*We are currently CLOSED to submissions and will reopen on September 1*
How to Submit to Owl's Nest Publishers
To submit to Owl’s Nest Publishers, please send a query letter, a one-page synopsis, and the first twenty-five pages of your manuscript in the body of an email to: submissions@owlsnestpublishers.com. The subject line should read: QUERY: [TITLE] by [Name] (for example: QUERY: THE GREAT QUEST by Jane Doe)
Your one-page synopsis is distinct from the plot summary included in your query letter and may be single-spaced. Your manuscript sample of twenty-five pages should be in 12-point font and double-spaced.
Please do not include any attachments. (Submissions sent by snail mail will be discarded unopened.) We accept agented and unagented submissions.
Your query letter should include:
Are you submitting a book that is the first of a series? We love that—especially if your series spans from a Middle Grade to a Teen audience. Be sure to indicate in your query letter that your book is the first in a series and be prepared to present a one-page series synopsis if we follow up and ask for it.
*At Owl’s Nest, we value timeless stories—whether they were popular a year ago or a hundred years ago. We want to know what makes your story fit into the universal nature of the adolescent experience.
Your one-page synopsis is distinct from the plot summary included in your query letter and may be single-spaced. Your manuscript sample of twenty-five pages should be in 12-point font and double-spaced.
Please do not include any attachments. (Submissions sent by snail mail will be discarded unopened.) We accept agented and unagented submissions.
Your query letter should include:
- Title, word count, genre, and audience
- A brief 1-3 paragraph plot summary
- A short bio mentioning your writing credentials (if applicable)
- 2-4 Comparative titles *from any era of publishing history
- Your email address, phone number, and social media links
Are you submitting a book that is the first of a series? We love that—especially if your series spans from a Middle Grade to a Teen audience. Be sure to indicate in your query letter that your book is the first in a series and be prepared to present a one-page series synopsis if we follow up and ask for it.
*At Owl’s Nest, we value timeless stories—whether they were popular a year ago or a hundred years ago. We want to know what makes your story fit into the universal nature of the adolescent experience.
What Are We Looking For?
Owl's Nest publishes books for young people between the ages of 8-18 in all fiction genres. In your query letter, be sure to indicate your genre (and any sub-genres) and whether your book targets a Teen or Middle Grade audience. If your book falls between Teen and Middle Grade, let us know! We are happy to accept manuscripts that take place in the in-between years.
We are actively seeking series—especially series that span the Middle Grade to Teen audience.
Our current wishlist:
For Middle Grade/Upper Middle Grade:
We are actively seeking series—especially series that span the Middle Grade to Teen audience.
Our current wishlist:
For Middle Grade/Upper Middle Grade:
- Mystery
- Fantasy
- Sci/fi
- Historical
- Poetry collection
- Mystery
- Historical
- Contemporary
What Are We Not Looking For?
We do not publish nonfiction, erotica, adult fiction, early readers, or picture books.
*Please do not query us with unfinished manuscripts! If your book is still in progress (being written), in revisions, or otherwise not in a final draft format, hold off on that submission. You want to put your best foot forward, and that means submitting the most polished, complete, version of your work possible. We certainly don't expect manuscript submissions to be professionally edited, but querying a work that is unfinished is of no benefit to you as we will be unable to move forward with any submissions for works in progress.
*Please do not have your queries or manuscripts professionally edited before submitting to Owl's Nest. We expect your queries and manuscripts (if we request them) to be polished, but it is important at the querying stage that we see what you can do as a writer outside of a professional edit.
*Please do not query us with unfinished manuscripts! If your book is still in progress (being written), in revisions, or otherwise not in a final draft format, hold off on that submission. You want to put your best foot forward, and that means submitting the most polished, complete, version of your work possible. We certainly don't expect manuscript submissions to be professionally edited, but querying a work that is unfinished is of no benefit to you as we will be unable to move forward with any submissions for works in progress.
*Please do not have your queries or manuscripts professionally edited before submitting to Owl's Nest. We expect your queries and manuscripts (if we request them) to be polished, but it is important at the querying stage that we see what you can do as a writer outside of a professional edit.
Writing for Owl's Nest Classics
Are you interested in writing for our Owl's Nest Classics list?
Please visit our Owl's Nest Classics page to learn about our Classics Editions.
Owl's Nest Classics editors are responsible for the following:
Please visit our Owl's Nest Classics page to learn about our Classics Editions.
Owl's Nest Classics editors are responsible for the following:
- Choosing a public domain text that fits the vision of Owl's Nest Publishers
- Annotating the full text (unabridged)
- Writing an original introduction, discussion questions, and afterword
What to do if We Request a Full (or Partial) Manuscript
If we request your full (or partial) manuscript please attach it to an email as a Word document. We do not accept pdfs, Google docs, or Pages. Format it as follows:
- 12 pt Times New Roman Font
- Double spaced (with all extra spaces between paragraphs deleted)
- 1" margins, 1/2" paragraph indents
Questions about our submissions process? Check out our FAQ Page. Still have questions? Feel free to reach out here:
