Submissions

2023 Update - Blackstaff Press will be accepting submissions emailed during September 2023 only.

Thank you for thinking of sending your work to Blackstaff Press. We are happy to consider both agented and unagented manuscripts. 

Before you send your work to us, please read the information below carefully. 

Is your book a good fit for our list?

• We focus on subjects of interest to the Irish market, both north and south. However, we are open to considering other proposals if they are strong enough to generate interest from farther afield and specially if there is a connection to Ireland.
• Before submitting to Blackstaff, take time to study our publications. This will give you an idea of whether your work is likely to fit with our list.
• We do not publish Poetry, Drama/Plays, Erotica, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Horror, Self-help, Young Adult or Children’s books and are much more likely to publish your book if it is non-fiction.

Submitting your book to Blackstaff Press

Email submissions only

If, having read the key points above, you feel that your book is a good fit for us, please email a Word document (in a clear font, such as Times New Roman at 12 point and either 1.5 line or double spaced, with wide margins) containing the following:

• a covering letter containing your main pitch
• a short synopsis and chapter outline 
• about the first 40 pages of your manuscript, to a natural break.

Include in the covering letter:

• why you think we might be interested in your book
• who you think will buy your book, the target market, avoiding generic statements like ‘the Irish diaspora’ and ‘anyone who loves a good story’
• why your book will sell in significant numbers
• a little bit of relevant information about yourself (i.e. your experience, any other writing you have undertaken, any connections that would help publicity for your work) 
• any social media presence and following, or ideas to promote and sell your book

Put ‘Submission’ in the subject line of your email, the title of your work and whether it is fiction or non-fiction and send it to: info@blackstaffpress.com

Please note that we do not accept hardcopy submissions

Our Response

All submissions are read and considered carefully. We try to respond to submissions within a couple of months, but because of the volume of material we receive, the wait may be as long as six months. If you haven’t heard from us after this time, it is unlikely that we have decided to pursue your project, but please feel free to drop us a query if you wish.

If your work is accepted elsewhere while you are waiting for a reply from us, please let us know immediately.

Please note, we aren’t able to offer detailed analysis and feedback on your work although there are excellent organisations that provide this. An internet search should throw up quite a few, as well as notices in the writing press. 

We look forward to hearing from you – happy writing!