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Monday, January 10, 2011

Don't Come Calling Without An Agent

Looks like Tin House has a new policy. The mouse who sent this in noted that he would no longer be reading Tin House in protest.  What do you think?  I for one have been rejected roundly (and lead on here and there by a Tin House editor of two) for all my projects (sent without an agent, which perhaps proves their point). So the policy no longer applies to me, but I do think it's unfortunate.

12 comments:

Laura Maylene said...

It appears this only applies to book-length manuscripts -- the magazine still accepts unagented submissions. Just an FYI.

I seem to remember, though, that Tin House (the magazine) once had separate mailing addresses for submissions -- one address for unsolicited and one address for agented submissions. I didn't notice this on the site in my most recently visit, though.

Anonymous said...

well here their enter submitting rules and I still cant find how to submit a signal piace. so I'll take as no. quote, quote


SUBMISSIONS & CONTACTS
Distribution
Bookstores:
For questions about distribution or
to order books, please contact:

Publisher’s Group West
1700 Fourth St
Berkeley, CA 94710
1-800-788-3123

Press Queries
Please contact:
Deborah Jayne, Director of Publicity

Tin House Books
2617 NW Thurman St.
Portland, OR 97210

deborah@tinhouse.com
503-473-8663

Rights and Permissions
Rights and Permissions
Please contact:
Nanci McCloskey, Rights Manager

Nanci@tinhouse.com
503-473-8663

We no longer read unsolicited submissions by authors with no representation. We will continue to accept submissions from agents. Please send fiction, memoir, and/or nonfiction manuscripts to:

Tin House Books
2617 NW Thurman St.
Portland, OR 97210
503-473-8663

Attention:
Lee Montgomery, Editorial Director/Associate Publisher
Meg Storey, Editor
Tony Perez, Associate Editor

Anonymous said...

well Know I know that my book will never publish.

Anonymous said...

They suck. The magazine, a month or six ago, rejected my manuscript out of hand because I didn't send in a receipt of a book purchased at a local bookstore (some kind of "philanthropic" gesture on their part...as though I don't buy books!) Weak sauce, dudes.

Don said...

Umm, Anonymous, you should ALWAYS check the website for a publication before sending in a submission. Then you would know about what they were doing and decide whether you cared to submit according to their requirements. And this was easily one of the most publicized changes in requirements I've ever encountered.

I feel little sympathy for people who don't bother to check the guidelines before submitting then complain when they're rejected for not following the guidelines.

And yes, this is clearly wrt book-length submissions. Personally, I'm surprised that any publisher of reasonable size would have a different policy. The requirement for books to be agented submissions has been the case for the last 20+ years at most publishers. At this point, I would guess that most unagented submissions are unpublishable works from people who blame the gatekeepers rather than their own abilities for their failure to be published.

Anonymous said...

unfortunately magazine like this only cater too the established VOICE and maybe a few new connection.

please don't judge us slush poet of the underground we maybe filthy but we can detect tyrants.they should except books from ever day people.the professional have lost their souls. magazine like these are ridiculously competitive
with the little they get.
WE DO NOT JUDGE YET WE FELL.

Anonymous said...

Well what I meant was I cant find were to submit a poem or short story on the tin house webpage.Could it be they hide it?

Anonymous said...

Don,

Stop being so sanctimonious. Whether or not you feel any sympathy for us poor complainers doesn't really matter to us, because, chances are, we have always been the people whom others have disregarded out of hand as too sensitive, etc. Telling someone not to complain because they should have known better is dickish. If they'd have known better then they would not have done what they did.

Don said...

I'm sorry if I'm sanctimonious. Oh wait, actually, I'm not.

You read the directions, you follow the directions. I know, for example, not to send something in first person present tense to Subtropics because the editor makes it clear on the submission page he doesn't like that. And I don't send erotic unicorn fiction to St Anthony Messenger because I know that's not their bag.

And 2.12AM Anonymous, put your mouse over Magazine, a menu will pop up and the fourth item will be "Submission Guidelines." Doesn't seem terribly hidden to me.

Anonymous said...

You are great at this, Don! Congrats!

Carcerella said...

Ok, seriously, what is with the crazy bad spelling and ESL syntax all over these comments? What happened to the regular commenters who were active mid last year who could have intelligent discussions? Did they all become famous literary stars?

I enjoyed reading some of the discussions on the brick wall that is the fiction establishment, but the comments seem to be overrun with would-be poets off their meds. (or perhaps ON some other sort of meds...)

Anonymous said...

"...poets off their meds..."

Is there any other kind?