Submissions
Thank you for thinking of Your Scrivener Press as a possible publisher of your work. YSP is a small and regional publisher which brings out four titles each year. Consequently we must be quite focused with our publishing plans. To insure that your submission gets the best possible attention from us, and that you make the best use of your time, we ask that you be aware of the following guidelines.
Check the Fit
Please look over our list (the books on our current, forthcoming, and backlist webpages) to determine whether or not your work is like what we do. Carefully read the excerpts linked to the pages. Ideally, you’ll be familiar with whole books we’ve published.
What we Publish
We are primarily a literary press, interested in poetry, short stories, and novels. We will, however, consider other types of writing, such as local history, memoir, creative non-fiction, travel in the northeast, or special interest topics, which may intrigue our northeastern Ontario focus audience.
Our Market
Our focus audience is in northeastern Ontario, in the sense that we are actively developing a regional network of retail outlets (view the developing network here). Of course we know our books are also of interest to many readers beyond our region. That’s why we market more widely through the Chapters website.
Who we publish
Because of our regional focus, our authors will be largely from northeastern Ontario. Writers from outside the region are welcome to submit, keeping in mind that we are interested in work that northeastern Ontario readers will recognize as having a regional appeal, through its subject and/or because its author lives here, or has roots here, or has strong regional affinities.
How to Submit
While we will consider full manuscripts, we much prefer receiving book proposals. We do not consider faxed or emailed submissions. We wish to be informed if your work is being submitted elsewhere simultaneously.
The Basics
Your proposal must be typed (or word-processed), on 8.5 x 11 inch paper (one side only), in 12 point font, with your name and address on each page. It MUST include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) big enough to return your submission to you if necessary. Otherwise we’ll have to recycle the material. For international submissions, please include sufficient International Reply Coupons, available from the post office.
Each Proposal will Include...
- A one page maximum cover letter outlining the project, with comments on your subject, your expected audience, and your purpose for writing, and indicating the length, expected completion date (if not complete already) and any special design features like illustrations, colour or b/w photos (and whether you have these, and own the rights, or whether they will need to be found and perhaps purchased)
- A one page maximum brief biography and publishing history
- A table of contents or outline of the book if applicable
- If a novel, also provide a one page maximum synopsis of the story, and a sample chapter or two
- If a book of short stories, also provide two stories, plus a two or three sentence synopsis of each of the others
- If a book of poetry, also provide a selection of at least 10 poems indicating your range
Timeline
Normally you can expect a response within 3 months, though spring and fall launch schedules, or the need to hear from external readers, can lengthen the wait. Be aware that we try to develop our forthcoming list up to 18 months ahead of publication. Consequently, if your book is accepted you may have to wait some time to see it appear.
Our Address
Send all submissions to
Your Scrivener Press
465 Loach's Road
Sudbury, ON
Canada
P3E 2R2