Send submissions to:

(Fiction, Poetry, or Non-fiction editor)
Melville House Publishing
145 Plymouth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Note: WE DO NOT ACCEPT ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS, QUERIES, OR PROPOSALS. Even if you're an agent. No, wait, I take that back -- ESPECIALLY if you're an agent. Ha!

Submissions policy:

Melville House will not respond to, nor be able to return, any unsolicited manuscripts that are not accompanied by a self–addressed, stamped envelope. Please be sure to include the appropriate postage. (Note: Not the money for the postage, but the postage itself. Stuck on the right sized envelope. See, the idea is to save us a trip to the P.O. If you send us a check for the postage, you've added not only a trip to the P.O., but a trip to the bank. We get grumpy and short of time and — well, it could work out to be bad for you.) Also, SENDING SOMETHING SIGNATURE REQUIRED IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. It is, in fact, what is known in publishing as a bad idea. If we haven't requested it, we won't sign for it, and so you will just be paying to mail something back to yourself, not a good economic strategy for most writers. Also, whatever you do, for God's sake, do not send your only copy of your work.

Something else you should know: Man, are we swamped with manuscripts. That is to say, sweet Jesus! We will do our best to respond as soon as we can, but we're slow to begin with. We're talking months here. That's why we have a very understanding, don't-ask-don't-tell policy about double submissions.

Beyond that: Please include a cover letter with your contact information — that is, your telephone number and your street address. Note that we will not respond to submissions via e-mail. In the immortal words of George I, "Not gun doit." Also be sure to include your credentials and publishing history. However, there is no need to describe your submission in any great detail. The work should speak for itself. To that end, please note that we prefer not to see outlines, proposals, or samples of a longer work, but rather only completed works in their entirety.

As to what kind of work we're willing to look at, well, we'll consider just about anything as long as it's well written. No rules, you know? Just like love and war.

Well no rules on content, that is, but do please submit all work in standard format, double-spaced on one-side of the page with pages numbered (and loose, by the way — don't bind those babies up!). Use standard margins and at least a 12-point font. Don't try to make your manuscript look like an already-published book, and please avoid unusual fonts. Something in a nice Times Roman, perhaps. Again, let the work speak for itself.

Finally, please do not call as a follow-up to your submission unless you have waited for more than five or six months for a response. Honest: We take submissions seriously, are honored to receive them, and will answer them as fast as we can.