Union is seeking your assistance to expand our Writers’ How-to series. Expressions of interest are due: January 13, 2025. Read on for more details.

TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING

The Union is seeking a professional writer to research and write a “How-To” booklet on the traditional publishing process for authors. Of note, the Union has booklets addressing publishing agreements and on the relationship between authors and agents as well as authors and editors. It is not expected that these areas will be covered in detail in this booklet but that the booklet will provide an overview of these particular areas with references to the Union’s more detailed booklets.

THE BOOKLET SHOULD, AT A MINIMUM, ADDRESS:

• What is traditional publishing – the pros and the cons (briefly differentiate from hybrid and self-publishing).

• When is your manuscript (fiction, adult, YA, children’s, poetry) ready to submit? What if it is non-fiction – submitting a proposal compared to a completed manuscript? Should you hire a professional editor before submitting to a publisher? Do you need an illustrator for a picture book submission?

• Researching and selecting which publishers to submit your work to.

• Agent – do you need one, can you get one (high level overview with reference to TWUC Author & Agent booklet).

• Defining solicited and unsolicited manuscripts, slush piles, etc.

• Query letters – what to include, what not to include, length, hook, social media presence, etc.

• Multiple submissions.

• Timelines – how long should you wait for a response.

• How are decisions made – author’s track record, author’s audience, audience for subject matter, sales projections, costs?

• Navigating acceptance and rejection.

• You receive an offer – next steps.

• Negotiating your publishing contract – high level overview with reference to TWUC contract publications.

• Publishing timeline – how long does it take from acquisition to publication and why.

• Communications.

• Editing process – different kinds of editing (substantive to copy), timelines, can changes be made without the author’s approval (high level overview with reference to TWUC Author & Editor booklet).

• Titles, covers, design, etc. – what can you expect, what about particular design requirements e.g., poetry?

• Distribution – how does your book get to bookstores, libraries, online, etc. (and why it might not be available everywhere).

• Promotion and publicity – what to expect, what are your responsibilities.

• Royalty statements and payments.

• Navigating challenges.

• Out of print – how to define in an electronic age.

• Reversion of rights.

• Definition of relevant terms – may be included separately or included throughout the booklet.

For the ease of reading, the booklet may contain bullets, summary tables, and highlight important points.

The booklet should contain quotations from authors who have been traditionally published.

The booklet should be a minimum of 6,000 words. A thorough outline will be developed in consultation with the Union based on the project description above as noted in the Memorandum of Agreement. The fee for the project will be $4,500. The work is to be completed no later than April 30, 2025.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL:

• Be a professional author with experience writing instructional materials.

• Have experience with traditional publishing.

• Have excellent research and writing skills.

Please send a cover letter expressing your interest in the project, as well as your related experience and a writing sample (no more than 20 pages), by email to: soconnor@writersunion.ca.

Deadline: January 13, 2025

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CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

Questions/applications: soconnor@writersunion.ca

Website: https://www.writersunion.ca/

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