We are NOW OPEN to general submissions.
We are looking for previously unpublished novels and novellas (anything between 20,000 – 100,000 words – firm limit) aimed at an adult audience. Please ensure your work is complete and as polished as possible before you submit. Unfortunately we cannot consider pitches for unfinished manuscripts.
UPDATE 15th April: All submissions prior to 31st March have now been responded to. If you haven’t heard from us, please check your junk mail first, then query us at info@ghostorchidpress.com.
Payment: Modest advance against royalties, 50% of net royalties thereafter on both e-books and physical books.
What We’re Looking For:
We’re looking primarily for dark fiction including horror, gothic, and dark fantasy. We love genre mixing, works that stray from the well-trodden path, or that offer a fresh perspective on existing tropes. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, disabled, EFL, and previously unpublished authors are especially encouraged to submit.
If you want to get a sense of our tastes, here’s a few authors we’ve recently read and enjoyed: Julia Armfield, Roshani Chokshi, Eliza Clark, Tananarive Due, Mariana Enriquez, Andrew Michael Hurley, Cassandra Khaw, Iain Reid, Ai Jiang, Stephen Graham Jones, Kirsty Logan, Scott J. Moses, Iain Reid, Morgan Talty.
Check out our books to get a feel for what we publish.
What We’re NOT Looking For:
— YA or childrens’ fiction
— Short story collections
We operate a firm no-AI policy and will not consider work produced by AI / machine-generation. For our part, we pledge not to use AI in any part of our submission or publication process, including book covers.
How to Submit:
CLICK HERE to use our form to submit a brief pitch (1-2 paragraphs) and first chapter (or approx. 10 pages if your book doesn’t have chapters). We aim to respond to submissions within 90 days of receipt.
Simultaneous submissions are welcome. Just let us know if you need to withdraw your submission for any reason. No multiple submissions, please.
Rights and Contract:
We ask for exclusive first publishing and electronic rights for a set period following publication. Thereafter, all rights revert to the author, although the contract can be extended if both parties are happy to do so. All copyright remains with the author.
Authors will also receive 5 paperback copies of their book free of charge and the option to purchase further copies at a discounted price.
Exact details of the contract will be negotiated with individual authors, but we are happy to send you a copy of our sample contract upon request.
Please consider carefully whether indie publishing is right for you. We work closely with our authors to invest in your book, however our marketing budget is small and we’re primarily a one-person operation, with all the limitations that go along with that. Always be sure to thoroughly research any press you consider signing with. And please feel free to ask us questions! You can get in touch at info@ghostorchidpress.com.