Submission Guidelines

Novel and novella submissions are currently CLOSED, but our guidelines are below for future use.

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What to include in your email

• The subject line: SURNAME—TITLE—SUBMISSION TYPE (e.g., novel, novella)—WORD COUNT

• In the body of your email: please let us know if this is an original submission or a resubmission. If you are resubmitting an updated manuscript, please indicate the revised sections to help us assess your manuscript. Please also note if this is a simultaneous submission.

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What we need attached

• A synopsis approx. 300 words, detailing the key themes, plot, characters, twists, and ending

• Your brief author bio, including any previous publications

• The first 30 pages of your manuscript

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Submission email: squirmbooks@gmail.com.

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Formatting

Manuscripts should be presented in TNR, size 12, justified, 1.5 line spacing, as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or.docx. Any other file type won’t be read). Do not use tabs for new paragraphs. Any variant of English will be accepted.

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What we want

We are a young adult horror press. Any horror sub-genre is welcome, but the manuscript must have clear elements of horror and be geared toward a young adult audience (general ages 14-18).

• Preferred length: approx. 30K—85K. Manuscripts outside this are more than welcome, but we are more likely to consider manuscripts in the suggested length

• Preferred horror sub-genres: satirical, creature feature/monster (vampires, werewolves, demons etc.), body, cosmic, horrormance, gothic, grief. Again, all sub-genres will be considered---these are just some of our favorites!

• Forms: novels, novellas

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What we don't want

• Poetry

• Screenplays

• Erotica

• Adult fiction (check out our parent press, Slashic Horror Press!)

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Please read carefully before submitting

Squirm is an LGBTQI+ publisher. We are interested in spotlighting LGBTQI+ authors and stories, hence any manuscript prioritizing LGBTQI+ themes/characters are desirable. 

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Ensure your manuscript is edited to the best of your ability before submitting. While Squirm has in-house editors and works with other freelancers in the industry, we are more likely to publish a manuscript that doesn’t need extensive rewrites/edits. You won’t need to pay for these services if we accept your manuscript.

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We’re a small press, so please only one submission per author at a time. This just means to wait to hear from us on your current submission before making another one. If you are aiming to submit a series, please include a note in your submission email. We don’t believe in exclusive submissions, so simultaneous submissions are perfectly fine, just include a note in your email, and also come back to us to let us congratulate you if the submission is accepted elsewhere.

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Please don’t submit previously published works, including self-published titles, unless the work has undergone significant rewriting and you’re pitching a re-release. It can also be tempting to submit work that is unfinished…please don't do this.

 

If we’ve previously had to reject your manuscript, please don’t let this stop you from resubmitting. Once your work has undergone significant edits and rewrites, we may be in a position to consider your manuscript for publication.

 

Note: AI-generated writing will not be tolerated. If work is discovered to be generated by AI, the work will be automatically rejected (or unpublished, if we didn’t discover it in time!).

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Response Time

You should receive an acknowledgment of submission within 48 hours. We endeavor to assess every manuscript within six weeks of receipt. If we request the full manuscript, this can take an additional six weeks. Delays may occur as this is a small press, but we will do our best to keep you updated. Feel free to email with any questions.

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Rejections

We hope to be able to provide authors with feedback on submissions. Rejections may be accompanied by an invite to resubmit if/when that feedback is addressed.

Some things we will reject automatically: AI-generated writing, bestiality, pedophilia, incest, and hate crimes/extremist views without meaningful context for the story.

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Rights and Payment

Squirm asks for a 3-year exclusivity contract with Worldwide English rights for eBook, paperback, and hardcover. This means you cannot publish the work elsewhere within that period. After this period ends, the rights will revert back to the author and they are free to publish that title elsewhere. If authors wish for the title to be removed after the exclusivity period is over, we are happy to do so. Otherwise, the title will remain with us and we will continue promoting/advertising for the author. Authors will receive the agreed upon royalty rate even after the exclusivity period ends. Having wide distribution through global markets, all of our titles are print-on-demand and as such, will remain available.

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At this stage, we cannot provide advance payments, however we will provide all authors with five (5) author copies. Authors will receive 40% royalties for both eBook and paperback. If a hardcover book is produced, authors will receive 35% royalties due to the higher cost of production.

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