We are currently closed to unsolicited submissions. Our next open reading period will begin on September 1st, 2023 unless our schedule facilitates another open period between now and then.
Our open submission periods tend to be short and far between, for two main reasons:
1. We can’t afford to pay an associate editor to read said submissions, and
2. We only publish 2-4 titles per year anyway.
Poetry
We publish full- and chapbook-length books of poetry with a strong, unified sense of theme and narrative, with a special interest in authors experienced in live reading (although this is not a requirement). Authors we enjoy include Hanif Abdurraqib, Fatimah Asghar, Kendra DeColo, Ilya Kaminsky, and Danez Smith.
Fiction
We publish full- and chapbook-length collections of short stories, novels, novellas, and experimental works. We don’t really distinguish between “literary” and “genre” work, which is more about marketing than content, just keep in mind that Trouble Department exists to serve readers who look for something more niche than is typical of commercial fiction, whatever that “niche” may look like. Authors we enjoy include Kelly Link, Aimee Bender, Carmen Maria Machado, Lydia Millet, and Jonathan Lethem.
Simultaneous and multiple submissions
Neither of these are a problem for us, just keep in mind that we receive upwards of 500 book-length submissions for each reading period and we only have one editor.
Length and formatting guidelines
We accept submissions via direct file upload. The button to upload files is at the bottom of this page. Do not send individual stories or poems as separate files; each submission should be sent as a single file. There is no need to include a cover letter. All common document formats are acceptable. Please make sure that your complete contact info (name, address, email address, and phone number) is included on at least the first page. We have no way of responding if you do not include contact info.
For novels, novellas and short story collections, we are open to manuscripts between 15,000 and 80,000 words in total length. For poetry collections, we are open to manuscripts between 30 and 150 pages in total length. For field guides, we are open to manuscripts above 30 pages in total length, including images.
Rights and payment
We purchase worldwide English language print and electronic rights.
For poetry and short story collections, individual contents of the manuscript may have been published elsewhere previously, as long as the entire manuscript has not been published together at any point. Please include an acknowledgements page at the end of your manuscript that lists when and where individual poems or stories were previously published.
Novella submissions must be unpublished, unless part of a short story collection.
For accepted works, we pay between $200-500 advance (amount depends on length) plus a standard royalty.
Response time
Each of our past few reading periods have seen us receiving significantly more submissions than expected, which has caused our response time to lag quite a bit. While we do make an effort to respond to all submissions (again, as long as they include contact info), please do not feel obligated to wait for Godot if you feel it is taking an unreasonably long time. We are hoping to respond to all submissions by the end to the calendar year.