February 28, 2022

28 Publishers that Accept Direct Submissions of Science Fiction or Fantasy Novels

Most of these publishers are interested in science fiction and/or fantasy. Some publish just one of these genres. Others publish many genres and types of books, science fiction and fantasy just being one genre among many. Some are small companies, others are imprints of major publishing houses. They are not listed in any particular order….

February 24, 2022

Bala Kids: Now Accepting Manuscript Submissions

Bala Publications is an imprint of  Shambhala Publications, an independent publishing company based in Boulder, Colorado. They are distributed by Penguin Random House Publisher Services. Shambhala Publications was founded in 1969 and “is dedicated to creating books, audio, and immersive courses aimed at improving lives—in ways big and small—in the hope of contributing to the…

Zephyr Review: Now Seeking Submissions

Zephyr Review is a brand new quarterly online literary journal. Writers can submit up to three stories or poems. Stories have to be no more than 1,500 words. They publish poetry, prose, fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, and artwork. I’ve never seen prose and fiction separated into categories like this, and they never clarify the difference…

Case Study: The Potrero Complex’s Journey to Publication

By Amy L. Bernstein When poet Robert Frost wrote about two roads diverging in a yellow wood, I doubt he had in mind all the writers striving to get happily (and traditionally) published. But my own publishing journey thus far suggests that there are indeed divergent roads a writer can take to reach the same…

Why Famous Authors Use Pen Names – And Why You Should Consider Using One

By Rod Martinez JD Robb, Richard Bachman, Robert Galbraith, Mark Twain. You’ve heard of them; they are renowned names in the literary world – pen names of famous authors. But what causes an author to not want to use his or her real given legal name when writing? Authors have many reasons why they do…

February 21, 2022

44 Magazines & Anthologies Publishing Speculative Fiction

These magazines and anthology publishers publish speculative fiction of every stripe – science fiction, fantasy, horror, and their associated sub-genres. Many of these outlets pay writers. Most, not all, of these are open for submissions now, or will open soon. Seize the Press This is a new magazine and their first issue was published in…

February 17, 2022

Quirk Books: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Update June 13th, 2023: Please note that they are closed to general submissions at this time. This Philadelphia based press publishes just 25 books a year in a whole range of genres, from children’s books to nonfiction to science fiction. Unlike most publishers that tackle a large range of topics, Quirk Books has a clear…

Cider Press Review: Now Seeking Poetry Submissions

Cider Press Review is a well-established publisher of poetry, founded in 1999. While they started as a print publication, they now publish online six times each year, in February, April, June, August, October, and December.  They publish a wide range of forms and styles from both emerging and established authors. They’re simply looking for the…

The Importance of Knowing What You Want from a Publisher

Authors seeking to get their first manuscript published all have different goals. For some authors, any press will do, even if they have to pay for publication to happen (although I highly encourage you to self-publish through Amazon or another print-on-demand company, if that is the case). Other authors are interested in presses that have…

Opportunities Open to Submissions From Historically Underrepresented Voices this February

This is a new list we are trying, consisting of publishers that otherwise meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically under-represented writers. Some of these publications are open to a wide range of writers including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, and those living with disabilities. Some…