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SUBMISSIONS

Acre Books reads queries and samples on a rolling deadline.
Please note, we do pause reading during December and from May 1 to August 1.

We consider books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid forms from writers of any background, at any point in their literary careers, and we’re especially interested in the work of debut writers and those from historically resilient communities, including writers of color, nonbinary and trans writers, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, neurodivergent writers, disabled writers, working-class and low-income writers, and all others who consider themselves underrepresented in contemporary literature.

To submit a query letter and up to TEN PAGES from your manuscript (they need not be the first ten pages), use the button below to fill out a contact form. PLEASE SUBMIT ONLY ONE BOOK AT A TIME. If we wish to see the full manuscript, we will contact you.

We regret that, owing to the volume of submissions we receive, we are unable to respond to each individually. If you have not heard from us after three months, we have decided not to pursue your submission, but we are grateful to you for considering Acre as a home for your book.

PLEASE NOTE that we do not consider incomplete manuscripts, chapbooks, novellas, or children’s books. We do not consider previously published books, which includes self-published books (self-published is published).

Regarding collections (of stories, poems, flash, essays, or some combination of these), please submit only manuscripts for which no more than 60% of the content is available online.

Before you submit, please familiarize yourself with our catalog of recent and previous titles, as well as the words of our publisher Nicola Mason and poetry editor Lisa Ampleman below, to get a sense of the work we look for and love.

Thank you for your interest in Acre!

Lisa Ampleman

Lisa Ampleman, Poetry Series Editor

Lisa Ampleman: When I read a book of poetry, I want to know early on what’s at stake for the speaker—or for the work itself, if there’s no central “I”—and to see a clear progression of that central concern as the reader moves through the poems. I want to know that something matters for the poet and the manuscript. I also will be looking for verse that sets my skin on fire; that’s a hard quality to define (I respond to traditional and experimental forms, as well as everything in between), but I recommend sending us polished work with rich diction that makes the subjects seem new and with enough variety in style that the poems don’t all sound the same. Though I will collaborate with writers on edits, possibly including order, I especially love finding books thoughtfully arranged by their authors, with sections that highlight the poems’ best features and lead to that sense of progression, whether through narrative, themes, or tone. I love a book that teaches you how to read it and fulfills the expectations it sets up in the first few pages—or unmistakably and purposefully challenges them.

Nicola Mason

Nicola Mason, Publisher

Nicola Mason: For fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid works, I’m open to anything in terms of subject and form and driving force (whether that force be character, plot, structure, humor, concept, or some combination of these). What I’m looking for in particular are books that exude energy and command—that persuade and even transport me with the world or worlds, the characters and consciousnesses, they present. I adore innovation and am usually more drawn to imperfect work that takes risks than I am to something accomplished that does no more than meet expectations; I enjoy playful modes but also appreciate tonally serious stuff. Craft is paramount to me. I’ll read anything that’s artfully written, no matter its so-called category. I should mention that I’m an active editor—line by line as well as in the developmental/structural sense. I love digging in, bouncing ideas back and forth, and thoroughly enjoy working with my authors. Thanks for considering Acre.

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Name
This one-page query should include the title, genre, and a brief description of the project, as well as an author's bio including relevant publications or accolades and, if applicable, an explanation of the author's connection to the material.
Click or drag a file to this area to upload.
Upload a sample of no more than ten pages. Please send only .doc and .pdf files.