What's an unsolicited submission?

Question

I'm hoping to send my query letter and manuscript to some publishers, but what does it mean for your submission to be unsolicited?

Answer 1

If the publisher doesn't ask you to send it, it is unsolicited.

Answer 2

Get the current Writer's Market to find out who does and doesn't take unsolicited manuscripts. It also helps you find publishers appropriate to what you write.

Answer 3

That means the publisher did not ask you to send it. Most publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Therefore, your query letter needs to be compelling enough for them to ask for it.

Answer 4

Amendment to the above, you do not need a literary agent for *all* publishers, many do, but there are publishers that do not require them, and even some that do not want submissions through an agent.

There are people that will tell you that an agent is needed for everything, but agents are either for people who want to get into ridiculously large companies(nearly impossible if this is your first, or even up till your 4th or 5th book) and for lazy people. Everything an agent does can be done by yourself, even the "cozyzing" of publishers. Want to know how? Look for a writer's convention, publishers often show up at them and there simply start talking to people, or look for literary societies in your area.

Answer 5

Unsolicited means, they did not give you permission to send anything to them. They do not want your material.

You need a Literary Agent to send your material to publishers.

Answer 6

Be patient, the rest will come