Last week, we posted about a new rule at Tin House Books and Tin House magazine–the literary site now requires that all unsolicited submissions include a receipt from a bookstore.
The controversial policy generated hundreds of comments at the literary blog HTMLGIANT, causing one editor to dub the affair “Tin House-gate.” Among the many responses, HTMLGIANT singled out a comment from Electric Literature editor Andy Hunter.
Here’s an excerpt from Hunter’s response: “For about 4 months, EL offered $6 off subscriptions to writers who submitted work to us, via a coupon code. It brought the cost of a digital subscription down to $3 an issue. Out of over 3,000 submitters during that time, less than a dozen used that code. I’m sure Tin House has similar stories. There has been a lot of wondering, here and elsewhere, if emerging writers do enough to support the institutions which they wish to support them (i.e. ever buy a literary magazine). Tin House decided to playfully push the issue, and lighten the slush pile for themselves at the same time. It’s not so horrible.”
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section.