Traditional publisher
Dalkey Archive Press (an imprint of Deep Vellum)
Fiction, Independent, Literary fiction
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Dalkey Archive Press
Dalkey Archive Press is open to unagented writers. You email a query letter with a sample or the full manuscript to toberead@deepvellum.org, and replies can take up to a year. It focuses on literary and experimental fiction, so confirm the current guidelines on its site before you send.
Dalkey Archive Press was founded in 1984 by John O’Brien in Elmwood Park, Illinois. It became an imprint of Deep Vellum in 2020 and is now based in Dallas, Texas. Dalkey publishes and republishes avant-garde literature, with a focus on experimental fiction in the tradition of Sterne, Joyce, Beckett and Gertrude Stein. It also champions writers the mainstream critical establishment overlooks. It publishes mainly literary fiction and only rarely takes poetry or nonfiction.
Its guidelines page, last updated in 2022, and its contact page invite a query letter plus a sample or the full manuscript by email. You send one PDF or Word-compatible attachment under 5MB, with your name and email as a running head on every page. Simultaneous submissions are accepted and there are no fees. Deep Vellum also runs a separate proposal form, so check the site before sending to make sure you use the current route.
What Dalkey Archive Press is looking for
- Literary fiction, which makes up most of its list
- Experimental fiction in the tradition of Sterne, Joyce, Rabelais, Flann O'Brien, Beckett, Gertrude Stein and Djuna Barnes
- Avant-garde writing the mainstream critical establishment overlooks
- Poetry or nonfiction only rarely
Publishes
- Fiction
- Independent
- Literary fiction
Specialties
- Literary fiction
How to submit to Dalkey Archive Press
From its own guidelines- Check the guidelines on the Dalkey Archive site to confirm the current route.
- Write a query letter with your contact details and state the author and original language.
- Add your name and email as a running head on every page of your sample or manuscript.
- Email it to toberead@deepvellum.org as one PDF or Word-compatible file under 5MB, with "DALKEY ARCHIVE PRESS" in the subject.
- Wait up to one year, then email to ask about status if you have heard nothing.
Is Dalkey Archive Press right for your book?
A good fit if
Dalkey Archive suits writers of literary and experimental fiction who can wait a long time for an answer. Work that breaks with convention fits its list best.
Look elsewhere if
Look elsewhere if you want detailed feedback, since the press cannot comment at length on individual manuscripts. Writers of commercial fiction, poetry or nonfiction will find few openings here, and you should not phone the press.
Dalkey Archive Press imprints
Which take submissions| Imprint | Direct submissions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dalkey Archive Scholarly Series | Not stated | Critical/scholarly works go through a separate page: https://www.dalkeyarchive.com/2013/06/28/the-scholarly-series/ (not opened) |
Questions about Dalkey Archive Press
Does Dalkey Archive Press accept unsolicited manuscripts?
Yes. Dalkey Archive Press accepts unagented submissions by email. You send a query letter with your contact information plus a sample or the full manuscript. Simultaneous submissions are fine and there is no fee to submit. Because Deep Vellum, its parent company, also runs a separate proposal form, check the Dalkey Archive site before sending to confirm you are using the current route.
How do I submit to Dalkey Archive Press?
Email a query letter and a sample or manuscript to toberead@deepvellum.org with "DALKEY ARCHIVE PRESS" in the subject line. Attach one PDF or Word-compatible file under 5MB. Put your name and email as a running head on every page, and state the author and original language. Do not phone the press, and do not expect detailed comments on your manuscript.
How long does Dalkey Archive Press take to reply?
Dalkey Archive Press can take up to one year to reply. Silence does not mean a rejection, so if you have heard nothing after a year you can email to ask about the status of your submission. Since simultaneous submissions are accepted, you can send the same manuscript to other publishers while you wait, as long as you keep track of where it is.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
- Checked on the publisher's own site
