Angry Robot Books 2 month open sub!!

Hey Writer Josh, Amanda commented up thread that before she left AR, she passed off all of her manuscripts to the appropriate editors. Everyone's a bit on pins and needles about the change ups at AR, but publishing is a business of change. We all have our fingers crossed for you.

I wouldn't worry so much, Josh. When they make a decision, you'll be the first to know. Literally. Good luck!

They can't buy any books at the moment, I don't think, due to the restructuring, hence the publication gap in their other titles. They probably won't read any more manuscripts for at least another few months, is my guess.

My advice is to keep querying agents, send to other publishers as well, and keep working on other projects to then pitch the same way. This is one publisher, and you want to have as many pans in the fire as you can.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, guys.

I am working on other projects, including a final edit of my horror novel that I finally felt happy with, and sent that one to Chizine. Haven't heard back from them but it was only back in July that I sent it so I may have a longer wait there.

I'm presently working on a steampunk work that I hope to submit to Tor when I'm done. I have so many outlines/collections of notes for future projects that I can keep myself very busy writing. Now if only I had as much time as I want (I'm about to be a dad again).

Laura, by the way I understand congrats are in order for you, so congratulations (I'm probably out of date there), but in reply to what you said, that does make me think I should probably see about querying more agents with it or just submitting somewhere else like Tor or Daw. But before I do that, I think I want to take another look at it. I don't know if I was really happy with what I sent to AR, but I also wonder if I'll end up making it worse by tinkering with it too much.

Update on Angry Robot:

http://angryrobotbooks.com/2014/09/angry-robot-news/

I wonder if this means they'll start moving again soon...at least it sounds like the new owner is excited about AR.

I have received assurance from AR that they will continue to consider submissions at the same rate.

Whew! I'm so glad the company is going to stay!! That must be a load off everyone's minds!

Yeah I saw that on Facebook last night - great news for everyone at AR!

Just got back from an internet-free camping holiday to see all of the above. Great news for AR. It would be a shame to see such an excellent independent press go under.

WriterJosh said:

Laura, by the way I understand congrats are in order for you, so congratulations (I'm probably out of date there), but in reply to what you said, that does make me think I should probably see about querying more agents with it or just submitting somewhere else like Tor or Daw. But before I do that, I think I want to take another look at it. I don't know if I was really happy with what I sent to AR, but I also wonder if I'll end up making it worse by tinkering with it too much.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I always queried agents as well. My agent offered 2 days before Strange Chem/AR did in March 2011 (and right away made significant improvements to AR's boilerplate contract). And it meant that when SC died, it was easier to land on my feet because I already had an awesome agent who pitched my new book and sold it quickly. Now I'm quitting my job to write full time, when in January I thought my writing career was pretty much dead. So you really never know what's going to happen. All you can do is write your heart out, make it the best you can, and send it out into the world.

Congrats Laura! That is so awesome to hear that things are looking so good for you right now!

Hm... Angry Robot have got themselves a new consultant editor, Phil Jourdan... see http://angryrobotbooks.com/2014/10/phil-jourdan-consultant-editor-reporting-for-duty/ for more details.

Maybe thinsg will start moving again shortly.

Wow, he mentions the Open Door specifically. That's promising, and it sounds like AR is moving forward. That's really awesome.

I swapped Tweets with Phil Jourdan last night - he acknowledged there is a lot of catching up to do but it's definitely getting done, so that's good news all round

Mr Jourdan has just confirmed that my contemporary fantasy novel is still in their "to be read" pile.

Hello Waylander - I noticed you weren't on this list - so I've added you in at the bottom as dates are unknown. Welcome on board.


The list now reads:

1 ajoker, Historical Horror, submitted 25/10/2013, rejected 05/02/2014 (103 days)
2 AutonomousAstronaut Science Fiction submitted 26/10/2013 call for full manuscript 07/03/2014 (132 days)
3 Dryad, Bio-Punk Sci Fi, submitted 29/10/2013, rejected 4/06/2014 (219 days)
4 Loki76, Dystopian Sci Fi, submitted 29/10/2013, rejected 6/06/2014 (220 days)
5 KateJJ, Fantasy, submitted 30/10/2013 withdrawn 13/08/2014 (287 days)
6 WriterJosh, high fantasy with bits of steampunk, submitted 30/10/2013, call for full manuscript 24/01/2014 (85days)
7 Dimanagul, science fiction dystopia (I think) ,submitted c. 31/10/2103, rejected 24/01/2014 (c. 84days)
8 cdwwdc, SF, submitted 11/11/2013
9 GeoWriter, SF, submitted c. 15/11/2013
10 jjdebenedictis, fantasy, submitted 16/11/2013, rejected 17/01/2013 (62 days)
11 Eliza C, Contemporary Fantasy, submitted 23/11/2013
12 thepicpic, Military science fiction, submitted 30/11/2013
13 DrFaerieGodmother, Sci Fi Superhero, submitted 04/12/201311
14 ironmikerzero, genre mash-up - science fantasy/police procedural, submitted 06/12/2013
15 Dragonwriter, urban / contemporary fantasy, submitted 07/12/2013
16 Aquarianhelix, hard science fiction, submitted 08/12/2013
17 E.Murray, time-travel sci-fi, submitted 09/12/2103
18 Kemo, Fantasy, submitted 10/12/2013
19 mistri, Urban Fantasy, submitted 16/12/2013
20 seun, Horror, submitted c. 16/12/2013
21 AyJay, Adult Fantasy, submitted 17/12/2013
22 Myrealana, Urban Fantasy, submitted 17/12/2013
23 Taran, Black Powder Fantasy, submitted 20/12/2013, rejected 18/03/2013 (88 days)
24 desrochers, general fantasy, submitted 22/12/2012
25 STBenjamin, steampunk fantasy,submitted 23/12/2013
26 Flight Heart, Fantasy, submitted 26/12/2013
27 Lissibith, science fantasy, submitted 26/12/2013
28 TroubleEntendre, dark fantasy, submitted 26/12/2013
29 Pterofan, urban fantasy / horror, submitted 28/12/2013
30 MLMarquardt, science fiction, submitted 28/12/2013
31 fnu_lnu, urban fantasy, submitted 29/12/2013
32 AllGirlsCry, Gothic Horror, submitted 30/12/2013
33 4everwriter, Steampunk (fantasy), submitted 30/12/2013
34 JustCassie, science fiction, submitted 30/12/2013, withdrawn 15/07/2014 (199 days)
35 SJAB, Historical supernatural horror, submitted 30/12/2013
36 Xagareth, Contemporary Horror, submitted 31/12/2013
37 PeteMC, Urban Fantasy, submitted 31/12/2013
38 Gingergunlock, urban fantasy, submitted 31/12/2013, withdrawn 9/9/2014 (252 days)
39 Peregon, genre unknown, submission date unknown
40 Waylander, contemporary fantasy, submission date unknown


If you have any additions / amendments please let us know.

Of the total submissions reported here, it's 5 horror, 12 science fiction, 19 fantasy, 3 mongrel genres and 1 unknown genres, giving a total of 40.

It's 4 horror, 7 science fiction, 14 fantasy, 3 mongrel genres and 1 unknown genres (i.e. 29 in total) still in the running.

It's 3 withdrawn, 6 rejected and 2 calls for full, making a total of 11 taken to the next stage, whatever that stage is.

Note with an overall total 524 submissions, 40 have reported here, making 7.6% (over 1 in 14) of the total.

Good luck everyone!

I've just been summarily rejected. Apparently they're not looking for horror.

I'm so sorry to hear Xagarath. Rejection sucks. Thanks for keeping us updated, and I hope your next submission goes better.

(and I'm not just saying that, the publisher I thought would be perfect for one of my books gave me a form rejection on a full--ugh. Chin up, it's a marathon)

Sorry to hear that mate

Note: mine was an agented submission around November last year.

Sorry to hear your news, Xagareth. Hope the book finds a home elsewhere.

I got a rejection today... (not submitted via an agent in early Dec. 2013). At least it's clear they are working on the open door subs.

Best of luck to all those still in the queue!

Hugs of commiserations to Xagareth and ironmikezero I'm sure your novels will find a home - just keep trying.

Sorry Waylander - my mistake - I've removed you from the list as yours is an agented submission. Good luck - any tips you get would be gratefully received by the rest of us.


The list now reads:

1 ajoker, Historical Horror, submitted 25/10/2013, rejected 05/02/2014 (103 days)
2 AutonomousAstronaut Science Fiction submitted 26/10/2013 call for full manuscript 07/03/2014 (132 days)
3 Dryad, Bio-Punk Sci Fi, submitted 29/10/2013, rejected 4/06/2014 (219 days)
4 Loki76, Dystopian Sci Fi, submitted 29/10/2013, rejected 6/06/2014 (220 days)
5 KateJJ, Fantasy, submitted 30/10/2013 withdrawn 13/08/2014 (287 days)
6 WriterJosh, high fantasy with bits of steampunk, submitted 30/10/2013, call for full manuscript 24/01/2014 (85days)
7 Dimanagul, science fiction dystopia (I think) ,submitted c. 31/10/2103, rejected 24/01/2014 (c. 84days)
8 cdwwdc, SF, submitted 11/11/2013
9 GeoWriter, SF, submitted c. 15/11/2013
10 jjdebenedictis, fantasy, submitted 16/11/2013, rejected 17/01/2013 (62 days)
11 Eliza C, Contemporary Fantasy, submitted 23/11/2013
12 thepicpic, Military science fiction, submitted 30/11/2013
13 DrFaerieGodmother, Sci Fi Superhero, submitted 04/12/201311
14 ironmikerzero, genre mash-up - science fantasy/police procedural, submitted 06/12/2013 rejected 17/10/2014 (315 days)
15 Dragonwriter, urban / contemporary fantasy, submitted 07/12/2013
16 Aquarianhelix, hard science fiction, submitted 08/12/2013
17 E.Murray, time-travel sci-fi, submitted 09/12/2103
18 Kemo, Fantasy, submitted 10/12/2013
19 mistri, Urban Fantasy, submitted 16/12/2013
20 seun, Horror, submitted c. 16/12/2013
21 AyJay, Adult Fantasy, submitted 17/12/2013
22 Myrealana, Urban Fantasy, submitted 17/12/2013
23 Taran, Black Powder Fantasy, submitted 20/12/2013, rejected 18/03/2013 (88 days)
24 desrochers, general fantasy, submitted 22/12/2012
25 STBenjamin, steampunk fantasy,submitted 23/12/2013
26 Flight Heart, Fantasy, submitted 26/12/2013
27 Lissibith, science fantasy, submitted 26/12/2013
28 TroubleEntendre, dark fantasy, submitted 26/12/2013
29 Pterofan, urban fantasy / horror, submitted 28/12/2013
30 MLMarquardt, science fiction, submitted 28/12/2013
31 fnu_lnu, urban fantasy, submitted 29/12/2013
32 AllGirlsCry, Gothic Horror, submitted 30/12/2013
33 4everwriter, Steampunk (fantasy), submitted 30/12/2013
34 JustCassie, science fiction, submitted 30/12/2013, withdrawn 15/07/2014 (199 days)
35 SJAB, Historical supernatural horror, submitted 30/12/2013
36 Xagareth, Contemporary Horror, submitted 31/12/2013 rejected 16/10/2014 (289 days)
37 PeteMC, Urban Fantasy, submitted 31/12/2013
38 Gingergunlock, urban fantasy, submitted 31/12/2013, withdrawn 9/9/2014 (252 days)
39 Peregon, genre unknown, submission date unknown


If you have any additions / amendments please let us know.

Of the total submissions reported here, it's 5 horror, 12 science fiction, 18 fantasy, 3 mongrel genres and 1 unknown genres, giving a total of 39.

It's 3 horror, 7 science fiction, 13 fantasy, 2 mongrel genres and 1 unknown genres (i.e. 26 in total) still in the running.

It's 3 withdrawn, 8 rejected and 2 calls for full, making a total of 13 taken to the next stage, whatever that stage is.

Note with an overall total 524 submissions, 39 have reported here, making 7.4% (over 1 in 14) of the total.

Good luck everyone!

further communication from Mr Jourdan - he is beginning the task of reviewing 'hundreds of submissions, agented and unagented'

Here Comes Mr. Jourdan

Heard from Phil Jourdan personally today. He says he'll be giving my MS a read in a week or two.

As for the rest, I don't want to say more than there is to say, nor do I wish to put words in his mouth, but I'll just say his email left me feeling very good.

This isn't a confirmation of anything yet, though.