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Editor Interview: Bardsy

Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

Compelling First Chapters

What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?

Berkley Press
Alysssa Matesic (YouTube)

If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?

Allie Oleander
Pamela Raleigh
A.J. Braun
Stephen King
Anne Lamont

What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?

We have a theory and tools that help authors to write compelling first chapters by telling their story aloud and then identifying key elements. For example, have an inciting incident that centers on a high-stakes choice with an immediate consequence that launches the story.

What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?

Read relevant blog posts or watch our YouTube videos, and then use our interactive worksheets to tell your story aloud, plan your 1st chapter and check your work by having a volunteer read the prospective entry. and retell it in their own words to see if they understand the story.

Describe the ideal submission.

A first chapter that: 1. confirms the genre and the author's skill in it. 2. Efficiently and engaging introduces a main character and the setting. 3. Foreshadows the conflict and theme to come. And, 4. launches the story with an engaging choice in the form of the inciting incident.

What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?

Too short or missing one of the last four elements

How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?

Nothing, our entries are treated anonymously

If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?

each and every word is read.

What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?

an editor produces a detailed comments, with recommendations, and the author is encouraged to revise before the deadline

What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?

as entries come in, they are skimmed for genre and assigned to an editor who reads the submission in light of our standards and produces the feedback. When ready, the author is contacted and we try to determine if they are going to revise.

How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?

We don't edit but expect authors to seriously consider our recommendations

Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?

No

How is your project funded?

Self-funded

How do you promote your project and published authors/artists?

Social Media, Amazon, YouTube and Email

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