Trish Morey - Harlequin romance author

The Acquisitions Process

How does the Harlequin Mills & Boon acquisitions process really work? Trish Morey asked her Editor, Angelina Manzano from HM&B’s Richmond office to explain and then to answer some specific questions from RWA members.

TM: I wonder if you could give us a brief run through of the acquisitions process, from say, picking up a manuscript out of slush to the contract stage?

AM: At the end of 2002, the London, New York and Toronto Harlequin and Silhouette offices integrated into one editorial department and so we share the same goals when looking for new writers and guiding them through to contract.

All our editors are continually on the look-out for fresh talent amongst the many unsolicited manuscripts we receive. Above all, quality of writing is what guides us – the story that grips us from page one, and that keeps us sitting on the edges of our seats until we turn the last page to the ending. Sometimes, a writer can be quite raw, but if she shows promise we will work with her, offering advice and guidance on how to grow her writing, hopefully to the point that she reaches publication standard.

We go to contract on complete, acceptable manuscripts only, so an editor will discuss a book that she wants to buy with the senior editor of the appropriate series, who will also have read it. The aim at this point is to start building the debut author’s career, so the discussion will encompass how her writing fits the marketplace positioning of the series, a scheduling plan and how best she can be developed in future, all of which will be shared with the writer.

Editors have the chance to present new acquisitions at regular meetings with her colleagues in the three editorial offices working on our core series, which take place courtesy of video conferencing facilities! This is a chance to keep abreast of everything being bought for all the Harlequin and Silhouette lines, and to roll out author career strategies.

RWA: Could you ask Angelina why is it sometimes you get an unsigned ‘form letter’ from the acquisitions department? Does this mean your book isn’t good enough to reach an editor’s desk? And who makes this decision? And are they experienced/trained in this major decision-making?

If a ms is rejected with no additional input, is it worth re-working and sending again, or does no mean no?

AM: Harlequin is rare amongst fiction publishers – we read every unsolicited manuscript we receive. We are also unusual in that we offer advice to those writers whose work shows promise.

Unfortunately, we are unable to personally reply to every submission we receive. If you do receive a standard reply, our advice is to do some more reading around the series you’ve aimed for and think about starting afresh on a new synopsis and three chapters.

RWA: I’m not sure whether this relates to the acquisitions process, but I’d like to understand whether ‘fresh voice’ is more important that the guidelines for a category, or vice versa. Sometimes books are published which seem to me completely at odds with the relevant guidelines I read on the HM&B website, which makes it difficult for a prospective author to understand exactly what they’re looking for.

AM: Each of our series is carefully positioned in the marketplace to offer our audience a variety of reading experiences, and it’s important that writers satisfy expectations by meeting the series promise. However, every line is also made great by the range of writing voices it has to offer. Our audience really appreciates their favourite emotional themes when presented by a vibrant voice with fresh twists.

RWA: HM&B have picked up a considerable number of new authors in 2003. Does that mean there are less slots for the next year or so?

AM: Absolutely not. As an acquiring office it is a major part of our job to be constantly on the look out for fresh talent. 2003 has been a wonderful success for us as we have taken on 15 new authors – a great year!

RWA: How can an editor with a dossier of say, 25 authors, find the time to check out the slush and locate a fresh new voice?

AM: We make time. Keeping our series contemporary and refreshed is an important part of an editor’s job.

RWA: What is too long for a response on a partial or full? When, if ever, is it okay to follow up with a phone call?

AM: Once you have sent in your partial manuscript you should hear back from the UK office within three months. If you are unsure whether or not your manuscript has reached us you can ask our receptionist to direct you to our unsolicited manuscripts helpline or email us at Editors@HMB.CO.UK

RWA: Everyone says you can’t submit more than one ms at a time, but everywhere I go, my fellow wannabees are sending 1,2,3 or more mss to the same editor. What’s the protocol and does it really matter if I breach it?

AM: We recommend that you focus on writing one manuscript and then submit it. Though we understand that it’s hard to wait for a decision, you are probably not helping yourself by making multiple submissions. Reaching publication standard is a learning process, and we find it’s more constructive when a writer takes it one at a time, and therefore gives herself space to absorb feedback and deal with the challenges that have been identified. It’s also easier for her to bounce back after one rejection, than it is from several in a short period of time!

RWA: Do you ever advise would-be authors that they are wasting their time submitting to you and please not to submit again?

AM: It isn’t unknown for a writer to have talent but to be aiming her efforts at the wrong genre. If this is the case, we believe our job is to advise her and support her in finding the right home for her work. There are two now very famous women’s fiction writers – one who has found success with chick lit, another with ‘aga sagas’ – who began their careers by trying for Harlequin Mills & Boon, and who took off after we helped them redirect their work.

Above all, we wish to treat those who submit to us with honesty and respect.

Everything You Wanted to Know about Harlequin Mills & Boon (but were afraid to ask!)

The following interview was conducted with (former) editorial assistant Lucy Mukerjee of the London Mills & Boon office in November 2000.

TM: Lucy, can you please begin by explaining the structure of the London editorial team.

LM: Sure. We have four editorial layers: Editorial Assistant; Assistant Editor; Associate Editor and Senior Editor and all of us, whatever the level, work across the entire range of Mills & Boon books.

TM: What’s the best thing about working in the M&B office?

LM: Finding something special when you don’t expect it. When you pick something out of the slush pile from an author you’ve never heard of – there’s definitely a real buzz when you read something that draws you right in.

Otherwise just being involved in the whole process. Helping a novel come out the way the author conceived it. It’s very rewarding.

TM: You mentioned that editors work across the lines. Can you tell immediately where a ms will fit on reading it? What about US lines? – do you recommend books for Sil if it appears they are better suited to the American market?

LM: Yes. Because we read so many manuscripts, we can see immediately where a book fits, even when the author doesn’t know. While we don’t recruit for the US lines, occasionally I will contact a colleague in the US and forward a manuscript on. With email, we now have a close rapport with the Silhouette and Harlequin teams.

TM: Tessa Shapcott, Senior Editor, is responsible in the London office for submissions to the new chick lit imprint, Red Dress Ink. How is that going?

LM: We haven’t had as many submissions as we were expecting. This is probably due to writers not thinking of M&B for such mss. We are looking to get the word out to more writers.

TM: Are M&B actively seeking new authors?

LM: Yes, indeed! As many new, young voices as we can. That’s why we’re always asking for submissions. We’re always looking for that fresh voice. (And by young, that means young in spirit and freshness.)

TM: What storylines/themes are they looking for at the moment? What are the no-go areas if any?

LM: In the Presents series, there are several popular themes. The office romance, the mistress stories in the exotic setting and the sheikh stories are always popular.

No-go areas are those that would cause offence. These are books that are supposed to be upbeat so steer clear of anything that could offend.

TM: How does the editorial team feel about Australian settings and characters? How much of the Australian idiom are they prepared to accept

LM: Many of our most successful authors are Australian, writing about Australian settings and characters. Australian settings, both country and city, are very popular in the UK and in the US. The right amount of the Australian idiom is the amount that doesn’t leave the reader confused or uncertain. The Australian flavour is part of the attraction of the book, as long as it’s not confusing. Editors won’t ask to change anything that is clear.

TM: We’ve recently seen a move in the submissions procedure whereby we can now submit 3 chapters and a synopsis instead of going the QLS route? How has this change come about?

LM: It’s designed to move things along faster and avoid some delays. It’s also very hard to tell from a synopsis just how good the story is. There’s the risk that some good stories will slip through.

TM: About rejections. It appears that there are several "rote" rejections and if the ms falls foul of one of those areas, the appropriate rejection is printed out. There’s the "lacks emotional punch" rejection, the "hero and heroine need to be center stage" and the "unsustainable conflict". How does it really work?

LM: If we can see straight away there is a problem, we’ll make that issue clear in the letter.

If it’s not clear, we’ll go into more depth. Or advise of certain authors to read or even suggest plot changes. Clearly with the volume of submissions we receive however, it’s only possible to do this with those submissions where we see some promise.

TM: One thing that seems to be happening more at the moment, is that writers are being given suggestions to improve the ms, while being asked to submit three chapters or the complete ms. Is this a reflection of submitting writers getting better, or a positive move by the editors to offer more constructive feedback?

LM: I’m glad you noticed this. We are actively seeking new authors and there is a resurgence of enthusiasm in the office in finding new, fresh voices. We are trying to encourage writers we see with promise.

TM: Generally, in what areas do you feel would-be authors need to improve? (QLS, characterisation, plot, sexual tension) What are the biggest "holes".

#1 – finding the right plot for us. It’s very hard to give constructive feedback if it’s the wrong plot, so authors need to research the lines their targeting.

#2 – the opening chapters are very important. It’s imperative the author gets the important information across asap without a chapter on describing the setting or the backstory, because most of the time this isn’t necessary and can be fed in later.

#3 – making sure there is a consistent development of the characters and conflict throughout the story, so the reader can follow and understand as the story unfolds.

TM: Do you look for a particular "voice" or a fresh "voice" and can you define what author voice is?

LM: When you have a number of mss in front of you, you can tell when an quthor is writing in a natural way and it’s just flowing instead of feeling forced. That’s when you enjoy reading it the most.

TM: Recently M&B have taken on Jane Porter into the Sexy line. Her first book, The Italian Groom, shocked a lot of writers over here because of the extreme alpha hero and the way he dominated the heroine. In Christo’s Promise, the hero is still alpha, though less dogmatic. Are these the types of heroes we should be writing more of? Does the Latin hero appeal to a large percentage of the readership?

LM: We were surprised by that reaction because really he’s not so extreme. It just seems that everyone was scrutinizing this book and the characters because Jane Porter is the first writer we’ve taken on in the Sexy line for a long time, yet he’s your normal Presents hero. These Alpha men are very popular with our readers.

And yes, the Latin, Greek, Italian heroes go down very well with our readership.

TM: One thing that stands out about Jane Porter’s books, is the very high percentage of dialogue, much higher than the suggested 60% of a few years ago. Is this a deliberate move by the editors?

LM: Really, we don’t think about it in such a formulaic way. If the dialogue helps to move the story along, then we’re all for it. Different writers work in different ways and we just want the best stories from those writers.

TM: Cathy Yardley’s The Cinderella Solution came out in Australia badged as M&B Sexy this month. This book first appeared as a Duets in the US. We have seen over here Duets come out as Temptations but not usually as M&B Sexy. What does it take to make a romantic comedy fit the Presents line?

LM: M&B has space for eight Presents per month. In that range we have to satisfy a wide group of readers. One reader might prefer the passion of a Miranda Lee, someone else will prefer something lighter. We try to give a range of sensuality to suit the readership.

TM: What is M&B policy on promotional appearances, signings etc for a newly accepted author? Are the authors themselves expected to arrange and attend to this?

LM: This is very much a personal issue for the author. A lot of authors just want to get their story out and keep out of the limelight. Others, like Jane Porter, are happy to promote themselves. M&B will support those authors who wish to do this.

TM: What kind of input do authors have in their covers?

LM: Authors are provided with a specific form to specify the artwork required. There is space to fill in the synopsis, give physical characteristics and other feedback. Some authors will send cuttings from magazines and help as much as they can to get their artwork spot on. Others are less involved in the process. This is one area where M&B are focusing on, to get suitable photographs to match the plot.

TM: Are editors willing to let an author branch out into other M&B/Silhouette lines and is this encouraged?

LM: Yes. If we sense an author wants to or is suited to a different line, we will refer them to an editor for that line. We are interested in our authors being as productive as possible for us, whatever the lines. For some authors, that means three-four books per year. For other authors, maybe one book a year, especially if their work consistently sells well, is fine.

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