Slush pile
Encyclopedia
In publishing
, the slush pile is the set of unsolicited query letter
s or manuscript
s sent either directly to the publisher or literary agent
by authors, or to the publisher by an agent not known to the publisher.
Sifting through the slush pile is a job given to young assistants-to-the-editors (sometimes called "publisher's reader
s" or "first readers"). If the assistants find something interesting there and can persuade a more senior editor to consider it, they may get some credit for themselves, especially if the piece is subsequently published and sells respectably.
Most agents at the major publishing houses do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. However, smaller presses may accept queries.
Recently HarperCollins
introduced an innovative, and arguably controversial, website, authonomy
, to manage and exploit the slush pile from a web-based perspective.
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
, the slush pile is the set of unsolicited query letter
Query letter
A query letter is a formal letter sent to magazine editors, literary agents and sometimes publishing houses or companies. Writers write query letters to propose writing ideas....
s or manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s sent either directly to the publisher or literary agent
Literary agent
A literary agent is an agent who represents writers and their written works to publishers, theatrical producers and film producers and assists in the sale and deal negotiation of the same. Literary agents most often represent novelists, screenwriters and major non-fiction writers...
by authors, or to the publisher by an agent not known to the publisher.
Sifting through the slush pile is a job given to young assistants-to-the-editors (sometimes called "publisher's reader
Publisher's reader
A publisher's reader or first reader is a person paid by a publisher or book club to read manuscripts from the slush pile, and to advise their employers as to quality and marketability of the work. They can exercise considerable influence over the offerings of the publishers for whom they worked,...
s" or "first readers"). If the assistants find something interesting there and can persuade a more senior editor to consider it, they may get some credit for themselves, especially if the piece is subsequently published and sells respectably.
Most agents at the major publishing houses do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. However, smaller presses may accept queries.
Recently HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
introduced an innovative, and arguably controversial, website, authonomy
Authonomy
authonomy is a website owned and operated by HarperCollins, designed with a commercial aim in mind: to unearth new talent. HarperCollins places the name in italics and spells it with an initial lower-case letter. authonomy solicits submissions from unpublished and self published authors to, in...
, to manage and exploit the slush pile from a web-based perspective.