Deadline: open
Geographical coverage: undisclosed
Reading Fee: none
Accepts (genre): post-apocalyptic and dystopian novel manuscripts
Prize/Payment: publication, others
Contact: dystopiapress@gmail.com
We publish post-apocalyptic (what happens after the world/civilization collapses) and dystopian (what happens after the world/society veers off in some disturbing direction) trade paperback novels. The average length of the books we are interested in publishing varies but is typically 80,000 to 100,000 words. We only want original works that have not been previously published elsewhere.
We keep the following questions in mind while reading submissions:
1. Would we pay money to buy this at a bookstore?
2. After reading it, would we look forward to reading another book this author wrote?
3. Is the voice/style of the writing what drives the story, not some collection of genre cliches?
We are currently not interested in short stories, short story collections, novellas, poetry, fantasy and/or vampire novels. Contrived, stilted, and/or emotionally detached stories should not be submitted. We want novels that take themselves (and their characters) seriously without being pompous/pretentious or intentionally difficult (as though making readers suffer is a badge of honor).
Finally, for us to take your novel seriously, you need to take it seriously. That means making sure all the words are spelled right, the sentences are grammatically correct, and that there is continuity in the voices of your characters, overall language of your story, and the plot throughout it. Remember, as we see it, plot equals character over time. And characters drive stories. Characters do not exist as automatons to wander around tripping switches and/or causing explosions in lieu of their own growth/development.
Submission Materials
There are two things we need from you to do a preliminary evaluation of your book manuscript:
1. A detailed synopsis of your entire novel, no more than two single-spaced pages long; and
2. The first fifty double-spaced pages of your manuscript.
Use twelve-point Times New Roman. Number your pages consecutively and put the title of your novel at the top of each page. Very important: Please type your name, address, email address, and phone number in the upper left hand corner of the first page of your manuscript. Right under this, please put the approximate total length of your manuscript in number of words.
Also very important: Only submit one (1) novel at a time.
Online Submissions
Submit the materials above as an RTF or PDF file (no other file formats will be accepted) attached to an email sent to dystopiapress@gmail.com. In your email, please give a brief 2-3 sentence overview of your novel, details about your writing background/experience, and any other pertinent information. We will acknowledge receipt of your submission within 48-72 hours.
Hard Copy Submissions
Submit the materials above to:
Dystopia Press
3615 Franklin Ave., No. 237
Waco, Texas 76710
In a cover letter, please give a brief overview of your novel, details about your writing background/experience, and any other pertinent information.
Very important: Do not submit handwritten material. Manuscripts must be typewritten or letter-quality computer generated. Use a dark ribbon. Clear photocopies are acceptable. The manuscript should be on 8½" x 11" good white paper, double-spaced, with at least 1" wide margins all around. Please use only one side of the page.
It may require weeks and/or months to review a submission and come to a decision. If you want to be sure we have received your manuscript, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard which we will return when your manuscript is logged in.
Be sure to include a postage paid envelope for the return of the manuscript in the event it is not found acceptable. You are entitled to Fourth Class rates for literary manuscripts—ask at your local post office. If you prefer to send your work by First Class Mail and wish it returned the same way, be sure to include sufficient postage, or a check or money order to cover the postage costs. Canadian return postage can only be sent via Canadian Postal Money Order in US$. If you are mailing your manuscript from outside the USA or Canada, postage payment may only be made via American Express Money Order in US$, or by a check in US$ payable from a New York City bank. (Please do not enclose International Postal Coupons, except as postage for a single letter. IPCs cost approximately $3.50 each, but are only valid for 55 cents postage.) Never send cash through the mail.
Evaluation of Submissions
Upon evaluation of your submission—which may, depending upon the volume of overall submissions at any given time, take several weeks up to a month or more—you will either have your manuscript declined or receive a request to submit your entire novel for evaluation. Upon evaluation of a requested full manuscript, a decision will be made whether to accept your novel for publication or not. In many cases, acceptance may be based on your willingness to rework your manuscript based on a variety of editorial factors. Once a novel is accepted for publication, a formal book contract will be drawn up specifying royalty rates and other details.
More information here.
Geographical coverage: undisclosed
Reading Fee: none
Accepts (genre): post-apocalyptic and dystopian novel manuscripts
Prize/Payment: publication, others
Contact: dystopiapress@gmail.com
We publish post-apocalyptic (what happens after the world/civilization collapses) and dystopian (what happens after the world/society veers off in some disturbing direction) trade paperback novels. The average length of the books we are interested in publishing varies but is typically 80,000 to 100,000 words. We only want original works that have not been previously published elsewhere.
We keep the following questions in mind while reading submissions:
1. Would we pay money to buy this at a bookstore?
2. After reading it, would we look forward to reading another book this author wrote?
3. Is the voice/style of the writing what drives the story, not some collection of genre cliches?
We are currently not interested in short stories, short story collections, novellas, poetry, fantasy and/or vampire novels. Contrived, stilted, and/or emotionally detached stories should not be submitted. We want novels that take themselves (and their characters) seriously without being pompous/pretentious or intentionally difficult (as though making readers suffer is a badge of honor).
Finally, for us to take your novel seriously, you need to take it seriously. That means making sure all the words are spelled right, the sentences are grammatically correct, and that there is continuity in the voices of your characters, overall language of your story, and the plot throughout it. Remember, as we see it, plot equals character over time. And characters drive stories. Characters do not exist as automatons to wander around tripping switches and/or causing explosions in lieu of their own growth/development.
Submission Materials
There are two things we need from you to do a preliminary evaluation of your book manuscript:
1. A detailed synopsis of your entire novel, no more than two single-spaced pages long; and
2. The first fifty double-spaced pages of your manuscript.
Use twelve-point Times New Roman. Number your pages consecutively and put the title of your novel at the top of each page. Very important: Please type your name, address, email address, and phone number in the upper left hand corner of the first page of your manuscript. Right under this, please put the approximate total length of your manuscript in number of words.
Also very important: Only submit one (1) novel at a time.
Online Submissions
Submit the materials above as an RTF or PDF file (no other file formats will be accepted) attached to an email sent to dystopiapress@gmail.com. In your email, please give a brief 2-3 sentence overview of your novel, details about your writing background/experience, and any other pertinent information. We will acknowledge receipt of your submission within 48-72 hours.
Hard Copy Submissions
Submit the materials above to:
Dystopia Press
3615 Franklin Ave., No. 237
Waco, Texas 76710
In a cover letter, please give a brief overview of your novel, details about your writing background/experience, and any other pertinent information.
Very important: Do not submit handwritten material. Manuscripts must be typewritten or letter-quality computer generated. Use a dark ribbon. Clear photocopies are acceptable. The manuscript should be on 8½" x 11" good white paper, double-spaced, with at least 1" wide margins all around. Please use only one side of the page.
It may require weeks and/or months to review a submission and come to a decision. If you want to be sure we have received your manuscript, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard which we will return when your manuscript is logged in.
Be sure to include a postage paid envelope for the return of the manuscript in the event it is not found acceptable. You are entitled to Fourth Class rates for literary manuscripts—ask at your local post office. If you prefer to send your work by First Class Mail and wish it returned the same way, be sure to include sufficient postage, or a check or money order to cover the postage costs. Canadian return postage can only be sent via Canadian Postal Money Order in US$. If you are mailing your manuscript from outside the USA or Canada, postage payment may only be made via American Express Money Order in US$, or by a check in US$ payable from a New York City bank. (Please do not enclose International Postal Coupons, except as postage for a single letter. IPCs cost approximately $3.50 each, but are only valid for 55 cents postage.) Never send cash through the mail.
Evaluation of Submissions
Upon evaluation of your submission—which may, depending upon the volume of overall submissions at any given time, take several weeks up to a month or more—you will either have your manuscript declined or receive a request to submit your entire novel for evaluation. Upon evaluation of a requested full manuscript, a decision will be made whether to accept your novel for publication or not. In many cases, acceptance may be based on your willingness to rework your manuscript based on a variety of editorial factors. Once a novel is accepted for publication, a formal book contract will be drawn up specifying royalty rates and other details.
More information here.
