Orion Publishing Group / Gollancz

[JulesJones]

Can't find an existing thread for Gollancz, mods please merge if I've overlooked it.

Once an independent company whose yellow jackets are a fond memory for UK sf fans of a certain age, now a science fiction and fantasy imprint of Orion. And they've posted on their blog this week to remind people that they do take unsolicited submissions, even if it takes longer than they'd like to read and respond to them.

Full submission guidelines at the blog post, the most important bits of which are:

# Gollancz publish Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Dystopia and a little YA cross-over fiction. If you’re writing in these areas, we’re happy to take a look at your work.

# Only get in touch when you have a complete, spell-checked manuscript of 80,000 words or more.

 

[waylander]

And they've posted on their blog this week to remind people that they do take unsolicited submissions, even if it takes longer than they'd like to read and respond to them.

Longer than they'd like can run into years

 

[JulesJones]

They said six months in the blog post (which is not unusual for over the transom). How accurate that is...

 

[waylander]

The Gollancz guys are great people, very accessible at cons etc but they are a small team and, as one of the UK's leading SF/F publishers, they get a load of agented submissions

 

[Filigree]

I hope they respond quicker to agented subs. I know someone who sent them a mms in 2009 and hasn't heard anything since. That could have been
'no answer means no', since I didn't see the mms itself.

 

[CaoPaux]

Links to home pages: http://www.gollancz.co.uk/ & https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/

 

[SentaHolland]

does anyone have any more recent information?

 

[waylander]

I don't think anything has changed. They remain one of the UK's major SF/F publishers. They took nearly a year to reject my latest (agented) novel.

 

[SentaHolland]

thanks for being here and answering! hope you got the novel published gloriously elsewhere.

 

[waylander]

Gollancz are changing their policy on looking at unagented subs and are moving to a submission window.
http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2015/03/gollancz-direct-submissions-closing-on-10th-april/

 

[JulesJones]

Next open submission window announced today: http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2015/10/gollancz-direct-submissions-january-2016/

• Submissions will be open 4[SUP]th[/SUP] to 22[SUP]th[/SUP] 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.

(More details at the link.)

 

[Eltondiva]

Orion unveils new imprint Trapeze

I thought folks might like to know. If this is already listed elsewhere, I do apologise.

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/orion-unveils-new-imprint-trapeze-324281

 

[Pisco Sour]

I am slowly descombobulating. Gollancz has requested the full on the book I submitted to the open call in January. Eek! Double eek! And another publisher is also interested so...trying not to get my hopes up, but I'm going to enjoy it all the way until I get that e-mail. Either way, the fact they want to read the full makes me feel all gurgly inside.

ETA: alas, it all ended with rejection. Some nice comments, though, but this book is currently trunked.

 

[writera]

Has anyone ever submitted to Gollancz via the agent route and received no response or a rejection? And, if so, what were the response times like? I'm trying to get an idea on what Gollancz are like at responding to agented submissions. There's lots of info on their open submissions - and I know that the response time there was long, like over a year - but I can't ever seem to find out info about response time on a more traditional route. I've been on sub to them for months with no response and have no idea if this means no response is a no.

 

[PeteMC]

My agent had a response from them within about 8-10 weeks of the sub. I'd be surprised if they're "no response means no", Gillian and Marcus are both very thorough and professional.

 

[CameronJohnston]

I've had a similar experience to Pete. I think mine was around 10-12 weeks, but that was also over the summer months when a lot of people are on holiday. The Gollancz team are generally fantastic.

 

[writera]

My agent had a response from them within about 8-10 weeks of the sub. I'd be surprised if they're "no response means no", Gillian and Marcus are both very thorough and professional.

I've had a similar experience to Pete. I think mine was around 10-12 weeks, but that was also over the summer months when a lot of people are on holiday. The Gollancz team are generally fantastic.

Thanks for the replies guys. I've since parted ways with my agent and the submission to Gollancz is out about 6 months. My agent told me they're not withdrawing the submissions and I am free to follow up with editors myself if I like. So far, I've been advised not to do this by others on the board, so am leaving things stand with most of the submissions. But in regards to Gollancz being responsive, do you think I should message them to either withdraw the novel or check in on its status? Or just leave it as is?

 

[CameronJohnston]

I don't see much point in withdrawing to be honest. You likely can't resubmit if it's been there 6 months, so...yeah. It's on you now, so personally I would drop them a quick and professional email (if you have that editor's contact details) to advise that you have now parted ways with your agent and were wondering what the status of your current submission is. Where is the harm in it.

 

[writera]

Thanks Cameron. Yeah, that was my feeling too, but others said it might be unprofessional or annoy the editor. I do think my former agent would let me know if a response still comes in, as we parted amciably, but at the same time, that agent doesn't want to chase up any outstanding subs. But they did tell me I could contact the editors. I just don't want to look unprofessional or make an editor uncomfortable by an author emailing them directly. It's a pickle of a situation!

 

[Cassie Knight]

I'm a publisher and I would want you to email me to check on status especially with the change. Just send an update, make sure they have your contact information. Sometimes such a nudge helps. Good luck!

 

[writera]

I'm a publisher and I would want you to email me to check on status especially with the change. Just send an update, make sure they have your contact information. Sometimes such a nudge helps. Good luck!

Thanks for this advice. I decided to email them directly a couple of weeks ago. One editor did email me back to say they never received the original submission and asked me to resubmit, which was great. As for Gollancz, they haven't emailed back - yet anyway.

 

[Broadswordbabe]

Has anyone submitted to their latest Open Submissions? They say you'll get a confirmation email, but I haven't had one yet. Just wanted to know if anyone else had.

 

[waylander]

Has anyone submitted to their latest Open Submissions? They say you'll get a confirmation email, but I haven't had one yet. Just wanted to know if anyone else had.

Yes, and I received a confirmation email from an editorial assistant

 

[waylander]

Received my rejection from the Gollancz open door today