Clarity, brevity, and utility were our main goals in updating our mission statement, and our group is incredibly proud of the work we’ve done. In moving towards our values of inclusivity, however, the mission statement is just the first step. Updating our mission statement is at the core of things that Ooligan Press wants to accomplish in terms of shaping literature and the publishing industry, and our work is still cut out for us.
Acquisitions
Getting Published: The Magic of the First Page
By Sarah Moffatt
According to Michael Shymanski, one of Ooligan’s Acquisitions Managers, think of your first page as the reader’s initial impression, much like “meeting your friend’s spouse for the first time.” First impressions can be insignificant, even disastrous, or they can be absolute magic. If the magic is there, an editor will know it immediately.
Competitive Pitching
By Amanda Fink @_cecilia_mae_
If you’re looking for a fun way to get your manuscript out in the world, check out #PitMad, a Twitter event put on by the organizers of Pitch Wars.
Community Outreach to Find Hidden Gems
By Jennifer Ladwig and Michael Shymanski
Ooligan Press receives many unsolicited submissions through our Submittable from authors all over the world looking to get their books published. Despite the traffic our Submittable receives, there are times where the works we have received do not provide the press with the manuscripts we need. This is where community outreach comes into play.
#PitMad: Your Quick Ticket to Pub
By Michael Shymanski
For many new writers, the question is how to break in, get an agent, and get published. Authors can go many months—which can compound to years—without hearing about their manuscripts. How can a writer get noticed and noticed fast? How do you break in without connections? Like with all contemporary remedies, the internet has a hand in getting new authors noticed, and #PitMad is the quarterly Twitter event to get your manuscript picked up and published.
The How and Why of Mission Statements
By Jennifer Ladwig and Michael Shymanski
With millions upon millions of people in the United States who think they have the next New York Times best seller, how can a publishing company find the diamond in the rough? What can a publishing house do to ensure they are receiving submissions for books they actually can and want to publish? The most effective way a publishing house can convey this information to an author is through the company’s mission statement.