Submision Guidlines

Why Publish With Sea Crow Press

We're a small, hands-on press that reads every manuscript ourselves. When we say yes to a book, we mean it — and we work hard to make that book succeed.

What our authors get:

• A traditional publishing contract (we never charge authors to publish)

• Distribution by Simon & Schuster (trade), Tantor Audio (audiobooks), and Draft2Digital (ebooks)

• Professional editorial, design, and production support by a dedicated team

• Six-month launch runway with marketing materials, ARCs, and review outreach

• A literary community of fellow Sea Crow authors who support each other's work

• Standard royalty terms (8–12% on print, 25–35% on ebooks)

We are not a vanity press, a hybrid press, or a service publisher. We are a small literary house that invests in the books we choose.

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What We're Looking For

We acquire across three editorial pillars. Your manuscript should fit clearly within one of them.

 

Pillar 1: Place-Based Fiction

(4–6 books per year)

Stories where setting is character, not backdrop.

• Ecofiction & climate fiction — environmental change, human impact, the relationship between people and the natural world

• Coastal & regional fiction — novels rooted in real places (especially New England, but not exclusively)

• Historical fiction — when landscape and place shape the story

• Literary fiction with strong place — including the forthcoming Cape Cod detective series

• Literary mystery & quiet suspense — when atmosphere and setting drive the narrative

 

Pillar 2: Place-Based Poetry

(1 collection per year)

Poetry rooted in landscape, season, and the natural world. We publish one collection per year, so this is our most competitive category.

• Eco-poetry

• Coastal & regional poetry

• Lyrical, observation-based collections

 

Pillar 3: Contemplative & Women's Spirituality

(1 book per year)

Books for the inner life — where attention to self mirrors attention to landscape.

• Nature memoir

• Contemplative nonfiction

• Women's spirituality and feminine wisdom traditions

• Spiritual essays grounded in place, ritual, or seasonal living

 

Across all three pillars, we are drawn to work that:

• Is immersive and voice-driven

• Uses setting or inner landscape as an essential force, not decoration

• Demonstrates emotional precision and literary craft

• Leaves a lasting, resonant impression

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What We're Not Looking For

Sea Crow Press has a focused editorial vision. To save you time and ours, please do not submit:

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• Fiction where place or environment is incidental

• Work that could be set anywhere without changing the story

• Didactic or message-first writing that prioritizes agenda over craft

• Genre fiction without strong place elements (thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary romance)

• Self-help, business, or how-to nonfiction

• Chapbooks

• Children's books or young adult (with rare exceptions for crossover literary work)

• Books that have been previously published or self-published

• Submissions that don't reflect awareness of our catalog

 

If your work doesn't fit our pillars, please consider Coffeetown Press, She Writes Press, or browse Poets & Writers' database of small presses for a better match.

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Before You Submit: A Self-Check

The strongest submissions to Sea Crow Press come from authors who have read at least one of our books. Before submitting, please ask yourself:

1. Does my manuscript clearly fit one of the three pillars?

2. Have I read a Sea Crow Press book? Browse our catalog →

3. Could my book sit naturally on the shelf next to our titles?

4. Have I named 2–3 comparable Sea Crow Press titles in my submission?

If you answered yes to all four, we'd love to read your work.

If not, we may not be the right home for your manuscript — and that's okay. The right press for your book is out there.

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How to Submit

Please submit the following materials via our submission form:

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What to Send

1. Cover letter including:

• Brief manuscript description (1–2 paragraphs)

• Why your manuscript fits Sea Crow Press (which pillar, comparable Sea Crow titles)

• 2–3 comp titles (other recently published books like yours)

• Brief author bio with relevant publication credits

• Author platform (social media, mailing list size, prior speaking/event experience)

1. Manuscript materials:

• One-page synopsis

• First three chapters OR up to 25 pages (whichever comes first)

• Poetry: 10 representative poems

1. Format requirements:

• Microsoft Word (.docx) only

• Times New Roman, 12-point, single-spaced

• Numbered pages with author last name and title in header

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What Happens Next

• You'll receive an automated confirmation when we receive your submission

• Initial review takes 8–12 weeks — please don't follow up before then

• If we want to read more, we'll request the full manuscript

• If your work is a strong fit, we'll be in touch to discuss a contract

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Other Notes

• Simultaneous submissions are welcome — please notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere

• We respond to submissions we want to pursue. Due to the volume of submissions, we cannot respond individually to every author.

• We do not currently accept agented submissions exclusively — debut authors and unagented writers are welcome

• We acquire world rights, with subsidiary rights handled in-house

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Submit Your Manuscript → 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many books do you publish per year? 8–12 books across three pillars: 4–10 fiction, 1 poetry, 1 contemplative.

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Do you accept self-published or previously published work? No. We only acquire unpublished manuscripts.

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Do I need a literary agent to submit? No. We accept unagented submissions. Debut authors are welcome.

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What's your response time? 8–12 weeks for initial review. We respond only to submissions we want to pursue further.

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Do you charge a reading fee? No. Sea Crow Press never charges authors to submit, read, or publish.

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Are you a vanity press or hybrid publisher? No. We are a traditional publisher. We acquire books, pay authors royalties, and cover all costs of editing, design, production, and distribution.

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What are your typical royalty rates? Standard rates: 8–12% on print, 25–35% on ebooks. Specifics are negotiated per contract.

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Do you provide marketing support? Yes. Every Sea Crow book receives a six-month launch runway with marketing materials, ARC distribution, review outreach, and ongoing promotion. We expect authors to actively participate in their book's launch.

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Can I submit to multiple pillars? Please submit to the pillar that best fits your work. If you're unsure, choose the closest match and note it in your cover letter.

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Can I follow up if I haven't heard back? Please don't follow up before 12 weeks. After that, you may send one polite inquiry to submissions@seacrowpress.com.

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Ready to Submit?

Take a deep breath. Make sure your manuscript fits one of our three pillars. Make sure you've read at least one Sea Crow Press book. Make sure your cover letter names your comp titles.

Then click below.

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We read every submission. We can't respond to all of them, but if your work is a strong fit for our list, you'll hear from us within 8–12 weeks.