We accept agented and unagented submissions for Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction only; please do not send us submissions for other genres or age categories.
We are open to submissions during the following reading periods. Submissions sent outside of these periods will be deleted unread.
- February-March
- June-July
- October-November
We only accept electronic submissions at this time.* To have Jolly Fish Press consider your manuscript for publication, please provide the following items:
- A query letter in the body of the email that includes:
- A pitch for the manuscript / 1-2 paragraph plot synopsis
- A short bio mentioning your previous publications and writing credentials, as well as any background experience that is relevant to your manuscript
- 3 comparative books published within the last five years with an explanation of how your book both ties into a trend in MG or YA and offers something unique
- Your contact information
- Your answers to our marketing questions in the body of the email:
- Who are your target readers?
- What is your stance toward self-marketing?
- Do you have a social media presence and/or website?
- What activities would you be excited to do to market your book and get others excited about it?
- What does your perfect book launch look like?
- The first three chapters in an attached Word document
Send these materials to submit@jollyfishpress.com. The subject line should be the working title of your book.
Submissions that do not follow the above guidelines will not be reviewed.
*Please do not mail hard copies to our office. Hard copies will not be reviewed and will not be returned.
Work for Hire
Jolly Fish Press/North Star Editions welcomes applications from authors, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, interested in producing fiction manuscripts on a work-for-hire basis. Under this arrangement, NSE offers a flat fee for a writing project that adheres to specifications we provide. Topics will be assigned by our staff and may include writing under a pen name assigned by NSE.
Experienced authors should submit a résumé, including a list of publishing credits, to jobs@northstareditions.com.