submit to stillhouse press!
At Stillhouse Press, we believe in fostering author relationships that are rooted in genuine collaboration and in championing work that is strange, unconventional, transcendent, and risky. We look for fresh voices and authors who push the boundaries of their craft in ways we haven’t seen before. We are committed to soliciting work from the widest possible range of voices, including those often excluded from traditional publishing, including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ writers, low-income writers, and those living with disabilities. We especially love publishing emerging authors and debut works.
As a student and alumni-led teaching press, our primary aim is to provide educational opportunity through applied experience in the art of craft publishing. Student staff are responsible for acquiring, producing, and marketing work from independent authors in the course of their education, allowing them to forge lasting professional relationships and step out with confidence into the greater literary community.
submissions are OPEN!
Stillhouse Press is open for speculative fiction submissions
between august 15th, 2026 and november 15th, 2026.
Stillhouse Press will only accept manuscripts through Submittable. Unsolicited manuscripts received through email will be rejected unread. If our Submittable is closed, then we are not accepting new submissions at this time. Please check here for our next open window.
Speculative Fiction Call
Stillhouse Press is open from August 15th, 2026, to November 15th, 2026, for submissions of book length speculative fiction manuscripts and short story collections between 60,000 and 90,000 words. Exceptional works with longer or shorter word counts may still be considered, but please address the inconsistency in your cover letter.
We are interested in works that apply a lyrical style to a speculative framework, break from existing genre conventions, and engage with the human— or nonhuman! —experience in ways that constantly surprise us. While you can find our list of hard sells linked here, please don’t self-reject. If you think your manuscript is a good fit for our list, we’d love to take a look!
If you want to check out our previous speculative fiction offerings at http://stillhousepress.org/stillhouse-store, they’re 20% off for the duration of this open call!
Stillhouse Press will accept manuscripts only through Submittable. Unsolicited manuscripts received through email will be rejected unread.
Please note that we do not accept submissions of AI-generated prose, previously published full-length books, or submissions from writers currently or recently affiliated with George Mason University’s English Department or Creative Writing MFA/BFA programs. Submissions that fall under these criteria will be automatically declined.
The Nitty-Gritty
We seek prose manuscripts between 50,000 and 100,000 words. Works with longer or shorter word counts may be considered, but they will need to be exceptional.
We charge a nominal $7 fee/submission for regular submissions to cover our own Submittable and administrative expenses. To create an accessible platform for marginalized voices, we offer fee-free submissions to writers who request a fee waiver via email at submissions@stillhousepress.org.
Please see below for more detailed guidelines:
Our ideal manuscript is between 50,000 – 100,000 words for prose. For collections that are under this word count, please include a note in your cover letter with a brief justification. Why is the work complete at this length? Why is it incomplete, but we really should consider it anyway? If you are willing or eager to further develop the manuscript with editorial guidance, please state that in your cover letter.
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable if indicated. Please notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
Submitted manuscripts should include:
a word count in the top right corner of the first page.
a cover letter with a short synopsis or overview of the work. Authors are also encouraged to share information about their writing background, online presence, involvement with the writing community, and inspiration for their submission.
if possible, an acknowledgements page at the beginning or end of the manuscript.
We do not consider:
Agented submissions.
AI-generated prose.
Previously published or forthcoming manuscripts.
Work from writers currently or recently affiliated with George Mason University’s Creative Writing MFA/BFA programs.
We take time in considering all submissions. Expect 6-9 months for a decision. We welcome queries about manuscripts under review after 9 months have passed via email at submissions@stillhousepress.org. Queries should include your name, the date of your submission, and the manuscript title.
To stay up to date on all things Stillhouse Press, and to receive an email announcement when our next submission period opens, subscribe to our newsletter at “KEEP UP WITH STILLHOUSE PRESS" on our home page.
For questions about this and other submissions policies, please contact us at submissions@stillhousepress.org
New voices welcome
Stillhouse Press is committed to soliciting work from voices and perspectives often excluded from traditional publishing, including low-income writers, writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ writers, and those living with disabilities. To create an accessible platform for disadvantaged voices, we offer fee-free submissions to writers who request a fee waiver via email at submissions@stillhousepress.org
