Hello, I'm new to this forum and wondered if someone here would be able to help me. At the end of August, I sent a synopsis, covering letter and the first 3 chapters of my book to a well-known publishing house in the UK, that accept unsolicited manuscripts. They state on their website that they respond to each manuscript that include an SAE (which I did) and will try and respond within three months. I waited four months out of courtesy then emailed them. I heard nothing, so I phoned them - no answer. Last week, I phoned them again and left a message with my email address and mobile number, still nothing. The thing that most concerns me is (and sorry, I don't mean to sound big-headed about this) what if someone has read my story and stolen my idea? I've heard it happens. I've been writing for many years and when I've read people my books over the years, this story has caused the most reaction. I would really appreciate any help, please. Thank you
I really wouldn't worry too much about anyone stealing your ideas, after all, ideas are the easiest part of writing. But not knowing who or what or any other details, I couldn't hope to conjecture as to why they wouldn't respond. Saying you phoned them, though, and you got "no answer" sounds fishy. Even poorly known publishing houses generally have someone to answer the phone and give "an answer" even if it is a non-answer. Given that it's been 5 months with no answer, though, you probably should be able to shop it out to others. I'd recommend trying to find an agent, though. In my experience they're pretty good at keeping in touch and answering questions as long as you're not too pushy or annoying.
A good idea and $5 will buy you a cup of coffee. If they're any kind of respectable publishing house they have far more to lose from a copyright suit than they might gain from filing the serial numbers off your book and publishing it under a fake name. But, yeah, responses can take a long time. One established writer posted on his blog some time back that he'd just got a rejection from a publisher for a book he sent them two years before, and had forgotten he even sent to them. I think he'd already given up and self-published it by that point.
A SAE? What is this, 1998? Shit, I still have a box of giant manilla envelopes I've been lugging around for 20 years... a leftover from when you had to physically mail the MS in bulk to agents and publishers.
May be they've gone out of business .... I'd expect a "reputable publishing house" to have someone answering the phones in business hours, even if they can't tell you anything other than to direct your call or take a message. if you tell us which publisher people might be able to help That aside take it as a rejection and move on, one query is nothing in the bigger scheme of things
