Inkshares Calls Out for Horror Submissions

Inkshares, a publishing house that relies on readers and not agents for book publications, is running their second-annual Horror Novel Contest now through Dec. 14. The competition is open to anyone with a partial or finished horror manuscript.

According to Angela Melamud, Inkshares’ Assistant Director, they will be selecting at least three novelists for publication and rights management.

“Over the last two years, Inkshares has cemented its position as a marquee publisher in speculative fiction and horror,” Melamud said in an email.  “Just last year, Kill Creek by Scott Thomas was selected by the American Library Association’s advisory committee as the horror book of the year, shortlisted for the Bram Stoker, termed “the horror debut of 2017” by Barnes & Noble, and is in development for television at Showtime.” In the following interview, Scott speaks about the highlights of the contest and a general overview of the horror genre in literature.

Inkshares displays a seemingly simple process in which authors pitch their novel, readers pre-order their favorites, and Inkshares publishes. Their website states that “once the project goes live, readers support the project by pre-ordering copies of the book.

Once the 750 pre-order goal is hit, we start publishing: we assign authors an editor, a designer, and we handle all aspects of printing, distribution, and marketing once the manuscript is finished.”

This is a significant change in the traditional publishing game, in which agents, editors or managers are no longer at the top of the chain when deciding what novel gets published, instead leaving that decision to the traditionally final link: the readers.

In addition, Inkshares also released this year Christopher Huang’s A Gentleman’s Murder, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and it is also in development for television at Endeavor Content with the former heads of HBO and Showtime. Both novels have been licensed by the major houses in foreign territories alongside significant five-figure advances.