Submissions are open
Send us your work.
We read every submission with the attention we’d want a reader to give our books. If you have written something that matters to you, we want to know about it.
Response time
12–16 weeks. We respond to every submission.
What to send
Fiction: complete manuscript only. Non-fiction: proposal and sample chapters.
Who can submit
Agented and unagented writers. Simultaneous submissions accepted — just tell us if you’re offered a contract elsewhere.
What we publish
We publish by quality and conviction, not category. What unites our list is temperament: a willingness to take the long way round, to trust the reader, to say something rather than everything.
Speculative fiction
Ideas-driven work where the speculative element illuminates something true about the present. Not world-building for its own sake.
Science fiction
Literary SF with genuine scientific curiosity. We are particularly interested in near-future work and first-contact narratives.
Literary & general fiction
Character-driven, prose-conscious, emotionally ambitious. Debut voices especially welcome.
Weird fiction
Work in the tradition of Ligotti, VanderMeer, and Barron. Cosmic unease, liminal spaces, the intelligence of the non-human.
Horror
Psychological, atmospheric, or folkloric. Fear as a way of understanding, not just experiencing. No gore for its own sake.
Humor & satire
Wit with genuine stakes. We love a book that makes us laugh and then doesn’t let us off the hook.
Non-fiction
Narrative non-fiction, essay collections, and works of deep research that read with the urgency of fiction. Pacific Northwest subjects warmly received.
What we’re not looking for
Being clear about this saves everyone time. These are genuine exclusions, not suggestions.
- Children’s and middle-grade fiction
- Young adult fiction of any genre
- Poetry collections or chapbooks
- Romance as a primary genre
- Thrillers and crime fiction
- Self-help, prescriptive, or how-to non-fiction
- Work previously self-published in any format
- More than one manuscript at a time from the same author
- Unsolicited full manuscripts during closed windows
What happens next
From the moment you hit send to a decision.
You submit
Send your manuscript or proposal by email or the form below. You’ll get an acknowledgement within 24 hours.
Day 1First read
Every submission is read in full by a member of our editorial team. No interns, no partial reads.
Weeks 1–4Editorial review
Work that advances is discussed by the full editorial team. We may ask for revisions or a conversation.
Weeks 4–10Decision
Shortlisted work receives detailed feedback whether or not we acquire it. Passes get a personal note, not a form letter.
Weeks 10–16Offer & contract
If we want to publish your work, we make a formal offer and explain every clause. Take your time before signing.
As needed
Submission guidelines
Following these isn’t bureaucracy. It means your work is read in the best possible conditions.
File format
- Word (.docx) or PDF
- 12pt Times New Roman or Garamond, double-spaced
- 1-inch margins
- Page numbers and your name on each page
- Title page with title, name, word count, genre, and contact details
Fiction
- Complete manuscript only, no works in progress
- One-page query letter
- Synopsis of up to two pages
- Author bio of about 100 words
- 60,000–120,000 words
Non-fiction
- Proposal of up to 20 pages, with chapter outline
- Two or three sample chapters
- Platform statement and relevant credentials
- Comparable titles from the last five years
By email, put everything in one message with the subject line: SUBMISSION — [Genre] — [Title] — [Author name]. Please don’t follow up within the first eight weeks.
Submit your work
Use the form or email submissions@vendolius.com. Both routes receive equal consideration.
Submission form
Submission sent
Thank you. You’ll receive an acknowledgement at the address you gave within 24 hours. Please allow 12–16 weeks before following up.
Questions
Can’t find what you need? Write to submissions@vendolius.com.
Do you accept submissions from outside the United States?
Yes. We welcome submissions from writers anywhere in the world. We publish in English only, but we are delighted to consider work written in English by authors from any country.
Can I submit more than one manuscript at a time?
No. Please submit one work at a time — the one you feel most strongly about. You may submit another after receiving a decision on the first.
Will you provide feedback if you pass?
Shortlisted work receives personalized notes. Submissions that don’t advance past the first read receive a considered personal response, but we can’t offer detailed editorial feedback at the query stage.
My book is genre-crossing. Which category should I choose?
Choose the primary genre and note the crossover in your query letter. Many of our favorite books resist easy categorization. What matters is that the work knows what it is.
Do you accept short story collections?
Yes, when the stories work together as a book. Linked and interconnected collections are especially welcome — two of our first three titles are built that way. Tell us in your query letter where individual stories have been published, if anywhere.
What happens to my manuscript if I’m not offered a contract?
We don’t retain manuscripts we don’t acquire. Files are deleted from our systems within 30 days of our decision. Your work belongs entirely to you.