Articles by Emily Harstone

Emily Harstone is the pen name of a published writer. Her work has been published in ten countries, four continents, by over fifty different journals. She is a professional submissions adviser and editor. If she owned a dog it would be named Wystan.

25 Approachable Literary Journals

Some journals accept a lot more submissions than others. Acceptance rates change all the time, so realize that over time these journals may become harder to get into. These are not the only publishers that are easy to get into, but they are a good place to start if your sole goal is to get…
Special Issue

5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in June 2024

These magazines publish fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They’re a mix of literary and genre magazines. Not all are open through the month.   The Journal of Compressed Creative ArtsThey publish fiction, nonfiction, and prose poetry, as long as it is compressed in some way.Deadline: 15 June 2024Length: Up to 600 wordsPay: $50Details here.(And, Canadian literary…
Issue Five Hundred Seventy Five

What Novelists Should Do After Rejection

Having taught novel writing for many years now, one of the most common emails I receive from students and subscribers goes something like this: “Dear Emily, My novel has been through years of revisions now, and I’ve shopped it around to most agents and publishers. I could revise it one more time, but I’m not…
Issue Five Hundred Seventy Five Special Feature

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…
Issue Five Hundred Seventy Four Special Feature

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…
Issue Five Hundred Seventy Four Special Feature

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…
Issue Five Hundred Seventy Three Manuscript Publishers Science Fiction

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…
Manuscript Publishers Special Issue

TWB Press: Now Accepting Manuscript Submissions

Updated October 10th, 2024: They are currently closed to submissions. Do Not Query. 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…
Issue Five Hundred Seventy Two Manuscript Publishers Mystery Paranormal Romance Science Fiction

August Books: Now Accepting Manuscript Submissions

Updated January 2025 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…
Historical Fiction History Manuscript Publishers Non Fiction

Bullshit Lit:

Updated September 2025: They plan to reopen to book submissions in 2026 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….
Fiction Manuscript Publishers Poetry

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…
Fiction Manuscript Publishers Memoir

Spurl Editions: Now Accepting Manuscript Submissions

Updated June 13th 2024, due to an influx of submissions they are not currently open to submissions. Their tagline is “publishers of unusual literature”. On their About page they add the additional context, including the context that they are “specializing in works fitting for our current decrepit and apocalyptic world”. They have previously published a…
Literary Fiction Manuscript Publishers

9 Exciting New Literary Journals (May 2024)

In my experience, there are many reasons to seek publication in journals that have been around for less than a year. When a literary journal is new, the editors tend to be a lot more passionate. I have gotten handwritten thank you cards from editors of new publications, something that has never happened when my…
Special Issue

Press Box Books: Now Accepting Book Proposals

Updated September 2026: Their submission guidelines have been removed and they appear to not be releasing new books. Press Box Books is an imprint of North Star Editions. North Star Editions is a Minnesota-based publishing company that publishes fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. They have two other imprints that we reviewed in…
Issue Five Hundred Seventy One Manuscript Publishers Non Fiction

Tilbury House: Accepting Manuscript Submissions

Tilbury House is a press based out of Maine that publishes children’s books including board books, beginning readers, picture books and middle grade titles. They have published some very successful children’s books, including Talking Walls, Sheila Says We’re Weird, and Playing War. Each has a focused message involving a social issue. You can get a…
Children's Books Issue Five Hundred Seventy Manuscript Publishers

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