Samhain Publishing Ltd Weblog

Frequently Asked Questions Series: Installment Four

Welcome to the fourth installment in our new series of Frequently Asked Questions!

Over several years of dealing with queries and submissions, we’ve found that some questions get asked more frequently than others. So, over the next few months, on every alternate Monday, we’re putting up two or three of these, together with (because we’re nice like that) their answers.
The comments section will be open for anyone who’d like to ask for clarification, and Samhain staff will be along to provide further details or answers to supplementary questions.
If you’d like to view our full collection of FAQs, go here. At the end of this series, any extra questions and answers will be added to our current FAQ page and kept as a permanent resource.

(click here to view installment one)
(click here to view installment two)
(click here to view installment three)

Topic Two: Formatting and Submission Requirements

2.1. What is a blurb?
A blurb is what you find on the back cover of a print book, or on the individual ebook’s page on the Samhain website. It’s a short, one- or two-paragraph description of the story, giving the genre and just enough information to “hook” the reader (or in this case, the editor) into wanting to read more. It’s not an excerpt, and it’s not a full plot summary or a synopsis.

2.2. What is a synopsis?
A synopsis is a summary of your book. It introduces the main characters, details the important plot points, and gives the conclusion. It is not an excerpt, it is not a selection of excerpts from the book itself, and it is not a blurb. It should not end with a “hook” or a cliff-hanger. Samhain’s acquiring editors read synopses to get an overall idea of the story: to see whether the plot makes sense and whether it ends satisfactorily. A synopsis should be at least two pages in order to do justice to the book but can (and should) be longer if the length of your book demands it.

2.3. Do I have to send at least a two-page synopsis with a short story?
Yes.

2.4. Do I have to send a synopsis if I’m sending the full manuscript?
Yes.

2.5. I don’t have a synopsis. May I send an excerpt instead?
No. Samhain’s editors don’t open up a synopsis to find out if they like your writing style, or to see if you can hook them into reading more. They look to the synopsis for information: on characters, plot arcs and conclusion. An excerpt doesn’t help with that!