Jennifer Gunnels, Macmillan

I am not currently taking unagented or unsolicited manuscripts.

I would best describe myself as a genre omnivore. That said, I admit I love science fiction a bit more than fantasy. Hard SF, soft SF, squishy SF. Horror in space or on a planet. First contacts. You name it. I am particularly drawn to first contact and well-done alien cultures, and I also admire complex world building with political machination, heists, and compelling characters. Material that’s hard to categorize in terms of which genre it inhabits often delights me. I appreciate veins of weirdness, or dark humor. Novels with ensemble casts and found families engage me a great deal.

Both commercial and literary science fiction and fantasy are welcome. I would love to see some more “in-system” science fiction as well as more international material whether that be the author’s country of origin or the story’s characters and content. Material from indigenous peoples regardless of country would be very welcome in my inbox.

In all cases, however, I want nuance—in the worlds, in characters, in dialogue. The books that I find most compelling engage with new ideas, alternate or immersive worlds, and new science.
My current list includes military sf as well as epic and political fantasies. I have the pleasure of working with a number of talented Tor authors such as Sue Burke, J. S. Dewes, Karen Osborne, L. E. Modesitt, and Brian Staveley.

I am also open to considering SF/F novellas for Tor.com Publishing and short stories for Tor.com. Caveat: I do not look at middle grade or YA submissions.

If you click the editorial link, you can check out some of my latest authors.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to jennifer.gunnels@tor.com

Agented Submissions Only with the exception of material for Tor.com (short stories/novellas/novelettes)

1. The first three chapters of your book. (If your chapters are really short or really long, or you don’t use chapter breaks, you may send the first 40-60 pages of your book, provided you stay under 10,000 words.) The submitted text must be made up of consecutive pages and should end at the end of a paragraph, not in mid-sentence.

Standard manuscript format means margins of at least 1 inch all the way around; indented paragraphs; double-spaced text; and Times New Roman in 12 pitch. Make sure the header of the ms. includes your name and/or the title of the book as well as the page number (on every page).

2. A synopsis of the entire book. The synopsis should include all important plot elements, especially the end of the story, as well as character development for your main characters. The synopsis should run between three and ten pages in standard manuscript format. The first page of the synopsis and the first page of the text should also include your name and contact information and the title of the manuscript.

3. A dated cover letter that includes your name and contact information and the title of the submitted work. Briefly tell us what genre or subgenre the submission falls into and mention any qualifications you have that pertain to the work. Please list any previous publications in paying markets.

Guidelines & Details