PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING INVITATIONS TO READ THIS YEAR. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE POSSIBILITY OF READING YOUR WORK NEXT YEAR (STARTING JANUARY 1, 2024). THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND SUPPORT!
Welcome to the Nomadic Press open reading period, which runs from January 1–February 28 (or 29) of each year (aside from 2023). No invitations will be accepted outside of this period, though we still may solicit works.
We welcome invitations in any language, and we are extremely grateful that you are considering our press as a home for your work.
WHY “INVITATION?”
For years, we have used the “industry”-standard language—submissions.
Submit
(transative verb): (1) to yield to governance or authority; (2) to present or propose to another for review, consideration, or decision; (3) to put forward as an opinion or contention
(intransitive verb): (1) accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person; (2) to permit oneself to be subjected to something; (3) to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of another
Any way you cut it, the word “submit” grates against who we are and what we stand for. It feels inauthentic to continue to use this word.
We want to instead offer that this is a process of sending us an invitation—an invitation into relationship, an invitation to work together, an invitation to experience your art with you, an invitation into a space most sacred.
We may accept this invitation. We may decline this invitation. Regardless, we are grateful. It is truly an honor to receive an invitation. So we want to simply pause and thank you for considering our press.
THE SMALL PRESS REALITY
Our reality is that we must decline the invitations of many, some of whom we know and see at community events regularly. This is difficult. We know it is also difficult to receive declines to any invitation. We know this because we, too, are writers and receive numerous declines.
A declined invitation may mean it is simply not the right time. It may mean that your work simply does not fit within the scope of what the press is hoping to accomplish in that given year. It may mean any number of incalculable things. We want to offer some advice that can, of course, be freely disregarded: try to send your invitation without expectation or attachment to whether or not the invitation is accepted or declined. There is immense power and beauty in simply extending the invitation. Everything else is so often outside of our control. Resilience is innate.
INVITATION GUIDELINES
Prior to sending us an invitation, please ensure that you are familiar with our organization's vision, mission, and safe space statement/process. We are more than just a publishing house. If you have not gotten a chance to read one of our books, please take a moment to do so.
Please note that any pre-existing formatting sent to us in your documents will likely be stripped and reworked by our designer should we decide to take on your project. Therefore, it is advisable that your invitation is in the following, simple format:
We are asking that you send two files of your work: a .PDF and a .DOC file. We will use the former to ensure correct text placement should we accept your work.
Double-spaced (unless it is a poetry submission, of course)
Serif font (Garamond, Times New Roman). Fancy or over-worked fonts often get in the way of reading.
Ensure that your last name and the page number are present the upper right-hand header of every page.
Please send us a photo. Our portrait artist will use this photo to work off of and your portrait will be placed at the back of the book with your bio should your invitation be accepted. Please select a photo that does not have your face obstructed.
WORD-COUNT LIMITS
Please see our Submittable page (below) for genre/type-specific word-count limits.
HOW DO WE READ YOUR INVITATIONS?
We have a team of 3 first-round readers, all of whom are previously published Nomadic Press authors. Our readers change every year. These readers will rate each invitation and we will compile a short list of finalists, out of which final publications will be chosen by our editorial team.
As an independent, small press, we take our reading period very seriously and enlist the help of trusted, highly talented authors who understand who Nomadic Press is and what we stand for. We feel it is important to pay them for their time, which your submission fee of $10 helps to cover. We look forward to reading your work, and thank you again for your interest in our press, and our values.