Send a Letter to the Study
Letters from thoughtful readers are among the great privileges of this work. Use the form below for general correspondence, speaking engagements, syndication, or simply to share a reaction to something recently published.
A Note from a Stranger is Never Strange
Messages are read personally. I cannot promise a reply to every letter, but I do promise that each one is read in full, often over coffee, and occasionally answered at length in a future essay. Please choose the category that best matches your reason for writing.
Other Ways to Reach the Desk
For matters that do not require a long letter — agent enquiries, press under tight deadline, or simply to ask after a forthcoming publication — the channels below are answered in the order they arrive, every weekday morning.
General Correspondence
For reader letters, thoughtful disagreements, slow thoughts that took weeks to compose. Read in full, always.
[email protected]Telephone (By Appointment)
Brief conversations for journalists on deadline. Please email first with the subject line and outlet.
+1 (555) 123 — 4567Post & Manuscripts
For physical correspondence, postcards, and the occasional carbon-copy manuscript from a fellow writer.
412 Marlowe Lane, Studio COffice Hours
Letters opened Tuesday through Friday. Speaking and syndication matters are reviewed on Mondays and Thursdays.
Tue – Fri, 9:00 – 17:00A Few Quiet Questions, Answered
Over the years a handful of questions arrive so frequently that they have earned their own small shelf of answers. If your letter concerns one of these, you may find what you need without sending a message at all.
May I reprint an essay in my publication or anthology?
Reprint rights for non-exclusive publication are usually granted freely, provided the piece is credited in full and not edited beyond a corrected typo. For first serial rights, exclusive syndication, or translation, please write with the publication name, audience size, and proposed date. Replies arrive within two weeks.
Will you speak at our university, festival, or conference?
Possibly. I give a small number of talks each year, generally on the long essay form, the ethics of attention, or the relationship between literature and emerging technology. Please send a brief letter describing the event, the audience, the date, and the honorarium or travel arrangements available.
Do you accept unsolicited manuscripts or story submissions?
I am not currently open to unsolicited fiction submissions. I do, however, read short critical pieces sent by readers, and I occasionally commission essays from writers I have corresponded with over many years. Patience and specificity are the qualities that catch my attention.
How long until I hear back from a letter?
Reader letters usually receive a reply within seven to ten days. Speaking, press, and syndication matters are answered within two to three weeks. If your message concerns a forthcoming essay, please allow until the piece has been published, when a longer reply is more likely.
Can I send a physical letter or postcard?
Please do. Postcards are pinned to the wall above the desk and frequently become the opening image of a future essay. Mail addressed to Studio C at the postal address above is collected every weekday morning.
The Best Letters Often Begin with a Doubt
If you are uncertain whether your question is worth sending, that is usually a good sign. The most interesting letters tend to begin with hesitation, not certainty — with the reader not quite sure what to say, and the writer not quite sure how to answer.