It's a Different World for 21st-Century Writers

Aspiring writers treasure the stories of famously rejected books that made it big: Alex Haley’s epic Roots, the Pulitzer-Prize winning Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, Stephen King’s Carrie, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, and even J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, to name a few. But today, soaring numbers of manuscript submissions decrease writers’ chances of being discovered. Today’s publishers are increasingly challenged to thoroughly review manuscripts. Providing critical feedback to writers is an afterthought. Inundated acquisitions staffs skim through towers of text, summarily rejecting most manuscripts with a form letter. Industry insiders admit that, in this environment, talented works are slipping through the cracks.

The Queue helps writers navigate the changing world of 21st century publishing:

1. Q‑Critiques

The Queue helps writers improve and refine their work with rigorous, professional diagnostic critiques from highly-qualified editors. An experienced Q‑Editor thoughtfully reads a writer’s entire manuscript—every single page. Authors receive a written, industry-level diagnostic and a personal consultation that details how to improve their manuscript and its marketability. We are dedicated to improving the literary quality and publication potential of every manuscript we receive.

2. The Queue

The Queue draws attention to superb manuscripts—including those that might otherwise go unrecognized by mainstream publishers. Our Advisory Board awards a place On Queue to the best manuscripts that undergo a Q‑Critique—regardless of genre or commercial potential.

Once these manuscripts are "queued," we circulate them to fellow publishers. Our goal is to see good writing published.

3. Q‑Tools

Web pages, e-manuscripts, and other products and services. Q-Tools are resources for literary inspiration and advice, technological assistance and more. These include additional for-pay services.