Sword and Silk bills itself as “a small traditional publisher of a variety of genres focused on uplifting and supporting womxn everywhere.”
They published their first book in June 2021, so they’ve been actively published work for over a year, both in print and electronic formats. You can get a feel for what they are currently focused on publishing here.
They are actively involved in marketing, both in terms of their books and their brand as a small press. They have a podcast and a street team. You can learn about these things in the FAQ section of their site. It is important to note that they have a fairly large staff for a small press, and that staff includes a marketing director who is listed first.
They do accept work from male authors, they just ask that the novel has strong women written well. They encourage submissions from trans, non-binary and gender fluid individuals, as well as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled writers.
One of the things that stands out about Sword and Silk is they do accept previously self-published work as long as all the rights still belong to you.
This is the list of genres they are currently the most interested in:
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Gripping mystery/thriller (especially women sleuths)
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Ghostly paranormal (all levels of spice and romance)
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Horror novels with just the right amount of creepiness
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Contemporary Romance with unique concepts
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Adult Fantasy Romance with spice and whimsy
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LGBTIA+ and other intersectionalities in underserved genres such as fantasy and contemporary romance
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#ownvoices (ND, chronically ill, disabled, BIPOC, etc) stories of all kinds woven into plots that pack a punch
They publish worked aimed at young adults, new adults, and adults. They are one of the few publishers that are specifically seeking new adult fiction.
Their complete submission guidelines are here here. All submissions must be made through their submissions portal.
Emily Harstone is the author of many popular books, including The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions, Submit, Publish, Repeat, and The 2021 Guide to Manuscript Publishers.
