Updated October 2023
Free Spirit Publishing is an established publisher with good distribution. They publish primarily non-fiction, mostly curriculum based, where they have a number of niche focuses.
They do publish fiction but only in the form of board books (aimed at infants to 4-year-olds) and picture books (for ages 4 to 8) that focus on social skills and getting along, early learning, character education, self-esteem, and other topics related to positive early childhood development.
They are also open to non-fiction board and picture books with the same subject matters.
Their areas of focus in non-fiction include the following topics: Gifted & special education, bullying prevention & conflict resolution, character education, leadership & service learning, educational games, posters, & jars, counseling & social-emotional learning. More information about what specifically they are looking for is available on their submission guidelines page.
They are also open to picture books, fiction and non-fiction books for kids and teens that help them deal with grief and loss, health and wellness, depression as well as other mental illnesses, stress, social skills and friendship, anger management, LGBTQ issues, manners, family, self-confidence, and more.
If you are interested in submitting, you must first submit a proposal.
It is important to note that they do not write rejections. If you do not hear from them after six months or so, consider your proposal rejected. They always contact authors whose work they are interested in. This is particularly frustrating, considering the fact that they do not accept electronic submissions. All submissions must be made through the post.
If you are submitting a proposal it must include the following:
- A cover letter briefly outlining your project, the intended audience (including age ranges), and your relevant expertise
- A current résumé
- A market analysis with a comprehensive list of similar titles and a detailed explanation of how your project differs from available products
- A detailed chapter-by-chapter outline
- At least two sample chapters (if a full manuscript is available, you may send it) Note: For early childhood submissions, the entire text is required for evaluation. Bracketed art suggestions are appreciated, though illustration samples should not be sent unless professionally competent.
- A description of your personal promotion plan for the proposed book (including both in-person and social media outreach)
To learn more about Free Spirit and see the books they have previously published, visit their website. They also run a yearly contest for Black Writers in the US, with Strive. You can learn more about it here.
