Future Tense Books Basics:
Founded in 1990, Future Tense Books is an innovative press out of Portland, OR. They publish approximately three books a year, two fiction and one memoir. One or two paperbacks are also released through Manic D Press, as The Future Tense Series. Paperback printings run 600-3,000 copies; chapbooks run 200-1,000 (they keep printing as long as the chapbook sells).
This profile was completed by the publisher and editor Kevin Sampsell.
This profile was completed by the publisher and editor Kevin Sampsell.
What they're looking for:
I like books that are bold and risky and have an ambitious or unique voice. Language and sentences are very important, perhaps more so than story. I sometimes publish work that is very sexual or very experimental or very humorous. If I can get a combination of the three, well, that’s even better. I’m not interested in genre fiction or parodies or takeoffs of fairy tales.
Two authors/titles representative of their fiction list:
Zoe Trope (I published the short chapbook version of Please Don’t Kill the Freshman before HarperCollins picked it up. Her energetic style and quirky voice really hit a home run with me.)
Charles Ullmann (He combines a great mix of humor and postmodern style. All of his stories seem to do something very unique.)
Charles Ullmann (He combines a great mix of humor and postmodern style. All of his stories seem to do something very unique.)
What Future Tense Books offers writers that commercial presses don't:
I can’t really compete with bigger presses but I do feel that, for a small press, Future Tense is well-regarded and we usually do sell pretty well through Amazon and Powell’s. I’m surprised that many other small presses don’t sell through Amazon. Editorially, I think I let writers push the boundaries more freely.
Number one thing most likely to put them off a manuscript:
I can’t publish very long books and I often get queries for them. I’d say 60 or 70,000 words is probably the limit. Stylistically, I don’t like it when a book is too hard to follow and when the language is trying too hard. I prefer minimalism to overly lyrical work. I don’t like long descriptions of the weather or the setting and I don’t care for political writing.
Number one thing most likely to put them off a cover letter:
Misspellings and sloppy execution. Not being familiar with the books I publish.
Number one thing most likely to spark their interest:
When someone is familiar with what I publish but they offer something new. I like to try something a little different each time I publish a book. I also will be more interested if the writer mentions writers that I like or tells me he’s an avid reader. It's also valuable if the writer has already been published in magazines or on web sites. The subject matter is important, but I most value really interesting characters.
Address for submissions:
PO Box 42416, Portland, OR 97242, but please query first at futuretense@q7.com
Additional advice for writers interested in submitting work:
Like I said before, read read read! Not just the books that I’ve published but also other presses, big and small. And be patient about the publishing process. It can be a very long ordeal. If you’re not familiar with what I’ve published, at least look at my web site. There’s lots to read there.
Editorial note: as of 2008, Future Tense is not taking unsolicited submissions, and is publishing mostly chapbook-length work. Approach them via email first.
Editorial note: as of 2008, Future Tense is not taking unsolicited submissions, and is publishing mostly chapbook-length work. Approach them via email first.
