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Editors, agents, writers, producers, and readers browse our site nearly 700,000 times each year! Writers get read! Get evaluated! Get seen! Find essential information. New, simple, fast!
No doubt about it, the publishing industry is going digital! And in the crowded online marketplace, authors need a place where they can achieve the broadest possible industry exposure for their projects. Authorlink.com, one of the largest and longest running online marketplaces for writers, provides a well organized, centralized place for authors to display short descriptions of their work and their credentials to the many editors, agents, and producers who visit our site, and to elicit responses from interested publishing professionals. Authorlink receives more than 700,000 unique visitors per year. Almost all are publishing industry professionals and avid readers. Thousands of editors, publishers, producers, and agents browse our site daily for news, information, and book promotions.
Your project description is "always on," 24/7 at Authorlink. And if you sell a work as a result of making the right connection here, you owe us nothing beyond your membership fee.
The Authorlink marketplace provides authors with the opportunity to have their project descriptions browsed by a wide audience of editors and agents who regularly visit the site. Our members have been highly successful in connecting with editors, publishers, producers, and agents. Many have been published by Berkley (Penguin Putnam), Harlequin, John Wiley & Sons, Carol Publishing Group, St. Martin's Press, Random House, Simon & Schuster, and others.
Authorlink.com, the marketplace, is not a literary agency, though we do own a separate full-service agency which works by referrals only. In the Authorlink marketplace, you are paying for the space to display your works to a highly targeted audience of editors and agents. That distinction is important because agencies are not allowed to charge fees. Our separate literary agency does not charge up front fees and earns only the industry standard agency fee on actual sales. The agency, Authorlink Literary Group, keeps a low profile, and accepts only one to two writers per year in specialized categories. To avoid any conflict of interest, the Literary Group rarely, if ever, represent authors from our marketplace. So, just remember, there's a difference between the two divisions.
Membership Types and Services
Submit online! Pay online!
Get online exposure to major publishers, editors, and agents 24/7!
Book Pitches (for unpublished works, inquiries monitored)
Writer's Registry (for published or unpublished works, inquiries directly to author)
Mini Membership, which provides access only to our full archives
Each membership is priced per listing type. To choose more than one membership type, sign up for the first one and wait until it is live in the system, then log in to your MY ACCOUNT and ADD services.
Book/Film/TV Pitches A single listing per title of an unpublished work. All inquiries funneled through Authorlink to filter out any inappropriate requests.
BOOK/FILM/TV PITCHES is for serious writers who know that professionally presented work has a higher chance of being considered by traditional editors and agents. Most major publishers accept submissions only from agents. That now includes many reputable e-book publishers as well. Editors typically discard unagented author submissions and rarely visit individual authors' web sites. That's why our central marketplace is essential to attracting interest in your work--especially in this online age.
Here's what is included in a Book Pitches membership:
Full-page listing of your manuscript or screenplay query in BOOK/FILM/TV PITCHES section.
Including:
up to 7,500 words of your manuscript. No monitoring for skill levels. Editors, publishers, producers, and agents browse on their own and decide if they want to see more!
100-word synopsis
50-word bio
optional photo or graphic (additional fee)
A brief, partial read of your manuscript or screenplay and short comments from our professional evaluators, FREE with membership.This 15- to 30-word assessment of your material based on a partial (not a full) read of your pitch helps you see how your work compares to that of hundreds of other aspiring writers.
Initial screening of any editors or agents who respond (Pitches only). Only legitimate respondents are sent to you or your designated agent.
Possible "Feature" designation on your listing. If "Featured," your listing automatically goes into our Direct Links program and a link for your query is e-mailed to editors and agents who have opted in to the program.
A page-counter tracks your own page views 24/7. Log in to MY ACCOUNT to monitor your activity
Five FREE revisions of your listing. A small fee applies for each additional round of revision beyond five.
E-mail access to our editors for brief questions, including guidance on the e-book marketplace.
Plus Complete Access to These Sections Via Your ID and Password:
Searchable Literary Agency and Publisher Databases, complete with e-mails and the categories each agent accepts. Match your project to the right agent.
Book Reviews
Articles, how-to tips, and news--updated regularly, plus thousands of new and archived items.
Profiles of independent presses (coming soon).
Get immediate access to the site and MY ACCOUNT upon credit card approval or receipt of payment. PLEASE NOTE: Your manuscript or screenplay listing is immediate. Your free evaluation requires one to two weeks from online receipt of materials and payment for processing before appearing in your MY ACCOUNT box.
How Does the Process Work? What Results Can You Expect?
Authorlink helps make the initial connection between you and the editor or agent. When a request is sent by an editor or agent to Authorlink we immediately notify you by e-mail (preferred), or by phone. You, then, send the requesting party a short e-mail letting them know when to expect arrival of your manuscript or screenplay or sample chapters. (Additional information about this editor or agent usually can be obtained upon request or by browsing the hidden agency directory, accessed by a special password you have assigned in your ACCOUNT information.) When you've made the contact, you keep Authorlink closely informed about your progress with the editor or agent so that we can keep accurate records of our successes.
Authorlink is not a panacea for all writers, but we have been most successful in signing writers with literary agents and publishers. A writer who submits to us should have a realistic view of the marketplace. Many of our writers do receive requests while others do not. This could be due to a variety of reasons, including title, quality of writing, market interest in the subject and other factors.
Free Page Counter Tracks Your Results
You can track your own page hits FREE. When you become an Authorlink writer you can automatically (and privately) view your page hits just by signing in and selecting "View Counter" from your personal account menu. Most writers can expect to receive from 15-50 page hits per month. The page counter won't tell you WHO is visiting, but it will indicate the level of interest in your title and topic. The counter is cumulative from your start date. We strongly suggest you make a daily, weekly or monthly log of your own and write down the numbers as they accumulate.
Quick Response Time
You will receive an immediate online confirmation that we have received your Account information and online synopsis/resume/excerpt. From that date we receive your online materials and your payment, we require approximately 10-15 working days to evaluate the work. We notify you of the evaluation results via e-mail. If accepted, your listing will go live on Authorlink. Then you wait for a request. That's the hard part. Some writers receive editor/agent requests within 48 hours, others wait 6-12 months. If an editor or agent requests your work, they will e-mail Authorlink directly, and we, in turn, will immediately notify you in the form of a personal e-mail from an Authorlink editor.
The Difference Between Book/Film/TV Pitches and Writers' Registry
The BOOK PITCHES section is designed for unpublished works. The author receives a brief professional evaluation of the work. Here, Authorlink monitors requests sent to the author for authenticity. We make every reasonable effort to screen manuscript requests for legitimacy and professionalism of the requesting party. The author responds to a requesting editor or agent only if he or she wants to do so. The author's privacy is maintained. WRITERS' REGISTRY, on the other hand, enables direct contact between anyone who visits Authorlink and the writer. The Pitches section is based upon a per-manuscript listing, while the Registry may list brief descriptions of several projects and have a direct link to the author's web site.
Your submission must be complete before we can process your application. Please fill out all fields
You must have e-mail to effectively use our service.
A four-month non-refundable period becomes effective upon submission of your listing. You may elect to make the listing inactive any time, though billing may continue for this period.
It is not possible for us to control all exposure that takes place on the Internet. We never ask you to place the full manuscript on the site, only a short query. However, that query may be cached by search engines such as Google, over which we may have little control.
The site is monitored by humans for compliance with our rules (no pornography, no extreme violence, no poetry). Those who do not comply will be removed immediately. We have the right to refuse service to anyone at any time.
You must own the rights to the material to which your listing refers.
Never submit a full manuscript to us, queries only!
If sending a payment drawn on a foreign bank (located outside the USA) you MUST add $25 to the fee for bank processing. No submission will be processed without the correct fee.
Submission Guidelines and Mechanical Specifications
Eligible Works and Length Requirements
Finished fiction in any listed genre (incomplete fiction is NOT eligible). Minimum length: 60,000 words.
Finished nonfiction. Minimum length: 50,000 words (See Formal Book Proposal requirement below).
Children/Young Adult. Length ranges from a few hundred words to 5,000-6,000 words. (If very short, limit your excerpt to 50-100 words.)
Biography/Memoir. Minimum length: 60,000 words (Formal Book Proposal not required).
Film/TV Scripts. 90-120 pages in screenplay format.
Note: Poetry and short stories are not accepted at this time. Short story collections are acceptable, though harder to sell.
Formal Nonfiction Book Proposal must be submitted regardless of whether the manuscript is finished or in progress. The following elements will go in your online book proposal submission: 100-word synopsis, 7,500-word sample chapter or table of contents plus sample chapter (collectively up to 7,500 words), and 50-words about the author. However, you should complete the following items for your project before applying for membership so that they are ready for you to submit to an editor or agent should you receive a request for your project. These off-line items include:
Chapter-by-chapter outline in paragraph form (usually about 5-6 pages)
1-3-page synopsis
Table of contents
Chapter-by-chapter description in paragraph form
1-3 page market analysis (audience, similar books, and how yours differs)
One to two sample chapters
1/2-to 2-page author resume
Any relevant press clippings
Note: It is also necessary to complete the shorter synopsis/excerpt/resume and submit it online with your new account information, in addition to the book proposal.
Preparing Your File Formats for Online Submission
From your favorite word processing program, upload your synopsis, excerpt and author bio into the appropriate boxes on the Authorlink signup form.
Do NOT MAIL ANY MATERIALS. All submissions are now online! NEVER SEND THE FULL MANUSCRIPT.
If submitting a photo or art, the file must be under 1MB in size and may not be larger than 3"x5". Place it in a gif or .jpg format, e-mail attach to admin@authorlink.com. In your cover note please provide your name, title of work, phone and e-mail.
Do NOT compress the graphic file.
No paper manuscript or screenplays, please!
Review your submission online by navigating to your own page and print out a copy of that page for your records. We are not responsible for keeping copies of your records.
Be sure you proofread your online submission BEFORE submitting. Author changes made after five revisions require an additional fee per each round of revisions.
Again, do not mail anything to Authorlink. All submissions and payments are handled online. Paper submissions will be rejected and materials destroyed.
Submission Checklist
Submit online account information and your listing (synopsis/7,500-word excerpt/resume). Get an online confirmation message.
Print a copy of your submission for your records.
DO NOT MAIL a submission to Authorlink.
If sending a payment drawn on a foreign bank (located outside the USA) you MUST add $25 to the fee for bank processing. No submission will be processed without the correct fee.
1. Is the Authorlink BOOK/FILM/TV PITCHES Effective?
Authorlink BOOK/FILM/TV PITCHES is an effective alternative to dying, unread slush piles and the crowded social networks. We are focused on two things--helping you get your work seen by professionals, and guiding you in improving your craft.
Hundreds of writers have found agency representation through Authorlink within the past several years, and nearly one-fourth of them have gone on to become published authors. Compared to traditional selling channels and the typical slush piles, Authorlink provides one of the best opportunities to get one's work seen and sold in the legitimate world of publishing.
Accepted writers receive a full page listing in BOOK/FILM/TV PITCHES, containing a brief synopsis, excerpt and resume of the manuscript or screenplay. The page contains an editor/agent manuscript or screenplay request form where professionals can easily request the work via Authorlink.com. Authorlink then notifies the writer of the request. The writer can track how many times the work has been viewed through his or her personal account.
To be accepted, the manuscript or screenplay undergoes a brief, free Authorlink evaluation, only for determining whether the material is suitable for posting on our site. We do not accept poetry, pornographic material, or material that may be considered to incite violence. The evaluation is a 15- to 30-word assessment of your material based on a partial (not a full) read and helps you see how your work compares to that of hundreds of other aspiring writers. The evaluators' comments, sent to you via private e-mail, offer helpful insights on what elements need more work. Again, our Book/Film/Screenplay Pitches evaluations are only for the purpose of acceptability for posting on our site. However, the evaluation can be invaluable to you as a writer in a competitive marketplace—whether or not you succeed in finding an editor or agent through Authorlink. The fee we charge is for your listed advertisement on our site.
Not all Authorlink writers receive editor/agent/producer requests. Among the many reasons are lack of market interest, poor preparation, an unsuitable subject, or the quality of the writing.
2. What Makes Authorlink Unique?
Unlike similar showcase services, BOOK/FILM/TV PITCHES does more than idly post your work in a come-one-come-all environment on the Internet. Authorlink aggressively markets our writers' work, both online and offline, through:
Facebook, Myspace and Twitter (we have a total more more than 6,000 friends, including agents and publishers)
Periodic direct mailings per year to editors and agents
Presence at many writers' conferences per year
Personal contact (2-3 trips to New York per year)
The Internet and other channels
Book-related media contacts
Direct Authorlink queries by our staff to editors and agents for selected writers only. Note: You must be chosen by our editors for this additional service.
We continually update our database to reflect changes in publishers' and agents' needs. We are committed to getting our writers seen by as many editors and agents as possible.
3. How long does it take for me to receive my evaluation, and how can I find it?
While your listing appears immediately upon completion of your transaction, we require one to two weeks from your submission date to provide evaluation comments. You can access these comments by logging in in the top right corner of our site with your ID and password, clicking MY ACCOUNT in the same log in box and scrolling to the evaluation comments.
4. How Does the Authorlink Process Work?
Easy Online Sign-Up
Open your account online and choose the BOOK PITCHES or WRITERS' REGISTRY section. Fill in the Sign Up form. PLEASE NOTE: You must have an e-mail address to work with our system.
Upload your material following the steps on the form, including short synopsis, manuscript excerpt or screenplay excerpt, and resume (the way you want your online listing to appear). Pick your desired category. Complete the remainder of the form as appropriate.We accept material by electronic upload via our membership forms. We no longer accept mailed material.
Print a copy of the form for your records.
All transactions are by e-commerce. Pay securely by credit card online, or by Paypal. In the event you need to manually send us credit card information, never do so by e-mail! Securely fax or phone the information to us. Refer to our contacts page.
Here's How We Work
You will receive a confirmation message on the submission screen that the online system has received your application.
Your payment will be processed via our e-commerce system.
If approved, your brief synopsis, excerpt, and author resume are posted on the site for review by interested editors and agents.
The evaluators' comments are privately e-mailed to you when your MY ACCOUNT area within one to two weeks of activation.
If chosen by our editors, a 'Featured" tag will automatically appear on your listing.If featured, a link will automatically go to editors, agents, and/or producers on our opt in list and you will be notified when this is done. It make take several months for your name to come up on our Direct Links list for distribution.
Use your private online account to track how many visitors view your page—a good indication of the level of interest in your topic and title.
We notify you by personal e-mail if an editor or agent makes a request for your manuscript or screenplay. You, in turn, send the work to the requesting party, so you're always in control of where the manuscript or screenplay goes.
Submit as many additional works as you'd like through your online account. Note that Book/Film/TV Pitches fees are "per manuscript" listed.
Agented writers are encouraged to participate, since many major publishing houses visit our site. Inquiries can be forwarded either to the writer or to the agent, as you choose.
5. What Is the Fee for a Book/FILM/TV Pitches Listing?
The fee for a PITCHES membership is $180 per year if billed at $15 monthly, or $165 if billed annually. There is NO reading fee, and no other charge will be made if you sell the work. Membership is non-cancelable and non-refundable for the first four months from the date of activation. If membership is rejected for any reason, a processing fee of $60 (4-months' membership fee) will be retained and any balance in excess of that amount will be refunded. Those not accepted into the Pitches may opt to list in the Writers' Registry.
Authorlink depends upon small listing fees, advertising sponsorships and publishers' and producers' cooperation to provide this valuable service. For our FULL MEMBERSHIP fees see JOIN.
6. Will My Authorlink Listing Prohibit Me From Marketing My Work Elsewhere?
Absolutely not! Authorlink encourages our writers to maintain the broadest possible exposure to editors and agents. Publishers vary widely in the types of books they publish. What's just right for one publisher's list may not fit another.
7. What Is Authorlink Press?
Authorlink Press is the traditional book publishing imprint of Authorlink. Our high-quality titles are released in trade paperback and hardcover formats, and are printed in small traditional runs. A few of our titles are released as print-on-demand and are printed one-off when the customer requests a title. Orders are shipped to the bookseller or customer within 48 hours. We work with major distributors. We are not a subsidy or "vanity" house. Authors selected for publication are paid industry-standard royalties.
All Authorlink Press titles are available through major bookstores and online booksellers everywhere. Our titles are aggressively marketed to booksellers, libraries, and book-related entities, both online and offline. In addition, our publishing imprint strives to prove a market for our titles, then sell the works "up" to larger houses.
8. How Can I Have My Work Considered for Publication by Authorlink Press?
Authorlink Press publishes about 10 or fewer titles per year. At this time, we give priority consideration to writers who are actively listed on Authorlink. If we are interested in your work for Authorlink Press, our editors will communicate directly with you via phone or e-mail within 45 days after your listing is posted. This gives other editors and agents the first chance to show interest. The wide variety of editors and agents who browse our site maximizes your chance to be seen and published in today's crowded marketplace. If you do not hear from us within that time period, you can assume we were unable to publish your work in-house.
Authorlink's close, established relationships with editors and agents throughout the US and abroad, give us an opportunity to later sell your book "up" to a larger house, if it is accepted for publication by Authorlink Press.
9. What is Authorlink Literary Group
Authorlink Literary Group is an entirely separate unit owned by Authorlink.com. ALG operates as a traditional literary agency. We sign only one to two clients per year and generally operate only on referral. We do not usually consider unsolicited queries. We do not charge any up front fees to clients. We earn standard agency commissions for work sold. We keep a very low profile, seldom advertising ourselves.
10. How do I submit my project and pay for my listing on Authorlink.com, the marketplace?
Just click JOIN in the menu bar of www.authorlink.com and follow the easy steps.
Apply for your new PITCHES Membership account online. Fill in the SIGN UP form. (Registered users simply log in with ID and password from the top of the page.) PLEASE NOTE: You must have an e-mail address to work with our system.
Upload your material following the steps on the form, including short synopsis, manuscript excerpt or screenplay excerpt, and resume (the way you want your online listing to appear). Pick your desired category. Complete the remainder of the form as appropriate.We now prefer electronic upload of material, not mailed material.
Print a copy of the form for your records. If paying by credit card, fill in the credit card form and PRINT out the confirmation for your records. Don't send credit card information via e-mail. Use our secure online system.
SUBMIT your online form. No mailed information is required. All transactions are processed by e-commerce. Your online submission will be processed ONLY after your credit card payment has been approved.
Your payment will be processed automatically online by our e-commerce system. You will receive a confirmation.
Legal and Financial Policies
Limits of Liability
Authorlink makes every effort to operate on the highest professional standards, however, total liability is limited to the dollar amount of the contract or listing fee. We do not accept liability for direct or indirect loss or damage of any nature, including, but not limited to, typographical errors or copyright infringements. Because of the open nature of the Internet, there is a potential for text from this site to be copied by third parties without our permission, knowledge, or control. By applying for the service, the author and/or agent attests that he or she owns legal rights to the material and indemnifies Authorlink from all legal liability.
Your submission must be complete before we can process your application. Please fill out all fields
You must have e-mail to effectively use our service.
A four-month non-refundable period becomes effective upon submission of your listing. You may elect to make the listing inactive any time, though billing may continue for this period.
It is not possible for us to control all exposure that takes place on the Internet. We never ask you to place the full manuscript on the site, only a short query. However, that query may be cached by search engines such as Google, over which we may have little control.
The site is monitored by humans for compliance with our rules (no pornography, no extreme violence, no poetry). Those who do not comply will be removed immediately. We have the right to refuse service to anyone at any time.
You must own the rights to the material to which your listing refers.
Never submit a full manuscript to us, queries only!
If sending a payment drawn on a foreign bank (located outside the USA) you MUST add $25 to the fee for bank processing. No submission will be processed without the correct fee.
Refunds, Renewals, Cancellations, Revisions
NON-REFUNDABLE: Submission of an application form is a commitment to list for a minimum of 4 months, and is non-refundable for that period. You are under no obligation to continue thereafter.If your listing is not accepted, we will refund your monthly listing fee for any amount in excess of the four-month period. However, the four-month fee, totaling $60, will be retained by Authorlink for membership processing.
RENEWAL IF PAID BY CREDIT CARD: Your membership will be automatically renewed on the anniversary date UNLESS YOU CANCEL by logging in to MY ACCOUNT and choosing CANCEL. You will receive a notice when your credit card is charged. If your credit card is declined, our payment processor will notify you. You will have ten days from the date of notice to enter a valid credit card into MY ACCOUNT. Failure to do so will result in automatic removal from the site.
RENEWAL NOTICE: You will receive an automatic e-mail notice to renew your membership. If payment is not received in our offices within 10 days after notification, your listing will be removed from the site. Renewal requests received after this time are considered "new listings" and must be re-submitted for reinstatement. If your membership has not yet expired, you can renew your membership by going to MY ACCOUNT and follow the steps. If your listing has already expired, you may mail in your request and payment, as you will not be able to access your account.
REVISION IF YOU PAID BY CREDIT CARD: The first five modifications made by you after your listing is posted online are free. The system will automatically calculate those rounds of revision. Thereafter, your card will automatically be charged at $15 per round of revision thereafter. Errors made by us will be promptly corrected at no charge. To revise your listing simply go to your Personal Account Menu and follow the steps.
Errors made by us will be promptly corrected at no charge. To revise your listing simply go to your MY ACCOUNT Menu and follow the steps.
We reserve the right to refuse any submission.
Renewal Dates and Fees
Your renewal date is posted at the bottom of your listed page, on the copyright line, in the following format: (ex:021007), or 2008, October 7. Your account will AUTOMATICALLY be charged on your anniversary date and you will receive an e-mail notice.
To renew or revise your listing:
Go to your Personal Account Menu (MY ACCOUNT), and select what you want to do.
If paying by credit card your account will be charged on the basis of whether you are renewing or revising (first five rounds of revisions are free) your listing.
When your card charges are approved, we'll match it with the renewal/revision form, we'll update your listing, and make corrections within about ten working days.
Revising Your Listing
Revision Fees:
5 rounds of revision=FREE Each additional round of revisions thereafter requires a fee =$15 Changing a category, considered one round of revision=$15
Sending Payments and Adding Taxes
If you pay by credit card AND you live in Texas, your credit card will automatically be charged state sales tax.
If you live in Texas WE MUST add state sales tax (the renewal amount X .0825.) If you live anywhere else you do NOT have to add tax.
To help us serve you faster when corresponding with us by e-mail or mail, please include your full name, complete contact information, title of your work, and your reference number (if one has been assigned to you). Thanks!
When you correspond with Authorlink by e-mail or regular mail, be SURE to include your real name, your pen name, title of the work, and your reference number, if one has been assigned. This will help us serve you faster. Thanks.
