#authors if i've mislabeled please let me know!!

[syoddeye]

more reading recs

because one post isn't enough. we are hashtag blessed with fic.

as requested, i've highlighted fics with noncon and/or dubcon elements in orange. beyond that, you are responsible for reading tags, warnings, and summaries.

pairings are indicated, although these may change or may not be established yet.

there is no method to this madness, no specific order. these are listed here as my brain remembered them.

i've checked all the links maybe three times, if they're broken, i blame tumblr's formatting.

without further ado...

Slasher Handler by @dragonnarrative-writes - Ghost x Reader

"Simon does serial killer things. What a rascal!" Another fantastically written Simon, with wonderful dashes of Gaz and Price. It's put the term 'romance knives' in my vocabulary. There are many quotable bits and moments that made my blood run cold with how normal the ~situation~ feels, but everything has to be experienced firsthand.

The Far Shore by @deadbranch - Soap x Reader

DB's fic collection is rich, and The Far Shore is no different. I fucking loved Pacific Rim, so when I saw her first mention a PR AU, I did imaginary backflips. DB's Readers are some of my favorites because of how complex and realistic they feel, and when combined with the visceral depth of the neural handshake AND Soap? Compelling. The dynamic between them is fascinating. I almost can't wait for it to be finished so I can go back and dissect it.

Falling into Place by @mortuarywriting

Morg's brought the first COD Isekai AU I've read, like a little treat, with A/B/O to boot. The first chapter hooked me and cracked me up. Their dialogue reads so well, it truly feels like I got sucked into the universe. The panicked ramblings, the over-explanation, the 'oh shit, we don't even have a shared cultural touchstone' moments. I cannot wait for more.

Carvings by @femalefemur - Price x Reader

Cyn's got this amazing thing going on called 'Top Quality Worms' where she takes me by the hand and leads me down a rabbit hole I didn't know I'd find so cozy. Carvings is one piece from her incredible list, featuring a bloody, possessive Captain Price. Somehow, out of this entire piece, Price snapping a pen really did it for me. Did someone say loss of control? Oh no, not my kryptonite!

Under Your Spell by @groguspicklejar - Gaz x Reader x Soap

This fic had me at the pairing tag. Lured me right in. No hope for me, and I'm not mad about it. The way Gaz and Soap play off of each other in Under Your Spell is spine-tingling in more ways than one. The definition of scaroused. Kelsi writes a wonderful Gaz. The first two paragraphs in part two, Split My Skin, describe him perfectly to me.

Chokehold by @ccrites - Soap x Reader

Chokehold is a chef's kiss read. Starts off as a cute and sweet gym read, and uh, well, it does get sweeter, in a way. Without spoiling anything, there is a brief cab ride that made me take a lap before things got really going for Reader. CC's Soap is a delightful tease that is tender all at the same time. I'd join his gym in a heartbeat.

Knight/Princess AU by @a-small-writer-in-a-big-world - Price x Reader

I've read and re-read this AU series a dozen times. It's so gd cute, I might need to see the dentist about how it's rotting my teeth. Seriously, it makes ME want to be a princess. Specifically Price's princess. Bear writes such a sweet and gruff Price, catch me holding a hand over my heart and just sighing. I'm also a big fan of multiple POVs and the insight into each character.

Martyr in the Making by @eilidh-eternal - Ghost x Reader

I had a tattoo touch-up the other day, and while waiting, I thought about this fic: the dream and nightmare of being tattooed by Simon and the rest of the 141. It's a dream for obvious reasons (probably unhealthy for me) and a nightmare because of, well, you'll have to read the story. Getting a tattoo can be such an intimate experience. You put yourself into someone's care and get something permanently etched onto your body. When Reader sits for Simon, you're right there with her, the two of you on an altar.

Liquid Smooth by @cordeliawhohung - Gaz x Reader

Bodyguard!Gaz save me, save me, bodyguard!Gaz. Ugh, Gaz is fucking incredible in every flavor, but there is something that hits different about the guy when he's flexing those 'VIP protection' skills. There are several tiny moments in Liquid Smooth that made me audibly whisper, "God, I wish that were me." If you have a conifer tree allergy, you might not be able to handle the god-tier pining. (I'll see myself out.)

pornstar!Gaz by @cordeliawhohung - Gaz x Reader

Gotta include the series that I drop everything for whenever I see an update. Another fantastic depiction of best man Kyle Gaz Garrick. The charm, the jealousy, the care...My personal favorite installments are Whispers and Threesomes.

plus size puppygirl!reader / Simon & Reader / Punishment by @secretsynthetic - Price x Reader x Ghost

Ghost gets his Captain a puppy, and Synth gives us a tasty Price x Reader x Ghost story. I've linked the intro and a Simon x Reader snippet, but my personal favorite is Punishment. Punishment is a deeper dive into Price the disciplinarian: "how the hell do i get a mutt like you to fuckin’ listen?" I'd gush about it, but again, this is another one to read and experience firsthand. One of my favorite recent explorations of a PriceGhost dynamic.

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i'll probably cobble another one of these together in may 2024. my fic backlog is something else. i blame it on all the massive talent. mwah.

[sarahwritessirens]

5 Tips on Submitting Your Manuscript

If you are planning to submit a manuscript for consideration by a publisher, the task can seem pretty daunting. In fact, it took me months to have my manuscript ready to send to the publisher that picked it up.

There is no uniform requirement; each publisher will want something different. However, there are certain things to keep in mind for all publishers.

Read the requirements carefully: Most publishers want a sample of the manuscript and will ask for the full manuscript only after it has been passed through the initial acquisitions teams or picked up officially by the publisher. How long that sample is, what format it should be in and where it should be sent to will all be listed in their instructions for submissions. Pay very close attention; if you mislabel an email when they asked for a specific subject line or don't have the manuscript in the correct font size, your submission will very likely be rejected before it can be submitted to the correct place. Also, pay close attention to what genres, if any, the company is looking for. Often, they will have a list of genres and plotlines they pick up and ones that they don't.

Read the terms of your contract carefully whenever available: Some small-press publishers have the terms you will agree to on their website. If they do, look over them and decide whether it seems like a fair shake to you, as well. If you lose all rights to your story for 20 years and only get 30% of the royalties (one I've actually seen), it may not be worth sending it to. They don't have their terms of the contract on their website and it's always subject to change, but Balance of Seven is worth the look, as they have an extremely author-friendly contract and have been fantastic to work with.

Make sure your manuscript and sample are ready for submission: Most publishers will overlook the occasional typo or formatting issue (that's what the editing process is for, after all.) However, you don't want to submit something that is full of errors. This may make reading your submission difficult and decrease your chances of acceptance. If spelling and grammar aren't your strength, I suggest using Grammarly (which has a free option and is great at finding spelling and grammar mistakes) or getting a friend that is skilled in these things to look over your manuscript.

Be extra courteous in your communications with the publisher: Professionalism is something that publishers pay close attention to. This isn't to say never raise concerns if you have any. It is to say, do so in a manner that is courteous and respectful. You may have an excellent manuscript, but if you're rude or discourteous to the team taking in your sample, they may decide it's not worth it. Always remember your "please"s and "thank you"s, use "Mr./Mrs/Ms." if known and applicable during your conversations and try to keep your emails concise, getting to your point of conversation as quickly as possible without being rude. When in doubt, follow Indeed's business email rules.

If you are rejected, strengthen your pitch/submission and move on: Rejection can happen for many reasons other than you don't have a great story: the publisher can be inundated with new stories and doesn't have time to pick up a new one, the submission may be an overrepresented genre in that company's new release line-up, they may not have had the time needed to edit the story--the list can go on and on. Some publishers will have some time to take a moment and let you know why they didn't pick up the story. Others won't. Run through your submission and pitch again and move on to the next publisher. Some successful authors can paper their whole living room in rejection letters, so keep trying!