Submissions

Before you submit your manuscript to Blackstaff Press
Submitting a work of fiction
Submitting a work of non-fiction
The waiting game
What if Blackstaff is interested in publishing your book?
Frequently asked questions

Thank you for considering submitting your manuscript to Blackstaff Press. Without submissions we would not be able to maintain a vibrant publishing programme. We value all submissions and give careful consideration to every manuscript received in accordance with our submissions guidelines.  

Please bear in mind that competition to get published is extremely high. At Blackstaff we publish around twenty titles a year, but receive over one thousand manuscripts.

Please read the submissions guidelines below carefully. You should consider whether your book is right for Blackstaff, and whether Blackstaff is the right home for your book.

We have also included some responses to frequently asked questions, based on conversations we have had with writers who want to get published, and we hope you find these useful.

By following these guidelines, you give will give your manuscript the best possible chance of getting published.


Before you submit your manuscript to Blackstaff Press

PLEASE NOTE
*** We publish one to two collections of fiction,  short stories and poetry a year and these slots have been filled for the foreseeable future. We are therefore not accepting submissions of fiction, poetry and short story collections at this time.***

Please visit to our online bookshop, which provides information on all the books on our list. This will help you decide if your manuscript is right for us, and if we are the right publisher for you and your book.

Blackstaff Press is based in Northern Ireland and we publish primarily for a Northern Ireland and Irish market. We will only consider submissions of Northern Ireland/Irish interest.

Please note that we do not publish children’s books; novelty books; self-help titles; medical texts; academic textbooks; erotic fiction; romantic fiction (chick-lit); or titles in the science-fiction/fantasy genre.

We particularly welcome proposals for non-fiction books relating to Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Please be aware that the current waiting time for a response is approximately six months.


Submitting a work of fiction

•    Do not submit your complete manuscript. We require only three sample chapters. These chapters do not have to be the first three chapters of your book, but should showcase the best of your writing in terms of both style and plot. If we want to see more of your manuscript, we will ask for it.  

•    Please only submit chapters that you have finished writing, or are as finished as you can envisage them. Submitting revisions to a manuscript after you have made a submission – which some authors do – is very off-putting.

•    Manuscripts should be submitted typed and double-line spaced on one side only of an A4 page. Use a plain and legible font, such as Times New Roman.

•    Please check for spelling mistakes.

•    Include a covering letter. The covering letter should include, but not be limited to, a statement of any previous writing or publishing experience, an idea of the target reader for your book, and any potential marketing and publicity hooks. Keep your letter short and succinct. Don’t forget to include your address and contact details.  

•    Include a synopsis of your manuscript. Reading a manuscript without a synopsis is like reading a book without a cover. Include character descriptions and a plot summary. Please do give away the end of the book.

•    If you would like your manuscript returned to you, please enclose an adequately priced and sized stamped addressed envelope. If you cannot obtain UK postage, please enclose a sterling or Euro banker’s draft or cheque made payable to Blackstaff Press Ltd. We do not accept International Postal Coupons. Sending cash in the post is not recommended. If a SAE and adequate postage is not included with submission, your manuscript will not be returned to you.

•    Please keep a copy of your submission as we cannot be held responsible for items lost in the post.

•    If you want to be sure we have received your manuscript, please enclose a stamped addressed postcard, which we will return when your manuscript has been logged on our system.

•    We do NOT accept electronic submissions. This includes but is not limited to submissions by email, on CD or via fax. Any material received in this manner will be disposed of or returned, where applicable, without being read.

•    Blackstaff reserves the right to reject without explanation any submission that does not adhere to our submission guidelines.

•    Blackstaff is under no obligation to read any manuscript submitted.

•    We will not enter into any correspondence after a manuscript has been rejected.

•    We are under no obligation to provide a reason for a rejection.  


Submitting a work of non-fiction

Please adhere to the guidelines above for fiction. However, you should give more attention to the potential market for your book.

We will want to know what other books on your subject are available and how your book is different and/or better. For example, are you writing from a different angle or have you found new material? Is it illustrated where previous books have not been? Is it based on interviews or have you had a unique experience or faced a unique challenge? How will your book add to or change what we already know about this subject area? Who is your target reader and why will they want to buy your book rather than another book on the same subject?

We are aware that with non-fiction it may not be possible to submit finished sample chapters. In this case, please submit as detailed a proposal as possible.

If your book is to be illustrated with drawings, photographs etc., please provide hardcopy samples.


The waiting game

We receive over one thousand submissions each year. We carefully consider each manuscript submitted in accordance with our guidelines. It can take a long time to reach a decision – our average response time is currently six months. If a manuscript requires a second read, it may take even longer.

Please be patient when waiting for a response. We know you are anxious to hear from us, but we do not appreciate being chased for a response and we ask you to refrain from calling, emailing or writing to us for updates. Time spent responding to these queries would be better spent reading submissions.


What if Blackstaff is interested in publishing your book?

There is no hard and fast way in which a book will progress from submission to acquisition.

Generally, if we like your sample chapters, we will write to you to ask for more chapters, or for the entire manuscript. If the editor still likes your manuscript, a second editor will read all or part of the manuscript.  

An editor will then contact you to arrange a meeting to discuss the manuscript in detail, including its strengths and weaknesses, possible revisions, where it will sit in the market, and marketing and publicity opportunities.

If there is a positive outcome to this meeting, a publication date will be assigned to the book and a contract agreed and signed.  


Frequently asked questions

Q – I have written a poem/short story. Will you publish it?
A – We do not accept submissions of individual poems or stories for publication in anthologies.


Q – Can you give me some feedback on my novel?
A – Given the high volume of submissions we receive we are unable to provide feedback on submissions or to enter into correspondence once a manuscript has been rejected.

The Creative Writers Network offers a Mentoring and Critical Feedback Service for writers.


Q – Can I speak to an editor about my manuscript/proposal?
A – It is unlikely that you will be able to speak directly to an editor, either on the phone or face to face, unless you have submitted sample material. Then, if we are interested, we’ll call you.

However, book launches are an excellent place to meet the Blackstaff team, and we will be happy to discuss manuscripts and proposals informally at such events. From time to time we also take part in writers’ festivals, or give talks to writers’ groups and workshops. Notification of any such forthcoming events will appear in the News & events page of this website.

Q – How do I copyright my work?
A – Copyright is free and automatic in the UK and Ireland. You do not need to register your work or even write a copyright © notice on your manuscript.

You can find more information on copyright by visiting the web pages of the Copyright Licensing Agency or the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency.

We will not publish or otherwise reproduce your work in part or in its entirety without your permission. In so doing, we would be in breach of copyright.


Q – Do I need an agent?
A – We accept unsolicited manuscripts, i.e. you do not need an agent to submit to Blackstaff.

However, some writers do prefer to be represented by an agent. An agent should provide you with objective advice about your manuscript, select and target suitable publishers, and negotiate the best deal on your behalf.


Q – Can you recommend an agent?
A – No, but we can recommend a book. The Writer’s Handbook is published annually by Macmillan and contains a comprehensive list of literary agents.


Q – I want to publish my book myself. Can you help?
A – If you are an organisation who wants to publish a book, please go to our Publishing solutions page.

If you are an individual, the Northern Ireland Publications Resource has published an excellent book on self-publishing, Publishing for Success: A Practical Guide. This book is available free on request.

You might also find the following websites useful:

www.publish-yourself.com
www.vanitypublishing.co.uk
www.authorsonline.co.uk
www.lulu.com/uk