Contacting editors at houses that don't take submissions?

Dpsi4

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Anybody read the book 78 Reasons Why Your Book Will Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might? Great book, by an actual publisher, made me laugh.

Anyway, he recommends looking at the acknowledgements section of a fairly recent novel you like to find the editor's name, and submitting your query and sample directly to that person, instead of to nobody in particular. He said it's a great exploit that most people are unaware is possible. He also says--and this is key--that while there are many reasons that editor could not get your book published, they *may* refer you to an agent or other editor, maybe at another house.

So, does this only go for houses that take submissions? Or can this exploit work on houses that say they don't?
 

Cathy C

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This book has been discussed here at length and, as a bonus, the author is a member here! :) I'll see if I can find a link to the thread.

I don't know if the techniques work, but the worst you'll get is a "No." :Shrug:
 

Prog

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Dpsi4 said:
Anybody read the book 78 Reasons Why Your Book Will Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might? Great book, by an actual publisher, made me laugh.

Anyway, he recommends looking at the acknowledgements section of a fairly recent novel you like to find the editor's name, and submitting your query and sample directly to that person, instead of to nobody in particular. He said it's a great exploit that most people are unaware is possible. He also says--and this is key--that while there are many reasons that editor could not get your book published, they *may* refer you to an agent or other editor, maybe at another house.

So, does this only go for houses that take submissions? Or can this exploit work on houses that say they don't?

Save your postage. When an editor at a house that doesn't accept unagented submissions receives a query or a partial directly from a writer, they usually just put it in the SASE (hopefully there is one) with a note stating they don't take unsolicited material and send it right back.

But try researching the agents of books you like and query them.
 

jchines

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Actually, a friend of mine has had decent luck getting requests for partials or fulls this way from houses that don't take unsolicited manuscripts...
 

Jamesaritchie

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Dpsi4 said:
Anybody read the book 78 Reasons Why Your Book Will Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might? Great book, by an actual publisher, made me laugh.

Anyway, he recommends looking at the acknowledgements section of a fairly recent novel you like to find the editor's name, and submitting your query and sample directly to that person, instead of to nobody in particular. He said it's a great exploit that most people are unaware is possible. He also says--and this is key--that while there are many reasons that editor could not get your book published, they *may* refer you to an agent or other editor, maybe at another house.

So, does this only go for houses that take submissions? Or can this exploit work on houses that say they don't?

That's really silly advice. You'll have to go through a lot of novels to find an editor this way. It's a heck of a lot easier and faster to just look at a publisher's guidelines and follow them. This guarantees the manuscript will go to the person who is supposed to see it. If you send it to the wrong person, it will either be returned unread, or simply forwarded to the right person. You're just wasting time.

And, no, this will not work at all with publishers that do not look at unagented submissions. Odds are a thousand to one a real editor won't even see your manuscript. A junior editor who was just promoted from janitor will open the letter or package, insert the contents back in the SASE, and return it to you unread.
 

victoriastrauss

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Dpsi4 said:
Anyway, he recommends looking at the acknowledgements section of a fairly recent novel you like to find the editor's name, and submitting your query and sample directly to that person, instead of to nobody in particular.
This tactic can work--I know people who've done it.

However, your odds of getting published as a result of this approach are slim. Some editors may be willing to ignore their imprint's no-unagented-submissions policy, but many will honor it, so you're as likely, if not more so, to get a form rejection letter as a request to submit. Also, even if the editor is willing to look at your submission, priority is ALWAYS going to be given to known authors and authors with agents (even if those authors are unpublished). There will always be an author with an agent ahead of you.

If your publication goal is a no-unagented-submissions imprint (i.e., most imprints of the large publishing houses), I think your time is better spent looking for a reputable agent than trying to get round the agented submission requirement.

- Victoria