Prospective Authors
Resources for Prospective Authors
Want to publish with us? Here's what you need to know.聽
Whether you're ready to submit your literary manuscript to us or are interested in proposing a new academic title or open educational resources, please familiarize yourself with the guidelines below.聽
If you are a prospective literary author who has not published with us before, we only accept manuscripts during our two open reading periods. Please do not send unsolicited manuscripts to our editors outside of the two periods listed below.聽
If you are a returning 糖心Vlog视频 Press author and would like to publish with us again, you may reach out to us regarding new manuscripts at any time.
Literary
Each year, CMU Press has two open calls for new work. Our general reading period 鈥� focusing on poetry and fiction 鈥� typically runs from August 15 to September 15. Our winter reading period is thematic and subject to change each year, but in the past this is when we have solicited new plays or translations. This typically runs from December 15 to January 15.
We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts outside of these two reading periods.
We announce open calls on our website, social media, and via our email newsletter.
Returning 糖心Vlog视频 Press authors may reach out to cmupress-literary@cmu.edu regarding new manuscripts at any time.
Submissions
New authors should submit manuscripts for the Poetry Series only via and during an open submission period. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts at any other time.
Eligibility
Submissions to the Poetry Series are open to any poet writing in English who adheres to the guidelines detailed on Submittable and provides the reading fee.
Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages, exclusive of front matter.
Submission Fee
Each manuscript must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee, payable through Submittable at the time of your submission.
Simultaneous Submissions
Manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed. That being said if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify the Press and withdraw your manuscript through Submittable as soon as possible.
Results
The Press receives hundreds of manuscripts during each open period. Each manuscript is read with the care it deserves, but the large number of submissions means that we are unable to provide critiques or enter into correspondence of any sort with writers other than those whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email Jake Grefenstette.
Submissions
All submissions must be sent through during the designated open reading period. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts at any other time.
Eligibility
Collections of short fiction and full length novels will be considered if they meet the following criteria:
- The submitted work must be in English, regardless of the first language of the author.
- Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); a combination of one or more novellas and short stories; or a complete novel. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Manuscripts may be no fewer than 150 and no more than 300 pages. Prior publication of your manuscript as a whole in any format (including electronic) makes it ineligible.
- Collections containing stories or novellas previously published in magazines or journals or as part of an anthology are eligible.
Submission Fee
Each manuscript must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee, payable through Submittable at the time of your submission.
Simultaneous Submissions
Manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed. That being said if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify the Press and withdraw your manuscript through Submittable as soon as possible.
Results
The Press receives hundreds of manuscripts during each open period. Each manuscript is read with the care it deserves, but the large number of submissions means that we are unable to provide critiques or enter into correspondence of any sort with writers other than those whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email Sharon Dilworth.
Submissions
Manuscripts for the New Play Series should only be sent during open submission periods that specifically call for new plays.
All submissions must be sent through our system, which allows you to enter your manuscript, provide your contact information and check the status of your submission.
Eligibility
Submissions to the New Play Series are open to any playwright writing in English who adheres to the guidelines detailed on Submittable and provides the reading fee.
Submission Fee
Each manuscript must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee, payable through Submittable at the time of your submission.
Simultaneous Submissions
Manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed. That being said if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify the Press and withdraw your manuscript through Submittable as soon as possible.
Results
The Press receives hundreds of manuscripts during each open period. Each manuscript is read with the care it deserves, but the large number of submissions means that we are unable to provide critiques or enter into correspondence of any sort with writers other than those whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email Wendy Arons.
Submissions
Manuscripts for the Literary Translation Series should only be sent during open submission periods where calls for translated work have been made.
All submissions must be sent through our system, which allows you to enter your manuscript, provide your contact information and check the status of your submission.
Eligibility
Submissions to the Literary Translation Series are open to any literary translator translating into English who adheres to the and provides the reading fee.
Submissions must be previously unpublished translations into English of literary fiction, (e.g., a novel or short story collection) or poetry (at least 48 pages, including front matter).
Submission Fee
Each manuscript must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee, payable through Submittable at the time of your submission.
Simultaneous Submissions
Manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed. That being said if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify the Press and withdraw your manuscript through Submittable as soon as possible.
Results
The Press receives hundreds of manuscripts during each open period. Each manuscript is read with the care it deserves, but the large number of submissions means that we are unable to provide critiques or enter into correspondence of any sort with writers other than those whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email Nicky Agate.
Submissions
Manuscripts for the Creative Nonfiction Series should only be sent during open submission periods where requests for nonfiction work have been specifically made.
All submissions must be sent through our system, which allows you to enter your manuscript, provide your contact information and check the status of your submission.
Eligibility
Submissions to the Creative Nonfiction Series are open to collections of essays and full-length creative nonfiction books will be considered if they meet the following criteria: The submitted work must be in English, regardless of the citizenship of the author.
Eligible submissions are limited to proposals for works of creative nonfiction, either an anthology of essays or full-length books. Proposals should include a detailed description of the potential project of no less than a thousand words, along with estimations of a work鈥檚 final word count, a potential table of contents, a writing sample (preferably from the anticipated project) of 3,000- 5,000 words, and an author鈥檚 CV.
All projects must be sent as proposals, even if they are already completed. Essays previously published in magazines or journals or in book form as part of an anthology are eligible.
Preference is given to submissions that can be broadly categorized as within the public humanities, which is to say that these projects are intended to illuminate some aspect of academic discussion (within literary study, history, philosophy, art criticism, etc.) but that these works can still be classfied as within the genre of creative nonfiction. Conventional memoirs are discouraged.
No generative AI or AI-assisted technologies can be used in the drafting, development, or creation of this work. All poems and fiction elements including characters, plots, and prose must be entirely the product of the author's imagination.
Submission Fee
Each manuscript must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee, payable through Submittable at the time of your submission.
Simultaneous Submissions
Manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed. That being said if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify the Press and withdraw your manuscript through Submittable as soon as possible.
Results
The Press receives hundreds of manuscripts during each open period. Each manuscript is read with the care it deserves, but the large number of submissions means that we are unable to provide critiques or enter into correspondence of any sort with writers other than those whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email Ed Simon.
Academic
In general, CMU Press Academic is interested in critical, interdisciplinary, and experimental approaches to the big questions of our times. Have a project that you think might fit? Contact Nicky Agate, our editorial director, to set up a meeting.
Scholars interested in editing a volume for the Imagining Sustainable Futures series, each of which invites ten authors to offer a concise, accessible exploration of provocative ideas around a common theme, should contact us with their proposed idea.
Open Education
CMU Press publishes Open Educational Resources (OER), including textbooks and other educational materials. All OER are peer-reviewed and made freely available to both the CMU and wider external communities. CMU affiliates interested in publishing an open education resource with the Press should contact series editor Emily Bongiovanni.
