Gollancz open call January 2016

That's Hodderscape [closed, review in progress], HarperVoyager, Angry Robot and now Gollancz. Blimey.

Bit surprised it's physical submissions only, though.
 
I'm getting a same feeling from Gollancz as I'm getting from Harper Voyager. And that is not to bother. In HV's case, I don't trust them. In Gollancz case, they are too big to even consider little people.
 
Exciting. My fav publisher 1965 to 1970s
you follow these guidelines:
  • Submissions will be open 4th to 22th January 2016. Only submissions with valid postdates will be considered.
  • We will only be accepting PHYSICAL submissions.
  • We will only consider SF, Fantasy, Horror or YA Crossover novels. They must be complete and more than 80,000 words.
  • We will consider previously self-published works.
  • We will not consider works we have previously rejected.
  • We will not consider works sent in by agents, or by authors who already have representation – they can be submitted in the normal way.
  • We are not currently looking for short story collections or anthologies.
  • Please send:
    • The first 50 pages of your manuscript
    • A cover letter outlining the scope and concept of your work
    • A full synopsis (no more than 1 page, can be single spaced)
  • Format:
    • Double-spaced
    • Single or double-sided
    • Please use standard fonts (comic-sans is liable to make our eyes bleed!)

All submissions will be considered by one of the Gollancz editorial team, and we will work through them as quickly as we can. We will only undertake to respond or offer feedback where we think there is a useful conversation to be had with the author, or we can offer sensible advice to the author. We will make an announcement when we have got through them all.
Click to expand...

Possibly if you are unsuccessful you never hear anything?
At least the physical submission is only 50 pages, not entire MSS?
 
I think it's absolutely kosher, and would result in a contract if they like what they see.

A couple of points.

Traditionally, Gollanz were open to submissions all the time, and only recently closed (iirc) to them.

They have also always only taken hard copy submissions to their slush pile. They are notoriously slow, but do respond (and are nowhere near as slow as DAW who are legendary for it.)

So I don't think there's anything unusual or elitist about this at all. If you have something might be a good fit, go for it.

In terms of the number of open windows - publishers are seeing more and more writers cutting out the middle man (in this case the agent-trad route) and going self published. And then the readers do the slush pile work for them. I predicted a year or so ago, we'd see more open windows, because I felt the agent route bypassed some of the talent out there in preference to marketability (because for years that was what was asked of them.)

For writers, these windows can only be a good thing. If I was an agent, I'd be more worried.
 
I submitted to Gollanz before, sadly have nothing new for them, then again if I get of my backside I could finish the re-edit of my huge epic fantasy lol... no, somehow no I don't think so. It is quite dire. :LOL::p
 
I think physical submissions is one of the ways a publisher will try to keep the manuscripts to a manageable mountain. While e-submission must be glorious from a tracking point of view, it allows anyone, anywhere to submit their stuff. If you're printing it out you have a few extra chances to consider whether it's a good looking submission.
 
I think that people like the idea of being an author. They think they can sit at a desk for four hours a day, write the next Harry Potter, sell the movie rights and make $100 mill a year while the franchise takes over. Then they only have to write for two hours a day. Little do they know...

Well, that being said...I'm off to write the next Harry Potter. See you guys in four hours!
 
ratsy said:
I think that people like the idea of being an author. They think they can sit at a desk for four hours a day, write the next Harry Potter, sell the movie rights and make $100 mill a year while the franchise takes over. Then they only have to write for two hours a day. Little do they know...
Click to expand...
I remember reading a post somewhere where someone asked: "How do you get published? Basically, I have a series of 7 books that I want to be a published and made into a blockbuster film. I think my book would work because it's like lots of other book movies that have been made." I'm paraphrasing, but just barely (probably improved the grammar). I almost remember it word for word. I'm pretty sure it was on Yahoo Answers.
 
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