May 30, 2024

How to Find Publishers Open to Direct Submissions

This article links to all of the websites I know of that list or link to manuscript publishers. I use these resources to find publishers to review, in addition to spending a lot of time at libraries and bookstores, finding publishers there. Note that a lot of the publishers you’ll turn up at the following…

Twelve Mile Review: Now Seeking Poetry Submissions

Update June 1st 2024: They have closed to submissions after receiving enough submissions. They say “We will begin reading for Winter 2024 on July 1, 2024.” Twelve Mile Review is a biannual print publication of poetry, established in 2021 and edited by two poets. They publish a wide range of forms and styles, but they…

Fourteen Famous Authors Who Didn’t Get Published Until Their Fifties (Or Older)

Often people tell me they are too old to become a writer. Sometimes these people are in their thirties or forties, sometimes they are in their fifties and sixties. But the fact remains the same, no matter how old you are, you are not to0 old to become a writer. Many authors started writing later…

We Need to Talk About the Third Draft

By Andrew Park Third drafts? No-one told us about third drafts! If you’re a newbie writer ploughing through the first draft of your first novel, the idea of a third draft may cause you no end of dismay. “When,” you may ask yourself, “will this thing ever be finished?” The optimistic answer — at least…

May 27, 2024

35 Print Literary Journals that Publish Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

These literary magazines and journals publish fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in print. Most also publish some work online. Not all of them are open now, but many are. A few calls are themed. Some of the magazines pay writers. A Public SpaceThis magazine publishes fiction, nonfiction (including memoir and long-form cultural criticism), poetry, and translations….

May 23, 2024

Arcadia Books: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Quercus Publishing, an imprint of Hachette, is re-branding their speculative fiction imprint Jo Fletcher Books as Arcadia Books. It will remain the only imprint of Quercus that accepts unsolicited submissions and it will stay open to submissions of science fiction, fantasy, and horror manuscripts for adults. They will also now consider YA/Crossover books as long…

The Dawn Review: Now Seeking Submissions

The Dawn Review is an online journal that seeks to publish the best writing they can find, without genre restrictions or stylistic preferences: “we believe that creative expression is most powerful without the constraint of categorization.” They publish both new and established authors, of all ages and demographics. Their issues often feature high schoolers and…

5 Things Being an Editor Has Taught Me About Rejection

By Winifred Òdúnóku Many writers have their unique rejection stories to tell. Some rejections can be so demoralising that they make a writer stop submitting to a particular magazine, and there are those – the encouraging ones – that push writers to move out of their comfort zones. Meanwhile, some writers enjoy celebrating milestones of…

May 20, 2024

30 Mystery Publishers that Accept Direct Submissions

  “Nobody reads a mystery to get to the middle. Theyread it to get to the end. If it’s a letdown, they won’tbuy anymore. The first page sells that book. The lastpage sells your next book.”MICKEY SPILLANE Mystery is one of those genres that over the years has managed to accumulate a huge number of…

May 16, 2024

TWB Press: Now Accepting Manuscript Submissions

TWB Press’s tagline is “Electronic Publishing for the 21st century.” They have an additional tag line on their main page that says “TWB Press publishes stories of human conflict and redemption through a variety of world views that reflect humanity at its best…and at its worst. “ They publish novels and novellas electronically with print…

Two Hawks Quarterly: Now Seeking Submissions

Two Hawks Quarterly is an online journal, founded in 2007 and produced by the students and faculty of Antioch University’s creative writing concentration. They publish poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and hybrid writing. Their thorough editorial process means that every submission is read by at least three students and one faculty advisor. Two Hawks Quarterly publishes…

How Character Sketches Can Add Depth to Your Manuscript

By Emily-Jane Hills Orford What is a character sketch? Simply put, character sketches are a clever way to really get to know your characters before you even plot them into a story. If you don’t know your characters, how can you possibly convince your readers to know them? Plus, this exercise becomes a good resource,…

May 15, 2024

August Books: Now Accepting Manuscript Submissions

August Books is one of the three main imprints of Canelo, a UK  based press that was established in 2015. Their books are well distributed and you can learn more about the company as a whole here. We have previously reviewed Hera books, which is now an imprint of Canelo. You can read that review…

Bullshit Lit: Accepting Manuscript Submissions for Their June Reading Period

Bullshit Lit describes itself by saying they are,​”Inspired by a stack of silly poems, Bullshit Lit is the antithesis to those flowery submissions calls for, like, “the deepest echo in your heartcanyon.” We don’t take ourselves too seriously.​ We like to see your worst. Your trash. Get funky with it. We love silly poems, nonsense prose,…

Zibby Books: Now Accepting Manuscript Queries

Zibby Books was founded by Zibby Owens, an established book influencer, as part of her company Aibby Media. You can read more about her launch of Zibby Books, here, and here. Both articles focus a lot on the royalty structure. While writers still receive advances and royalties, they will also be part of a profit…