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Submissions & Queries

General submissions are closed

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Please note: Due to recent time constraints, we will not be able to catch up on current submissions. We do appreciate all who have submitted, but our current queue will be reset to 0 submissions as of 2025-09-05.

 Please keep an eye on this place for when we are able to reopen our submissions window.

Our general submission guidelines can be found below or by clicking this link.

Queries are welcome.

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While we are currently closed to general submissions, we do encourage those who are interested in publishing with us to still send a query. You can find out more about our query guidelines below or by clicking this link.

What We're Looking For

   Dark Brew Press focuses primarily on dark, speculative fiction from almost any genre. However, with that being said, we are open to any well-written speculative fiction story that piques our interest, even if the darkness is only a light touch. Below is a list of a few things that might be hard sells for us, but if you think we might love it anyway, by all means, please do give us a try.
 

  • Anything that could be classified as erotic fiction
     

  • Gore-based horror
     

  • Anything that is about current events
     

  • Experimental literature
     

  • Overtly gratuitous violence
     

  • Stories intended for young adults
     

  • Stories written in third person present.
     

  • Anything that would be a better fit under historical or literary fiction.

     

   Now, how about a list of things we want to see more of?
 

  • Diversity and inclusion done well. We live in a world full of all kinds of people, we like to see that in our books too!
     

  • Psychological horror
     

  • New twists on old themes
     

  • Genre blending and bending fiction



   When it comes to length, we are open to novelettes, novellas, and full-length novels. ​We will also consider short story collections from a single author. We do not do multiple-author anthologies, but we will consider co-written work.

General Submission Guidelines

General submissions are currently closed

   We will only accept electronic submissions through the email address provided below. Please be sure that you follow all guidelines listed here, or we may reject your submission without reading it. 

  Please keep in mind that submissions should include: a query letter, a full synopsis and a sample of your manuscript. A query should include: a query letter and a full synopsis. If your query piques our interest, we will ask for a sample at that time. 
 

  • All submissions should be in standard manuscript format. Despite this site using Courier, we actually prefer to read our submissions in Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced, and non-tab indented paragraphs. Please do not underline for italics. In a digital world, such things are no longer necessary. Please just use italics where you want italics to be.
     

  • Please include the first three chapters or 10K words (whichever is shorter) as a .docx attachment for all submissions. We will not read any story that is linked to another site. If you do not include the portion of the story as an attachment, your email will be deleted with no response.
     

  • Submissions should include a short cover letter in the body of the email that includes an elevator pitch, any publishing credits you currently have (none is fine, we all start somewhere!), genre and sub-genres, who you believe your target audience is, word count, your author bio, and contact details. Comp titles are entirely unnecessary, but if you are including them, please tell us in what way you think your story compares to the chosen comp titles.
     

  • Submissions should include a full synopsis as a separate attachment. Remember, a synopsis should be a full breakdown of the major plot points, including the resolution, written in your own voice. Please include any unique elements about your story that might interest us as well. This should be no more than 2 pages in length, in the standard manuscript format listed above. Once again, if this is sent as a link instead of an attachment, your email will be deleted with no response given.
     

  • If your submission is for a series, please indicate how many of the sequels have been planned or written, and include a one-paragraph summary for each of the future stories in the series.
     

  • Make sure the title of your email states SUBMISSION along with the name of the story and your name as well.
     

  • Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please let us know that the work has been submitted elsewhere. 
     

  • Multiple submissions are allowed for up to two (2) unrelated works per author within an open submissions period. Please do a separate email for each submission.
     

  • Reprints are fine. Please do provide a detailed account of where and when the work was previously published. Any previous sales data is useful as well. If you are submitting a novel that has been self-published, it must not be currently in print. However, reprints are a slightly harder sell depending on the publishing history.
     

Query Submission Guidelines

We are always open for queries

   We will only accept electronic queries through the email address provided below. Please be sure that you follow all guidelines listed here, or we may delete your query without reading it. 

  Please keep in mind that a query should include: a query letter and a full synopsis. If your query piques our interest, we will ask for a sample at that time. 
 

  • All submissions should be in standard manuscript format. Despite this site using Courier, we actually prefer to read our submissions in Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced, and non-tab indented paragraphs. Please do not underline for italics. In a digital world, such things are no longer necessary. Please just use italics where you want italics to be.
     

  • Please include the first three chapters or 10K words (whichever is shorter) as a .docx attachment for all submissions. We will not read any story that is linked to another site. If you do not include the portion of the story as an attachment, your email will be deleted with no response.
     

  • Queries should include a short cover letter in the body of the email that includes an elevator pitch, any publishing credits you currently have (none is fine, we all start somewhere!), genre and sub-genres, who you believe your target audience is, word count, your author bio, and contact details. Comp titles are entirely unnecessary, but if you are including them, please tell us in what way you think your story compares to the chosen comp titles.
     

  • Queries should include a full synopsis as a separate attachment. Remember, a synopsis should be a full breakdown of the major plot points, including the resolution, written in your own voice. Please include any unique elements about your story that might interest us as well. This should be no more than 2 pages in length, in the standard manuscript format listed above. Once again, if this is sent as a link instead of an attachment, your email will be deleted with no response given.
     

  • If your query is for a series, please indicate how many of the sequels have been planned or written, and include a one-paragraph summary for each of the future stories in the series.
     

  • Make sure the title of your email states QUERY along with the name of the story and your name as well.
     

  • If you are looking for a new home for a previously published story, we do consider reprints. Please do provide a detailed account of where and when the work was previously published. Any previous sales data is useful as well. If you are submitting a novel that has been self-published, it must not be currently in print. However, reprints are a slightly harder sell depending on the publishing history.
     

How and What We Pay

   A lot of novel publishers don't bother with this section, but we like to be right up front about these things. You deserve to know before going through the entire process. We are a small, independent publisher which means the model that the big 5 publishers use doesn't work if we want to stay around in today's market. 

   Our payments are based on NET INCOME. This means, all royalties are based on what we get paid after the bookseller takes their cut. Our aim is to be as generous with our authors as we can be, while still making sure all costs of running a publishing house are covered so that we can keep selling your books for years to come. Typically, we offer a 60/40 split of the net revenues. 

   The other thing that is important to note is that we don't mail royalties. We only payout via PayPal.

Are you ready?

   If you've read all the "small print" and think you're ready for this, go on and send us that email.

   Just two final things. If submissions are listed as closed and you send us your manuscript, it will be an automatic rejection unless you are submitting in response to a Twitter pitch event "like". In that case, please note it in the first line of your cover letter along with a copy of, or link to, the tweet we liked. 

   Queries are always welcome. So, if you just need to know right now if we might be interested, go on and query us. 

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 submissions@darkbrewpress.com

 

One Last Suggestion

   If you use The Submissions Grinder website, please log your submission using our market id link below. If you don't use it yet, we highly recommend it. Diabolical Plots is a great publication and the service they provide through The Submissions Grinder is amazing. 

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 Find Dark Brew Press on The Submissions Grinder
 

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