WordHustler Support Portal
From WordHustler Support
We've designed WordHustler with the intention of making your quest for writing success as simple and as easy as possible. Should you have any issues or difficulties using the site, we've compiled a list of technical documentation in this support Wiki. Consider the information below your first stop for help. Should you have any problems, please feel free to ContactUs.
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General Help
It’s a simple fact: the more writing you send out, the more likely you are to get published.
But who wants to spend all their time searching for those elusive writing opportunities, mastering the art of mail merging, and sifting through a huge stack of papers, collecting nothing but a headache in the process? Should we even mention the line at the Post Office? We didn’t think so.
WordHustler does more than simply listing places to publish your work. We match your projects up with the best markets, then we print, send, and help you track the results. WordHustler offers more features, more community, and more data than any other writing service in the world.
Bottom line: you’re a writer. You should be spending your time writing.
The resources in this document will help you to get the most out of your WordHustler experience. If you are still unable to resolve your problem after reading this document, please ContactUs.
What is WordHustler?
WordHustler is the collaborative brainchild of John L. Singleton and Anne Walls: two writers, dreamers, and cultural insurgents. We’re not some fly-by-night, business-suit-wearing mucky mucks who want to swindle your hard-earned loot out of your wallet. We’re a pair of writers who, in the year 2008, couldn’t believe this was how we were still doing submissions. Writing is the oldest form of expression….paper cuts and the taste of envelopes is NOT.
Though technology is evolving at a breakneck speed, the tools of writing are still surprisingly primitive compared to AVID editing systems and applications like PhotoShop. Things got so bad that a writer who had retired from programming (that would be John) decided to put his writing on hold to do something about this. Another writer who was busy writing and directing short films (Anne, obs) put her films aside to join him, both determined to make things better, not just for ourselves, but for writers everywhere.
So we made WordHustler. For you. And us…two writers, sick to death of dealing with the chaos and ready for something easy, effective, and cheap enough to be utilized by everyone. Our mission is to integrate our innovative, friendly, smart software into your writing life. No more outdated databases and costly trips to Kinkos.
How does WordHustler's service work?
WordHustler is the 21st century answer to the question: "I've written a brilliant novel/poem/screenplay/article. Now what?" The next step is to get your work out to the world, but how?
WordHustler helps you get your work out there in two ways. First, WordHustler's extensive market listings help you find the perfect market for your work. Secondly, our printing and mailing service allows you to get it there and track the results---all without a trip to Kinkos or the Post Office.
The traditional submission process
Writing is a paper-driven business. Once a manuscript has been completed, a writer must then begin the long process of getting their work out to the world. This process typically involves the following steps:
- Finding the right market for a manuscript
Which can be difficult. Most writing directories are expensive, misleading, and woefully incorrect. One popular directory we surveyed had a 10% error rate. Once found, there's still the problem of data entry, which can be time-consuming and error-prone.
- Composing a cover letter for that market
Writing an effective cover letter is an art in itself. This is further complicated by the fact that you must further personalize your letter for each market. This is usually a mind-numbing cut-and-paste affair.
- Preparing submission packets
A proper submission packet usually contains your manuscript, a cover letter, a SASE, and if it's a contest, the proper entry fees and applications. Unless you happen to run a shipping business, this means you'll have to make trips to the office supply store, the copy shop, and the post office.
- Sending and tracking submissions
One of the worst aspects of writing for publications is the response time. Most magazines---even the largest and most professional---have an editorial lead time of several months. With that kind of time it's easy to forget what you sent where, and before long, you get a phone call from an editor who wants to buy your manuscript---the same manuscript you sold 3 months ago. Even worse, without a tracking system, you could wind up sending the same work to the same magazines or agents. That isn't just embarrassing, it's unprofessional.
The WordHustler submission process
The traditional submission process is time-consuming and results in hundreds of hours of wasted time. The very same time you should be using to crank out your next manuscript.
WordHustler simplifies traditional submission methods by:
- Providing accurate, free, community-reviewed market listings, for writers of all disciplines.
- Offering a "one-click" submission process
- Automating the tracking process
What Types of Manuscripts can I Submit?
WordHustler can help you sell any written material, including, but not limited to:
- Novels
- Short Stories
- Novellas
- Poems
- Screenplays
- Articles
- Non-fiction
- Plays
Our markets database encompasses the following areas:
- Contests
- Agents
- Publishers
- Publications
- Grants
- Fellowships
Submitting to Contests that Require an Entry Form
Contests are one of the best ways to get your work out there and recognized. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most “specialized” markets as well. There are more than 1,000 contests in our database and the vast majority of them require at least one of the following:
- Specialized entry forms
- Release/Legal forms
- 3×5 cards with your name and other identifying information on them
- Special cover stock
- Multiple copies of your work
If you plan to submit to more than one contest, the mountain of paperwork you’ll have to confront to do so is more than formidable, it’s downright demoralizing. When we started WordHustler, we asked ourselves, ”How can we build an easy-to-use service that solves these problems, once and for all?” That’s a very good question. It’s a good thing we’re smart.
How we handle regular submissions
For most markets, the WordHustler submission process is simple. You:
- Upload your project
- Target markets
- Click “Send Now” and pay for your submission
- Update the status in your dashboard. (Or if using VirtualOffice, we do it for you)
We then:
- Receive your submission
- Prepare it with the utmost care, making sure to include SASEs or for example, we’ll even enclose your manuscript in cover stock, if the market requires it.
- Send it promptly to the market you’ve indicated in your order. If using VirtualOffice, we update your status automatically
This process applies to submissions to agents, publications, and contests that do not require an entry form. If a market has an entry form, we handle things a little differently.
How we handle contests with entry forms
Some markets require an entry form. For example, many of our contests require that you complete a separate entry form, in addition to sending your submission. When a market has an entry form, you are automatically prompted to use our Advanced Submission Wizard. The Advanced Submission Wizard is a tool we’ve developed here at WordHustler labs that allows you to handle almost any submission situation. The Advanced Submission Wizard will allow you to:
- Send one or more projects
- Attach additional documents, such your CV or press clippings
- Complete any entry form, 100% online.
If the market you are submitting to requires an entry form, the Advanced Submission Wizard will prompt you for the information needed to complete the entry form. When you add the submission to your Queue, you will then have a chance to download and review your submission, entry form and all. Please be sure to check it for accuracy before proceeding to checkout.
What are reply cards, and how do they work?
Many markets take a long time to respond. Contests typically require a 4 month window; Publications can have editorial lead times as long as 6 months. A Reply Card is a small, self-addressed post card that we include with your submission packet. After your submission packet arrives, the recipient simply drops the post card in the mail. The result is that you know for sure that your manuscript made it safe and sound.
Reply Cards are a premium service offered by WordHustler, and they can be added to any submission for only $1.29.
What is VirtualOffice?
Waiting for SASEs to come back can be problematic. Sometimes you won't hear anything from a market for months. If you move in that time, your correspondence can get lost in the mail.
VirtualOffice is a premium service offered by WordHustler that takes the hassle out of tracking the results of your submissions. When you add VirtualOffice to a submission, WordHustler becomes the return address on all correspondence related to that submission; both SASEs and Reply Cards will be returned to WordHustler. Once received, we will update the status of your submission in the website and notify you.
If you are traveling, a student, or just don't like waiting around for SASEs, VirtualOffice, at $1.99, is a cost-effective way to take the sting out of selling your work.
How Much Does It Cost?
WordHustler offers very competitive pricing for our services. In fact, due to the high cost of printing, it is usually cheaper to send your submission through WordHustler.
Our pricing model is simple, and we've designed it around the way that we know writers think about their manuscripts. We have developed a 6-tier pricing model that reflects the 6 basic types of submissions that writers make. For more information, please see the pricing section of our FAQ.
This pricing model is current, as of Q2, 2008.
How Do I Sign Up?
Signing up for WordHustler is easy and it's free.
Dashboard
One of the hardest parts of submitting your work to countless markets is keeping track of them all. Did this person receive it? Did you record their response? Which address to mail it to? What draft did you send? It’s enough to drive you insane. But guess what? Your life just got easier.
Dashboard is a straightforward, organized way to manage your projects. Consider it the control panel of the site. Dashboard lists your active submissions in an easy-to-navigate area. Finally hear back from a contest? Simply click the result area and log a result right there, right now. WordHustler’s integrated AJAX interface allows you to update dozens of submissions in seconds. It’s fast, organized, and simple. Exactly the way you want your submissions to be.
Dashboard also provides a place for you to get connected to the WordHustler community at large. Check out new articles featuring interviews with contest judges, helpful tips about which magazines publish what, and see which writing contests have approaching deadlines.
Also, our extensive Submission History feature allows you to look at the life of a project, where it’s been, and what’s happened so you can decide what to do next. Not sure if you sent that article to the editor of Newsweek? Scan through your History and double-check.
Tracking Your Projects in Dashboard
The primary function of Dashboard is to act as an information manager for your submissions. Dashboard displays the following types of information:
- Information about submissions awaiting shipping
- Information about submissions that have shipped, but have not received a response
- Most recent "finished" submissions from your history. (That is, submissions for which you have received a result.)
- Links to articles on WordHustlerInk, our company blog
- Links to top-rated markets from our markets database
- A listing of your cover letters
From the Dashboard, you can:
- Update the status of a submission
- Create/Edit/Delete a cover letter
- View all submission history
- Submit to a top rated market
Understanding Project Status
In Dashboard, there are 4 different statuses that a submission can have.
- Pending Authorization, which means that your submission has been received by WordHuslter, but we have not charged you yet.
- Ready to Ship, which means that you have been charged for your order and that it will be sent within 24 hours.
- Out, which means that your submission has been sent to the market you selected
- Complete, which means that your submission has been successfully sent and a result has been reached.
For a submission to be "complete" you must record a result. Once a submission changes status to "out" you may click the "result" field and edit it.
Updating the Results of a Submission
Once you hear back from a market, you will likely want to record the results of the submission. Doing so not only keeps your dashboard clean, it also ensures that you have a complete and detailed history of where a project has been and what happened. You'll not only have the records for posterity, but it can also help you determine what has been successful in the past and illuminate when it's a good idea to branch out and target different markets.
The "Result" of a project is simply the answer to the question, "What happened?" Was it accepted for publication? Was it optioned by a producer? WordHustler's submission tracking system allows you to update the "Result" of a submission in a way that is meaningful to you.
To update the result of a submission:
- Login to WordHustler WordHustler Login
- Go to your Dashboard
- Move your mouse over the "result" column of the submission you'd like to update and click.
- A text field will appear. Enter the result. It can be anything, as long as it is meaningful to you.
- Click "Okay" to update the result field.
The updated submission will remain editable both on the Dashboard and in your history. Once you set the result of a submission you can go back and change it at any time.
Note: You can only update the result of a submission once it reaches the "Out" status, not before
Widgets for OS X 10.4 and Higher
We also offer an OS X Dashboard widget that can links to your WordHustler dashboard. Find out more, here: What's_Out_WordHustler?
Letter Composer
Once your fantastic work is ready to send out and you’ve targeted the perfect markets, there’s one thing left to do: concoct a brilliant cover or query letter. You need a letter that will make your work stand out from the rest, succinctly selling both your project and yourself. Not sure what to write? WordHustler will help you with some letter ideas as well as helpful letter-constructing content articles. Custom-edit each letter as it’s sent to different markets, guaranteeing your wit gets you read each and every time.
Letter Composer was designed with the philosophy that "You're a writer, not a secretary." Have you ever spent a day tracking down addresses, wrestling with envelopes, stamps, and a paper-eating printer, only to have your precious material returned to you with a big, fat “NO SUCH ADDRESS” stamped across the front? With WordHustler, you’ll never have to wrangle with secretarial slavery ever again. WordHustler has done all the leg work to track down the correct contact people at each writing opportunity. Our software seamlessly mail merges your cover letters and envelopes with the correct address and addressee, making sure your writing gets to the right person at the right place. Every time.
How do I Create a Cover Letter?
Creating a cover letter is easy. To create a cover letter, follow these steps:
- Login to WordHustler. WordHustler Login
- In the Dashboard, click, "Add Letter."
- The "Create New Letter" screen will appear.
- Enter a title for the letter. If the cover letter is specific for a project (ie, not a template) it's a good idea to include the title of the project the letter references.
- Click "Save"
What information should go in the body of the cover letter?
Your cover letter should consist of only the body of your letter. Do not include: an addressee block, today's date, a closing, or a ps. These fields are automatically generated for you when you submit to a market.
For example, entering the following text in the body field results in the cover letter pictured, below.
Please consider my short story, “Red Jell-O Ninja.” It’s a story about a young martial artist who loses her will to maim and decides to fake her own death using a copious amount of, that’s right, you guessed it, Jell-O.
I am currently a writer living in Los Angeles. My previous projects include writing for USC’s Theater Department, as well as winning the Grassmoor High School writing award. I have also published articles for the Trojan Times (USC’s newspaper) as well as various online publications.
Thanks for taking a look at “Red Jell-O Ninja.”
Using Cover Letters as Template for Quick Submissions
One of the best ways to use Letter Composer is to use it to create generic templates that work for markets you submit to most. For example, if you are submitting a project for representation at a literary agency and need to send a query, you might create a "base letter," for that project and add any additional information on a per agency basis.
Once you click "Send Work" you are prompted for a cover letter. When you select on of your "base letters," a text box will appear, giving you a chance to make any final tweaks to your letter body before you attach it to the project. Modifications in this field are saved and uniquely bundled with your submissions. Your original will not be modified.
HustleFolio
You’ve got the talent, now you’ve got to get it out there. HustleFolio provides a safe and easy-to-use space for you to upload your projects and submit them to the 3,000+ markets in our database.
Use the HustleFolio to organize each of your masterpieces, giving them a distinct label, genre assignment, logline, and status. You can search for Markets, manage your projects, and search your History all from the HustleFolio. Sort by date added, page length, or word count. Exciting! Fun! Best part: easy!
It’s easy to find exciting new opportunities tailor-made to each of your projects simply by clicking the "Find Markets" button. WordHustler's one-click filtering system is specially based on your creation's genre, custom-matching your project with a bevy of publications, contests, and representations options.
Uploading Projects to HustleFolio
You must upload your work to your HustleFolio before you can send it to a market. You may upload files that are PDF Format, no other filetypes are accepted. For an explanation of this policy, see the next section, "Why PDF?"
You may upload files of any size. However, you are responsible for making sure that the format of your manuscript matches the rules of the market you are submitting to. If a contest does not what your name on the manuscript, you are responsible for making sure that it isn't. For this reason, you may upload as many different version of your project as necessary. In this case, a clear naming system will help you to keep your projects in order once you start tracking them.
To upload a project:
- Login to WordHustler WordHustler Login
- Click "HustleFolio" in the navigation.
- Fill in the form
- Verify the upload by looking at the generated thumbnail of the first page of your manuscript.
Why PDF?
WordHustler is backed by Amazon’s S3 clustered storage system, which means your words are protected by the same technology Amazon uses. For added security and convenience, all files are uploaded in PDF format, which normalizes them so that publishers, agents, and contests receive them exactly the way you sent them out.
PDF files are the de facto standard for file printing and transmission, and they can be created quite easily. Modern operating systems like Mac OS X have PDF saving built into every application. Some programs, such as Final Draft, have PDF support built into the program. On other platforms there are a number of options, including a free web-based converter. Please read the following sections for help converting to PDF.
Converting Your Files to PDF
WordHustler cares about precision and privacy. That’s why we ask all uploaded documents be PDFs (Portable Document Format). It’s easy to convert your Word, Publisher, Final Draft, or Movie Magic documents to PDF and then upload them. There are a few different ways. Pick which one works for you, then convert and upload your project to HustleFolio.
Converting to PDF on a Mac (All Files)
Mac OS X contains a sophisticated mechanism for converting any document to PDF. It works by selecting the "PDF" option in the print dialog of an application.
For example, to convert a Word Doc from Word to PDF you would do the following:
- Open your Word Document
- Go to the "File" drop-down menu, select "Print"
- Select the "PDF" button at the bottom, left-hand corner of the Print menu
- Select “Save as PDF” from the drop-down menu
- An additional window will open, asking what you want to name the file and where you want to save it. It’s easiest to save to your Desktop so you can find it easily when you upload it to your HustleFolio
- Click "Save." The program will convert your document and the PDF file will arrive on your desktop.
Converting to PDF from Final Draft
Final Draft, like Movie Magic Screenwriter contains a "Convert to PDF" function. Here's how you use it:
- Open your Final Draft Document
- Go to the "File" drop-down menu, select "Save as PDF"
- An additional window will open, asking what you want to name the file and where you want to save it. It’s easiest to save to your Desktop so you can find it easily when you upload it to your HustleFolio
Click "Save." Final Draft will convert your document and the PDF file will arrive on your desktop.
Notes for Final Draft Users
A bug in earlier versions of Final Draft will prohibit you from generating a PDF that you can upload to WordHustler. In older versions of Final Draft, pages were converted to PDF by taking "pictures" of each page. This resulted in a very large file size. Since every page is an "image," our software will be unable to analyze your PDF for word and page count. You can read more about the bug here:
http://www.finaldraft.com/support/faq-pages.php?nodeid=181675
The issue is resolved simply by updating Final Draft to version 7.1 or greater.
If you are unable to update your copy of Final Draft, you can always convert your file in the manner explained here.
Converting to PDF from Movie Magic Screenwriter
To convert a script to PDF in Movie Magic Screenwriter:
- Open your Screenwriter Document
- Go to the "File" drop-down menu, select "Print"
- From the "Print to" drop-down, select "PDF (Adobe Acrobat) File."
- An additional window will open, asking what you want to name the file and where you want to save it. It’s easiest to save to your Desktop so you can find it easily when you upload it to your HustleFolio
Click "Save." Final Draft will convert your document and the PDF file will arrive on your desktop.
Converting to PDF on Mac or PC for any File
If you cannot convert your file to PDF via any of the above methods, you can always use the free PDF Online service. To use it:
- Go to www.pdfonline.com
- Click “Convert to PDF for FREE>>” link.
- Follow the easy instructions for converting MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Publisher, MS Excel, HTML, and Text documents to PDF.
- PDFonline.com will email the PDF to you within minutes
From there you can upload your file from your email and into your HustleFolio.
What if I am Not Writing on Spec?
HustleFolio doesn't only work for completed projects: it can also help you target material that is written by commission, such as non-fiction books and articles.
For these projects we advise that you upload a document that fully describes the manuscript you intend to write. For articles, this could be a brainstorm. For non-fiction books, it should be a completed book proposal.
Uploading these documents helps you when your properties are purchased and you need to write them. This way you are sure to write the manuscript an editor wants to buy---not the one you think you remember.
Submitting Multiple Poems/Articles/Stories
Some markets allow you to send more than one manuscript in a mailing. For example, it is common to submit 3-4 poems at a time. It's easy to send a document that contains multiple manuscripts through WordHustler, but it does require a few special steps.
To prepare a document with multiple manuscripts for WordHustler:
- Create a new document in your word processing software
- Paste the body of your first document
- Insert a page break (or press "return" until you reach a new page)
- Paste in the body of your next document.
- Repeat steps 2-3 as often as necessary.
- Convert the resulting document to PDF and upload to WordHustler
You can use this same process to submit multiple documents of any kind simultaneously.
Update: 3/15/08
You can now use the "Advanced Submission Wizard" to achieve this and many more things. To access the Advanced Submission Wizard, click the link "Advanced Submission Wizard" in your market submission screen.
The Wizard allows you to:
- Select one or multiple projects to send
- Attach documents (resume, clippings, etc)
- Make adjustments to your HustleFolio before you submit.
- Search your HustleFolio for a project to send
- View the history of a given project
Markets
Sometimes writing is the easy part. Finding where to send your writing…that’s when it gets tricky. WordHustler has done the hunting and gathering for you, presenting everything in our Markets section.
WordHustler’s Markets contain over 3,000 hand-picked screenplay contests, literary agents, magazine publishers, and more. Everything you’ve ever needed to make your writing dream an actual career and, better yet, a SUCCESSFUL one, is all right here.
Finding Markets
There are two ways to search for markets: with a specific project in mind or by browsing what the Markets have to offer. Interested in finding a magazine that will publish your personal essay about growing up in Thailand? Thanks to WordHustler’s opportunity filtering system, we’ll specially pick out markets looking for content just like yours. Simply click “Find Markets” from your Dashboard or go to the Market page itself and choose a specific project. WordHustler’s specialized matching system will pull up a cross-section of opportunities just for you.
How does Project Matching Work?
When you tell WordHustler to "find markets that match my project," either via HustleFolio or via the Markets section, our software will filter out projects that do not fit your manuscript. It does this by looking at some fairly broad criteria. It compares the genre of your manuscript against our internal classification of a market. You may come across markets that are wrong for your manuscript. We make every effort to make market classification as straightforward as possible, but due to the subjectivity of certain literary benchmarks it often takes a personal interpretation of guidelines and tone to determine if a market is right for you. We ask that you review each market carefully before submitting: it's the professional and considerate thing to do.