Where to send a thriller/serial killer story manuscript?

Sorry for posting a question thread, but I need help.

I've completed my first finished novel and I'm unsure of where to send the manuscript. I know that certain publishing companies do certain stories, and the most common cause for rejection is that the book doesn't correspond with the company's usual published works, so I need to know who would be most likely to accept a manuscript for a thriller.

This thriller is fast paced, psychological, raunchy, and gory. It's some odd combination of murder mystery, romance, psychological horror, and drama.

Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

Idk wish I could help you, but I will wish you the beat of luck. I'll be in the same boat as you soon. If you find something please post it.

There are a ton of resources on various writers pages, or in writers magazines. Basically you have to send it to a publisher, and only 1 publisher, as most will not take submissions which are submitted to multiple places at the same time. You wait for the pink sheet, a rejection slip, once you get your first one you find the next place and continue on. Expect many rejections.

After 200 or so you might get published. Or in the case of JK Rowling she got Harry Potter published on the 13th try I think?

a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX

First... Don't send without copyrighting it first.... 2nd...each location-company has submission requirements and correct editing and submission guidelines.

Lots of goods place from member replies below. Just follow all submission or not-accepting guidelines.

Good luck!

MS
Published Author

a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX

Hollywood?

If it has horror slasher movie potential and well written with something fresh espesh!

Self publishing and selling through Amazon.

Check out which publishers specialise in this genre.

I love a good horror story. Quality horror novels and movies are hard to come by. Stephen King is a master and even he doesn't get it right all the time.

Horror is an interesting genre. I'm a pacifist, but horror and psychological are my favourite genres alongside science fiction. It has to be intelligent and original to really grab my attention. Horror is actually quite beneficial for the psyche. It does toughen us up for life some. I have found it to be very useful in toughening up my oversensitivity.

It really does serve a purpose.

Good luck.

Find a literary agent that specializes in locating new authors.

a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX

Yeah make sure you have a copywright and I always take one extra step.

I mail myself a copy of the manuscript with a date/time, photo of me holding the work, prior to sending it to anybody and I leave it in the sealed envelope I get it in.

Once you've done that, you can send it to any publishing house. I would field as many as you can.

!Tenth

Have to add that you may wish to contact the publishing house first to ensure that they do accept unsolicited manuscripts, as many will not these days. Those that do not may request that you send a synopsis (which is good to have even if they do accept unsolicited work). Again, plenty of resources on making a good synopsis that will build interest in the complete work, so I won't go into that.

As copyright law goes, the process really depends on where you are. In Canada, I've heard that doing the "snail-mail to yourself and not opening the package" is sufficient to prove intellectual property, and will work in cases of theft of your work... but I've not recently tried to use that.

a reply to: CrikeyMagnet

The mail to oneself... or poor man's copyright no longer holds in court... If you insist.... Please go with both.

MS
Published Author

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Really it doesn't?

Huh?

That's interesting.

~Tenth

originally posted by: tothetenthpower
a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX

Yeah make sure you have a copywright and I always take one extra step.

I mail myself a copy of the manuscript with a date/time, photo of me holding the work, prior to sending it to anybody and I leave it in the sealed envelope I get it in.

Once you've done that, you can send it to any publishing house. I would field as many as you can.

!Tenth

What you did is a waste of time as that is not a legal for of protecting yourself. Anyone can open a letter ad re seal it and also alter photos. But if you are in the Uk, you are in luck as copyright is automatically issued to you on when you write/draw/sculpt etc... anything.

a reply to: tothetenthpower

Correct sir... Had an issue of losing $11,000 and all future royalties that way... Plus all attorney fees....

MS

PS And $11,000 of my co-authors royalties as well.... All total around $30,000....and the rights....

a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX
Just what the world needs is more psychotic killer crap. I hope your trash never gets published!

Geez... maybe I'd be better off self publishing.

But this story is my baby, and I want it getting publicity.

Thanks everyone. I submitted it to be approved for copyright, but since the application was free, I don't know if it's the "poor man's copyright" and I don't know how official it is.

I have a list of publishers for this genre that I'll send the manuscript to once I legally own my own work. Can I really not send it to more than one place at a time? If I'm expected to get a lot of rejection before I get any success, I have to send it to multiple places. I don't have all the time in the world.

originally posted by: Enochstask
a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX
Just what the world needs is more psychotic killer crap. I hope your trash never gets published!

Wow, you've never even read a sentence of my story.

Spoilers; the killer was driven to be a killer because of so many people getting away with injustices in society, so he takes it upon himself to enact justice. The main characters, including the father who is an ex-Navy SEAL, all feel the same way but spend the story protecting one another with their lives.

There's a moral to it.

People ARE allowed to write raunchy material and keep a sense of love and morality intact while doing so. Take your judgement and shove it.

a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX

The form is free....the copyright costs a registration fee. They vary: music, literature etc....

a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX

Well said. Give 'em Hell, Malone!

a reply to: XxNightAngelusxX

Do not register the copyright yourself if you want to pursue publication with one of the big houses. They will register it for you. You only have to do it yourself if you self publish or go with an e-publisher.

Honestly, if this is a first novel and you haven't been with a critique group or beta readers to help you craft-wise, you may want to go that route before pursuing an agent/editor. If you're sure the book is ready for the big time look and see who publishers or represents thriller novels.

i wrote a book about a murderer that will become a serial as i write more. i published it on smashwords.
you could try that.
if it is formatted correctly it will also go into a few online stores. mine was on barnes and noble for a while.
you can set your price and allow a preview. it uploads to pdf, epub, and mobi.
so far i have only written the 1 but i have others planned.

I have a friend who's always reading through it and giving me pointers, and I've recently asked a group of facebook authors to do the same with another story of mine, although I think a lot of them are more interested in having fun giving critiques than actually giving me something constructive as criticism. Nonetheless, my friend and I are constantly building off of each other, and I've been writing freelance for years as it is.

I already use smashwords. I've got a couple of novelettes and short stories published online, but this book is something more important to me than those smaller stories. This is the one I want to see the light of day.

Thanks everyone.