Status QuoScript

QuoScript is a new publishing house with several imprints.

‘In its first year, QuoScript will publish crime fiction, in the QuoScript Poisoned Chalice imprint, and young adult novels, in the QuoScript Tusk imprint,’ explained co-publisher Linda Bennett. ‘From the start we are also hosting the Hope and Plum range of titles – these are a mixture of fiction, children’s books and contemporary nonfiction – and will soon also be hosting novels for DoubleA Publishing, a small independent publisher that focuses on promoting Ukrainian writers in translation. The main QuoScript imprint will be used for literary fiction and non-fiction as we branch out. We may introduce some new imprints, too.’

QuoScript officially launched on 1 November.

‘We have been setting up the supply chain for most of the summer,’ said Linda. ‘We are fortunate to have the support of both Ingram and Print Force as trading partners; together they have enabled us to create a robust and sustainable workflow.’

QuoScript is owned by a small group of colleagues who together have worked in the publishing industry for many years. ‘Each of us has different skills and areas of expertise,’ said Linda. ‘We had been discussing setting up a new publishing venture for some time. The first post-Covid lockdown was the catalyst that made us start working on it more seriously. Many publishers have halted or cut down their publication programmes for this year and next and some agents aren’t accepting any new work, either. We wanted to give authors – both new and established – more of a chance of getting their work published. We also want to provide more help and advice than authors sometimes get from either publishers or agents.’

QuoScript will publish not fewer than ten titles in the first year, through the Poisoned

Chalice and Tusk imprints, and keep on increasing that figure in subsequent years. ‘We may even be able to publish more than ten titles in the first year, but we won’t spread ourselves too thinly – we want to do our very best for each of our authors.’ said Linda. ‘With our partner publishers, we anticipate there will be 35-50 titles available through

QuoScript by this time next year.’

It is early days for QuoScript but there are ambitious plans for future development. ‘As I’ve mentioned, eventually we hope to commission some literary fiction and trade non-fiction,’ said Linda. ‘Two of us have a strong background in academic publishing, and we’re very interested in publishing academic monographs, possibly using alternative business models, such as Open Access. For now it is important that we focus on Poisoned Chalice and Tusk and work hard for our first authors. We have already commissioned two books and there is a third strong contender in the pipeline.’

Submissions are welcomed. ‘We are inviting prospective authors to send a synopsis of their novel, sample chapters and a covering letter, initially, as

I’ve said, in the crime fiction and YA genres,’ said Linda. ‘If we think submissions look promising, we will invite the author to send the whole book – so ideally authors should have written the entire novel, or be close to completing it, before they send to us. We will not make any offers until we have read the entire MS, but we don’t want the whole work as the initial submission.

QuoScript are looking for writing of a very high standard.’We are about quality, quality, quality!’ said Linda. ‘We have no preconceived ideas – we invite authors from all backgrounds, and writing on all topics within our debut genres, to submit. If we think their work is promising but needs extra help, we will provide this.’

QuoScript published in paperback and ebook, with the hope of publishing hardback editions in the future. Authors are offered individual contracts and paid royalties.

Website: www.quoscript.co.uk •

QuoScript is running an adult crime fiction and YA fiction novel writing competition. The winning entry will be selected by QuoScript and offered a publishing contract provided that at least one entry is of the required standard. Two runners-up will be offered advice and support on how to making their writing more publishable. This will take the form of a telephone ‘author surgery’ call.

The competition is open to published and unpublished authors.

To enter, submit the first chapter, a synopsis and a covering letter including author information.

State clearly whether your novel is adult crime fiction or YA, and include ‘Writing Competition’ in the subject line of the email.

Entry is free.

The closing date is 28 February.

Details: email: books@quoscript.co.uk