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.

The Top 30 Publishers for New Authors

Updated January 30th, 2019 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 It is important to note that no legitimate established presses specifically look for unpublished authors.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….

Jo Fletcher Books: Now Accepting Submissions

Jo Fletcher Books is an imprint of Quercus Publishing, the only imprint that accepts unsolicited submissions. Jo Fletcher Books publishes science fiction, fantasy, and horror books for adults. They are not interested in children’s or young adult books, or in short story collections or novellas. They are established, have distribution, and have published a number…

MB Publishing: Accepting Submissions

Updated 2020: Appears Defunct, could not find recently published work. MB Publishing is a small press based out of Bethesda, Maryland. They focus on publishing children’s books and Judiaca (things pertaining to Jewish life and customs) also largely aimed at children. MB Publishing was founded over 5 years ago by Margie Blumberg as more or…

32 Literary Journals that Pay

“It is a sad fact about our culture that a poet can earn much more money writing or talking about his art than he can by practicing it.” W.H. Auden As someone who makes their living writing about writing and publishing, I can attest to how truthful Auden’s quote is. It is hard making a…

13 Approachable Literary Journals

If you are just starting to submit your work to literary journals, or perhaps you just want to avoid rejection, this list is for you. All of the literary journals in this list accept around half of what is submitted to them. So the odds of your work being accepted just went up. These are…

Maverick Children’s Books: Accepting Manuscripts

Maverick Children’s Books is a UK based publisher of children’s books. Their books generally have wonderful covers and illustrations, and are quirky. They publish a variety of books for children but only appear to be open to submissions in the picture book category. You can learn more about the team behind Maverick here. I do…

9 Literary Journals that Publish Longer Fiction

Most literary journals are only interested in publishing short stories that are up to 3,000 words in length. So it can be harder for someone who wrote a longer short story to place it in a good home, unless they are publishing a collection of short stories. The following literary journals are all open to…

Immedium: Now Accepting Book Submissions

Updated February 2025: While still technically open to submissions, they have not published a new book in over two years. Immedium was founded in 2004 and is led by experienced professionals, who have written critically acclaimed books, marketed print and digital media, and sold #1 nationwide best-sellers. Aquanauts, a series of books they published, was turned…

Gibbs Smith: Now Accepting Book Submissions

Updated February 2026 Gibbs Smith is an established publisher with good distribution. They are open to submissions of nonfiction related to interior design, architecture, children’s, and cookbooks. They also accept submissions in the following subjects: arts and crafts, western humor with general appeal, general humor, and gift books. They also consider: children’s activity books, board books, and picture books. They have published…

20 Respected Literary Journals and Magazines that Publish Creative Writing

The literary journals and magazines on this list reject the vast majority of what is submitted to them. Sometimes authors’ works are rejected for years, decades even, before they receive an acceptance. But these literary journals are respected and trusted. Most have a large readership and good distribution in libraries and bookstores. Many of these…

Seven Books Every Writer Should Read

There are hundreds of books on writing that are out there. In fact as a young writer I received many of these as birthday gifts; some were extremely helpful,  others were just frustrating, and many are still sitting on a shelf in my parents’ house, unread. However, whether you are a poet, a fiction writer,…

10 Major Book 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 ten publishers, however, are always open to submissions from writers without agents or previous publishing experience. They are all respected publishers…

Dawn Publications: Now Accepting Book Manuscripts

UPDATED January 18th 2022: They seem to be completely absorbed by Source Books and do not seem to have their own identity outside of being part of Source Books larger children’s book catalog.  Dawn Publications is a boutique print press focused on publishing books connecting children and nature. They usually just publish six books a…

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing: Accepting Submissions

UPDATED August 2024. Founded in 1911 and located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company is an independent publisher of religious books. They have a large range, including academic books and reference works in theology, biblical studies, and religious history to popular titles in spirituality, social and cultural criticism, as well as literature….

How to Start Getting Your Work Published in Literary Journals

‘The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.’ Stephen King When I first started submitting my work to literary journals, each submission I made was a frustrating, time-consuming ordeal. I kept asking myself if each publication was the right fit for my poems. I kept wondering what…

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