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.

What is a Chapbook + 12 Chapbook Publishers

Chapbooks are very small books, usually between 15-30 pages in length, 50 at the most. They frequently have no spine and are often bound with staples but they can also be bound with ribbon or thread. They have been around for a long time, at least since the 16th century, when they were associated with…
Special Issue

An Argument for Writing Short Stories

“Write a short story every week. It’s not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.’ — Ray Bradbury “A good [short story] would take me out of myself and then stuff me back in, outsized, now, and uneasy with the fit.” — David Sedaris Writers who are serious about improving and developing…
Issue Six Hundred Fifty Six

23 Publishers Accepting Memoir Submissions

Memoir publishers that don’t require an agent to submit are few and far between. However, there are still options out there. Some are old and respected, others are new and still figuring things out. Not all the publishers on this list are currently open to submissions, but most are. It’s important to note that some…
Special Issue

81 Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers (December 2025)

This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented 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….
Issue Six Hundred Fifty Five Special Feature

42 Terrific International Literary Journals

The bulk of the literary journals we review are based in North America, with a smattering in the UK. Although we sometimes seek out and include international journals, the bulk of the journals we’ve reviewed are in these two regions. All of the journals in this list are not in either of these regions. They…
Special Issue

Ten Manuscript Publishers Open to Direct Submissions in December 2025

This list focuses on ten publishers that we are excited about that are open to submissions this month. Some are only open for a short period of time, others will be open the whole month and beyond. At least four of these are presses we have not covered previously. Please note that if a publisher…
Issue Six Hundred Fifty Three Special Feature

Bait and Switch: Editing Fees Built into Contracts

I have been covering the publishing industry for over a decade now, reviewing a minimum of fifty-two publishers a year. I visit approximately ten publishers websites for everyone one I will actually review. I can only review publishers that match Authors Publish’s Guiding Principles. I also keep a careful eye out for red flags, and…
Issue Six Hundred Fifty Three Special Feature

Fusion Fragment: Now Accepting Submissions

Fusion Fragment (FF) focuses on publishing science fiction or SF-tinged literary fiction stories and novelettes ranging anywhere from 2,000 to 15,000 words. In terms of preferences they say, “Although any science fiction subgenre is fair game, our tastes lean towards slipstream, cyberpunk, post-apocalypse, and anything with a little taste of the bizarre. FF prefers character-driven…
Fiction Genre Issue Six Hundred Fifty Two Literary Journals Paying Market

The Top 45 Publishers for New Authors

The writing market can be overwhelming, particularly for new authors who do not have a history of past publication. It is important to note that no legitimate established presses specifically look for unpublished authors. The presses on this list were chosen because they have published a number of debut books before. The publishers on this…
Special Issue

25 Manuscript Publishers Always Open to Submissions

Some publishers open and close their doors to submissions on a routine basis. It can be hard to determine if they are open or shut to submissions, and when you should submit. The following publishers, however, are always open to submissions from writers without agents or previous publishing experience. All of these publishers meet our…
Special Issue

Ten Manuscript Publishers Open to Direct Submissions in November 2025

This list focuses on ten publishers that we are excited about that are open to submissions this month. Some are only open for a short period of time, others will be open the whole month and beyond. At least four of these are presses we have not covered previously. Please note that if a publisher…
Issue Six Hundred Forty Nine Special Feature

Eclipse: Accepting Manuscript Submissions

Eclipse is the dark romance focused imprint of Entwined Publishing, which we have reviewed here (please read it first). This is how they describe the imprint: “Eclipse delves into the shadowy realms of dark romance, where love and danger intertwine. We are interested in submissions featuring dark billionaires, mafia kings, biker gangs, and anti-heroes who…
Manuscript Publishers Romance

becker&mayer! kids: Accepting Manuscript Submissions

becker&mayer! kids is often abbreviated as b&m!. This is an imprint of The Quarto Publishing Group that focuses on publishing children’s books that focus on portraying varying cultures, races, and abilities. They say this about the imprint: “We believe authenticity is even more important than just visibility. When people read about their own culture, it…
Children's Books Manuscript Publishers

Nine Terrific New Literary Journals (October, 2025)

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

90 Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers (October 2025)

This list of publishers meet our guiding principles, but are only open to free submissions from historically underrepresented writers or focus on publishing content produced by historically underrepresented 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….
Issue Six Hundred Forty Six

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