Submission guidelines
We Value Your Submissions!
From this website I gather you are publishers. If so, can I send you the latest draft of my book manuscript for your consideration?
We are not publishers. Rather, we are an association of writers who print an annual anthology of writing from a specific country among the European accession states.
The literary translation industry in New Europe and ExPat writing clubs is huge. Where does NEW fit into all of this?
We see ourselves as being at both the literary centre and the cutting edge of these groups. By combining expat writing and local writing in translation, we aim to capture the “spirit of place” from a variety of perspectives.
What are the pay rates?
Since our endeavour is non-profit, we do not pay for submissions published. Naturally, authors retain all rights to their work.
The work I’m submitting has already been published. Should I submit it? What’s your policy here?
Send it. If we like it, we will then ask you for your permission to reprint it and secure other relevant permissions from your publisher.
You’ll find a selection of my work on my personal website, some of which you may find suitable.
We’d rather you selected pieces according to our criteria and submit them directly.Alternatively, since ours is a ten year project, began writing something new.
Would you accept my best writing even though it is not about that theme?
No.
My work is in Slakan, the language of one of your prospective future Tales regions. Will you please translate it?
No. All submissions must be in English. Before we can publish a translation, we will need the permission of the translator as well as the author. Please refer to the “translations” links on our website for more information about finding a translator.
I’d like to submit the English translation of a tale I have written. It is consistent with your criteria and theme, but I have not informed my translator of this. Should I do so before submitting?
Yes, if at all possible. Before publishing any translation, we will need the permission of the translator as well as the author. It is best to make sure this is sorted out before you make your submission.
I am bi-lingual. I have a story in my own language about your theme and have done my own English translation of it. As you will see, however, my English is a bit weak. Will you still consider it for publication?
Yes, provided it tells a compelling story and you state your willingness to accept the Editor’s improvements.
I’m a translator of writers’ work from your region, and it meets your criteria. Should I submit it for your initial assessment before I contact my writer(s)?
Certainly, provided your author(s) have given you rights to your English translation of their work. If not, contact them and secure their permission in advance. In such rich and fulsome anthologies as The Tales, the submission process obviously goes through at least two stages of selection. Please do not make them any early promises.
I’ve written a totally imagined vision of the city of your next Tales. Never been there and know nothing about it. Although I’ve invented the place, it tells a tale about it and reads well. Should I bother submitting it?
Yes, please do. We accept well-written Tales about the Imagined New Europe. We have published several such works in the past. Kafka never visited Ameryka either.
Do you except journalism or travel writing?
No. Unlike fiction, which is eternal, journalism and straight travel writing rapidly becomes dated. Our annual anthology is about “universal perceptions” rather than current information. Of course, basing a story on actual events, or using those events in the story, is perfectly acceptable.
Do you accept literary criticism, commentary, the sociological essay, or article?
No, but we are very open to receiving reviews of our Tales. Messrs Fincham and Coon do not love sociology and Mr a’Beckett is not even sure what it is.
I’d like to submit an excerpt from my unpublished first novel which is set in the city of your next Tales. It sort of seems to stand alone as a kind of short story. Should I submit it?
Ok, but make sure it doesn’t sort of not stand alone as a short story. Remember the reader will know nothing of the rest of your novel. We only publish excerpts that incorporate the essential ingredients of a short story- a form which is very different from the novel. Also, please make sure it contains fewer than 4000 words.
So what are your prospective next few Tales?
This is determined a lot by the response as well as the wealth and quality of submissions. This year we are looking very strongly toward publishing a revised version of Warsaw Tales in July along with Bucharest Tales in October. Bratislava Tales will hopefully follow in 2010. The Baltic countries are also competing for inclusion.
And when Turkey, Ukraine, Albania, and Macedonia join the Union?
So will N.E.W.’s anthologies, as it were.
Does poetry about the theme or based on it come under the umbrella of “Tale”?
Yes! Mr Fincham is very firm on this point. A poem can be a Tale, and we have published a lot of poetry of a very high standard. Even so, too much of the submitted poetry is merely observational. For that reason, we are especially interested in short stories because classical narration seems to have become a nearly abandoned form.
So what are your criteria for poetry?
We especially welcome poetry that has a narrative element and demonstrates a regard for form. Please do not send verbal shrapnel.
My fictional story is not about the Capital city but an obscure village in the region. Are you interested?
Yes. As you will see in Prague Tales, for example, there are stories from Brno and Moravia. In Budapest Tales, there are stories from Guyla and Transylvania. Yet, we encourage stories and poems about the capital because our literary mission statement is to encourage different perspectives on the city as a centre of the region. We have found that this focus produces a more interesting anthology, though there will always be room for exceptions.
Are you about the promotion and publication of New Europe regional literatures, such as the emerging literatures of Moldavia, Lithuania and East Slovakia, Romani, Kashubia?
No. Budapest Tales, for example, does not purport to represent contemporary Hungarian literature in English translation, though it does include some of that. We collaborate with “Words Without Borders” and “Literature Across Frontiers” as they focus on regional literature in translation. Naturally, your regional or ethnic origin may affect your individual point of view, which we would find interesting.
I’ve just written some tales about Budapest and Prague and Warsaw? But those Tales are already published. Any point in submitting them?
Yes. We will publish revised versions of these Tales that will include recent submissions of a high quality, but first read the original Tales volume to get an idea of what we prefer to publish.
I’d like to submit some suitable work, but my Literary Agent has tight control over it and does not approve of me sending it off to unknown parties such as N.E.W.
Ask her to contact us. We work with Literary Agents.
You mention “our mission statement,” yet I can’t find any Mission Statement on your website, so far. Also, you say “Please refer to the “translations” links on our website for more information about finding a translator.” Neither can I find that.
Thank you for your attention and please stand by. Yet under construction, our new website moves apace. These will be up soon, very soon.
Where can I read more About N.E.W.? Your “About” is a little thin, isn’t it, for such an ambitious Project?
Stand by. We’re preparing to post a summary of the Editorial Notes to our first three anthologies.
I’d like to know more about you, the Editors of the N.E.W. Anthologies: Messrs. Fincham, Coon and a’Beckett. Sure, I’ve read your author biogs. as contributing editors, but I’d like to know a bit more about who’s judging and assessing my work. What are your credentials as Editors?
Mostly our success! As reflected by the good reviews we get about our editorship. An Englishman, American, and Australian, we unite our differing experience in editing skills and approaches of those backgrounds with a common principle. We’re broad-minded and dynamically adept at detecting, discovering, and encouraging suitable quality writing in all its forms, including good translation. And our editorship keeps to the Editing Oath. We are impartial, objective, and not biased by personal taste or looking for work that compliments our own contributions. We are also advised by local editors in the regions of our Tales who work well with us. We are constantly open to expanding our Editorial Board. So if you find us interesting and you could bring some experience to that quest, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re a good team, have no doubt about it!
Having read all of this, I am now ready to submit. How can I contact you?
Please go to the Contact page for more information.
Our Deadlines Are Flexible.
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