Submission

S U B M I S S I O N

ABLE MUSE PRESS GENERAL READING PERIOD IS CURRENTLY OPEN!
(You may submit unsolicited manuscripts from May 1, 2022 to July 15, 2022)

 

Able Muse Press Manuscript Submission Guidelines

 

We publish:

    •Poetry
    •Fiction
    •Nonfiction
    •(Query before submitting other genres)

Reading Period:

    May 1 to July 15, yearly

Book Manuscripts:

  1. Preferred submission method is our online entry form—
    1. DO NOT type or copy and paste your manuscript in the poem text box. Rather, upload your submission file(s) from the upload field (accepted formats are: Text, RTF, Word, Wordperfect, PDF, HTML).
    2. Combine your submission into a SINGLE file only. (Do NOT send multiple files per submission!)
    3. GO HERE to submit.
       
  2. Second favorite entry method is via e-mail—
    1. Again, do not type your submission in the body of the email. Rather, attach your submission file to the email (accepted formats are: Text, RTF, Word, Wordperfect, PDF, HTML).
    2. The subject of the email should be: "<Your Name>: Manuscript Submission - <Type of Manuscript>
    3. Second choice submission method: Email your entry to submission@ablemuse.com .
  3. We don't publish chapbooks, so we need at least book-length manuscripts -- not counting front matter and backmatter, at least 50 pages for poetry, at least 100 pages for fiction and nonfiction). There's no maximum.
  4. For now, we do NOT accept snail-mailed, unsolicited hardcopy manuscripts—any such submission will be discarded unread, and will not be acknowledged!
  5. Simultaneous submissions accepted as long as we're immediately notified if your work is accepted elsewhere.
  6. There's NO reading fee.
  7. We respond within 9 months or so.
  8. Do not submit unsolicited manuscripts when our general reading period is closed: they will be returned to you unopened.

Comments

Jody McKinnon (not verified)

Wed, 03/13/2013 - 10:41am

Hello,
In your submissions above, it states that any unsolicited manuscript may not be read at this point and any sent will be ignored.  In another section of the site, it states a deadline of March 31st.  Do I need to wait until May 1st to send in my manuscript?
 
Jody

Administrator

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 7:57am

Hello Jody,
The March 31st deadline was on the Book Award contest page, which that date applies to. This page is for the yearly open-reading call for submission which the  May 1, 2013 to July 15, 2013 dates given on this page refer to.
Best,
...Alex

Administrator

Wed, 05/01/2019 - 3:08pm

Hi Jody,

I believe you're confusing the Able Muse Book Award submission (entry deadline March 31), with the open reading call for submissions (May 1 to July 15). This page is for the latter.

Best,

...Alex

 

Natalya Sukhonos (not verified)

Mon, 07/08/2013 - 9:26am

Hello,

What should the length of my chapbook be? This is not specified on your website. Thanks,

Natalya

Administrator

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 2:09pm

Hello Natalya,

We don't publish chapbooks, so we need at least book-length manuscripts -- not counting front matter and backmatter, at least 50 pages for poetry, at least 100 pages for fiction and nonfiction. There's no maximum.

Best,

...Alex

Sam (not verified)

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 7:36pm

Hi Alex,

Do you prefer poetry manuscript submissions single-spaced or double-spaced? Thank you! -Sam

Administrator

Sat, 07/20/2013 - 10:50am

Hi Sam,

For poetry manuscripts, single-spaced is preferred. And for fiction & nonfiction, double-spaced is preferred.

Best,

...Alex

 

Vicky (not verified)

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 4:22am

Hi, do you accept queries the whole year or do you only accept unsolicited queries during the specified reading times?

Administrator

Thu, 05/01/2014 - 9:16pm

Hi Vicky: We do not accept queries outside our open reading period. They're fine, though, during the reading period. However, it might be best, if possible, to just go ahead and submit per the above guidelines during our reading period.

Best,

...Alex

 

José M. Tirado (not verified)

Thu, 04/24/2014 - 4:07pm

Hello,

Do you accept manuscripts of poetry where some of the poems may have been previously published in online journals only? 

Thanks!
José

Administrator

Thu, 05/01/2014 - 9:17pm

Hi José,

Previous publication in print or online journals is no problem, and might actually be an advantage.

Best,

...Alex

Mignon Ariel King (not verified)

Mon, 05/05/2014 - 4:31pm

Hello,

Do you accept previously published manuscripts which had a limited run if the writer retained the copyright?

Administrator

Sat, 07/05/2014 - 11:07pm

Hi Mignon,

Sorry, we don't accept any previously published manuscripts.

...Alex

Riana (not verified)

Sat, 05/10/2014 - 12:23pm

Hi,

New to publishing and was wondering what are the guidelines for a poetry manuscript?

Administrator

Sat, 07/05/2014 - 11:10pm

Hi Riana,

This is our guidelines page. So, go to the top and read through the page for our guidelines. After that, if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask them.

Cheers,
...Alex

Rizwan Akhtar (not verified)

Sat, 05/31/2014 - 8:47pm

Do you consider writers outside the USA?

Administrator

Sat, 07/05/2014 - 11:10pm

Hi Rizwan,

Yes, we consider writers worldwide.

Best,
...Alex

Dani (not verified)

Tue, 06/10/2014 - 8:17am

Hello,

Is it possible to include a short flash piece (just over a 1000 words) in the collection (for poetry)?
Thank you.

Administrator

Sat, 07/05/2014 - 11:13pm

Hi Dani,

Yes, it's possible, but we consider these on a case-by-case basis ... and it has to be something exceptional--even more so than straight poetry or fiction--to get our attention.

Best,
...Alex

Stephanie L. Harper (not verified)

Tue, 06/10/2014 - 2:58pm

Hi there!

I am wondering if it would be permissible/suitable for me to include original illustrations which accompany some of my poems in my manuscript submission? I would much appreciate your guidance in this matter!

Thank you!

Steph Harper

Administrator

Sat, 07/05/2014 - 11:19pm

Hi Steph,

Yes, it's possible and it's OK to submit with illustrations. However, we'll look at the words first and foremost, before we start considering the viability of the included illustrations.

Best,
...Alex

jessica (not verified)

Sat, 06/21/2014 - 8:21am

if your work is accepted for publication will their be any fees or will they be taken out of the books earnings ?

Administrator

Sat, 07/05/2014 - 11:21pm

Hi Jessica,

We don't charge reading or any other fees for work we accept for publication.

Best,
...Alex

Carl (not verified)

Sat, 06/28/2014 - 8:05am

Hello,

Are you accepting creative nonfiction submission?

Administrator

Sat, 07/05/2014 - 11:23pm

Hi Carl,

Yes, we also consider creative nonfiction, however, it has to be something really exceptional -- more so than poetry or fiction -- to be accepted.

Best,
...Alex

Ed (not verified)

Mon, 04/13/2015 - 8:59pm

I just wanted to ask: do you only consider full-length manuscripts, or are you interested in short stories as well?

Administrator

Fri, 05/01/2015 - 3:54pm

We also consider short-story collections, however, Able Muse Press doesn't welcome individual short stories. For that, go to Able Muse, our semi-annual literary journal--submission page at www.ablemuse.com/submit .

Best,

...Alex

Jennifer (not verified)

Mon, 07/13/2015 - 5:21am

Hello, I am just trying to verify if you allow simultaneous manuscript submissions during your open reading period.

Thank you.

Jennifer

Administrator

Tue, 12/18/2018 - 9:00pm

Hi, Jennifer,

Yes, we do. (It says so in the guidelines.)

Best,

...Alex

 

Rock (not verified)

Sat, 06/16/2018 - 7:30am

Hi,

I'm trying to send you a poetry manuscript, it's pretty long, and so the pdf is larger than you are receiving. I tried the online form and it told me to send a 1mg file, and mine is over 7mg. So I tried via email, and it bounced back to me, saying it was too large. Any way to get around this. I see above that there is no maximum size for poetry books..... 

Thanks.

Peace

Rock

Administrator

Tue, 12/18/2018 - 9:08pm

Hi, Rock,

No, we don't have a file-size limit. However, there are few manuscripts that big so, there's usually no size problem. I'd guess that you have large size graphics in your manuscript. Anyhow, for such a problem, I recommend you contact us through https://www.ablemusepress.com/contact/ for and we'll provide you with alternative means of sending us the file. It will usually be through one of the (free) web personal storage services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.

Best,

...Alex

McCollonough (not verified)

Fri, 07/13/2018 - 10:07am

Do you publish early reader and or board books?  

Administrator

Tue, 12/18/2018 - 9:15pm

Hi, McCollonough,

We do. However, we'd request that you query -- using our contact form at https://www.ablemusepress.com/submit/ -- first before submitting.

Best,

...Alex

 

Elizabeth Boquet (not verified)

Sat, 07/14/2018 - 9:09am

Hello,

Do you send a confirmation of receipt? I've attempted to send a manuscript but nothing shows in my "sent" box.

With thanks,

Elizabeth Boquet

Administrator

Sat, 12/22/2018 - 6:31pm

Hi Elizabeth,

The submission system automatically acknowledges the submitted material. So, you should have received that automated message in your inbox. Eventually also, an editor should be contacting you to give you the decision on your submission.

Best,

...Alex

 

Michelle (not verified)

Fri, 07/20/2018 - 6:55pm

Do you accept submissions for a book of poems from a group of poets?  Thank you.

Administrator

Tue, 12/18/2018 - 8:52pm

Hi, Michelle,

I don't see why not, so, yes!

Best,
...Alex

Rob Kaiser (not verified)

Sun, 07/22/2018 - 9:50am

Hi, Jody.

I'd like to submit a CNF manuscript but am unclear about whether you're accepting those. How do I send or submit a query?

Thanks so much.

Rob Kaiser

 

 

Administrator

Tue, 12/18/2018 - 8:58pm

Hi, Rob,

I'm not sure who the Jody you're addressing is as there no such person on staff here. But on your question, we do accept creative nonfiction manuscript during our open reading period. However, we recommend querying first before submitting. You can query through our contact form at https://www.ablemusepress.com/contact/.

Best,

...Alex

pjshianna41@gma... (not verified)

Wed, 06/12/2019 - 11:56am

Are your 50- and 100-page minimums ms. pages or published pages? Thanks.

Administrator

Mon, 11/25/2019 - 11:58am

Hi, Pjshianna41,

The 50 and 100 pages minimum refer ms. pages.

Best,

...Alex

Vanessa Landau (not verified)

Mon, 06/15/2020 - 9:23am

Hello, Able Muse Editor:

I submitted a manuscript with fewer than the required poems. How do I withdraw the manuscript so that I may re-submit one with the required number?

Regards,

Vanessa

Administrator

Sat, 09/19/2020 - 4:16pm

Hi, Vanessa--you need to contact us directly through our contact form (it's one the menu links) here. --Alex

Sanjay Agnihotri (not verified)

Tue, 11/03/2020 - 3:02am

Do I need to wait until May 1st to send in my manuscript?
Regards
Sanjay

Administrator

Mon, 12/20/2021 - 4:20pm

Hi, Sanjay--For the open reading period, yes: May 1 to July 15 yearly.--Alex

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