Additional Guidance

If  your submission does not follow our guidelines or contain work that falls within our publishing niche, it will be discarded. We only publish works that are in some way mythic, supernatural, surreal, magical, or extra-normal.

If you made a mistake and it’s a minor error, please don’t concern yourself. We do not reject submissions because of minor errors in submission format. However, we no longer read submissions that do not demonstrate that a reasonable attempt has been made to follow our guidelines.

Formatting Your Submission

We publish about 5% of the works we read. Make your work stand out in a good way. Follow the guidelines carefully.

Start with a short cover letter (one page or less) at the beginning of your submission. Your cover letter will tell us that you not only know what your story is about but that you can present that idea in a way that interests a reader. The letter doesn’t have to be longer than a paragraph or two and should not be longer than a single page, but it should contain complete sentences. Submissions without a cover letter will not be read.

The most important piece of information your cover letter should contain is why you think your work is right for Drollerie Press. We are very strongly committed to our mission of publishing mythic fiction. We don’t want to waste our time or yours reading the latest Sexual Escapade Tell All, Self-Help Handbook, or Memoir, and we get tired of writing “no thank you” letters. Is your story a form of Cinderella? A wisdom tale? A supernatural mystery with quest overtones? Is it a trickster tale? An epic sci-fi with archetypal characters? Let us know where it fits within our niche. We are always interested in unique characters, diverse viewpoints, and unusual settings. If your story contains those things, please let us know.

The rest of the information your letter might contain, in no particular order: whether or not it’s a simultaneous submission (important), the word count of your work, your experience with marketing your work, your social network memberships, organization memberships and relationships, and your previous publishing credits. If you have ideas to market your book, we want to hear them. If you don’t have previous credits or for some reason you’re embarrassed by them, don’t apologize for it, just don’t mention them at all. We are not grading your work. We just want a way to get to know you and your writing a little better to help us make a decision about which books to publish.

Each imprint’s requirements are different. If a synopsis is requested, it should be short. We don’t want to read more than a couple of pages at most (and one is better) to find out that you’re capable of telling a coherent story. If you don’t know how to write a synopsis, search out a description online or at your local library. Please don’t worry about being excessively formal, but do explain the entire story.

If your story has been previously published please query first, regardless of imprint.

Following your cover letter and synopsis, if the imprint to which you’re submitting requires it, please provide a partial or the entire manuscript of your work. A partial consists of the first three chapters. Do not submit the entire manuscript or a partial if the imprint requests queries only.

Your submissions packet should be one document, with hard page breaks between each section. Do not use the space bar or return key to space your document.

Format the entire document in Courier or Courier New, 12pt. double-spaced, with one inch margins. Provide your name, the name of the work, approximate word count, genre(s), and your email address on the front page of the actual submission. Include your last name, the name of the work, your email address, and page numbers in the header on the top right of each page. Please do not style your headers in any unusual way. 10pt. Courier, single-spaced, is best. (See William Shunn, Proper Manuscript Format, for an example.)

Save the entire document in Word’s .doc or .docx, Open Office .odf, or in Rich Text format. Name your file by your last name, one word from the title of the work, and the name of the imprint to which you think it best suited in the following format:lastname.title.imprint.rtf.

Do not format your submission in any other font. Do not include front matter, cover art, graphics, design elements, or excessively large chapter headings. It will be deleted unread.

Choosing the Right Imprint

Drollerie Press publishes our stories through a number of lines or imprints to help our readers better find the books they want to read. Books that are appropriate to more than one imprint (i.e., a fantasy mystery with a romance), we list in multiple places  but each book must have a primary imprint for record keeping purposes.

While your story must always contain some mythic fictional elements, please choose the most appropriate imprint to receive your submission. If the submissions editor for the imprint you chose feels that your work is better suited to a different imprint, he or she will forward it to the appropriate editor, so don’t worry about making a mistake. It may take a little longer, but it will be reviewed.

Drollerie Press: For fantasy works, including high, paranormal, urban fantasy, myths, legends, and fairy tales.
Packet: Cover letter and complete manuscript
Email: submissions@drolleriepress.com

Chrysography: Chrysography publishes graphic novels, experimental fiction, and special projects.  If you’re submitting a graphic novel, let us know if you have an artist/are submitting as a team, and include a sample page of the artist’s work.
Packet: Query with synopsis and sample
Email: submissions@chrysography.com

Expressions: World/multicultural speculative fiction written by or about one or more persons of color and/or from a non-western and/or non-caucasian perspective. Your characters of color cannot be secondary, sidelined, two-dimensional, die for the benefit of a main white character, or be presented stereotypically.
Packet: Cover letter and complete manuscript
Email: submissions@expressionspress.com

Flyleaf: Speculative fiction containing characters who are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered, or queer of any genre. Neither erotica nor romance are required.  These should be compelling stories containing one or more main characters who are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgendered, or queer. The story does not have to focus on their sexuality.
Packet: Query with synopsis
Email: submissions@flyleafpress.com

Gauffer Press: For works of mythic fiction written in the primary genres of suspense, thriller, and mystery.
Packet: Cover letter with complete manuscript
Email: submissions@gaufferpress.com

Grotesqueries: for mythic works of a horrific or dark speculative bent.
Packet: Cover letter with complete manuscript
Email: submissions@grotesqueries.com

Illuminated Press: For fiction works of an inspirational nature, with strong, realistic characters whose lives demonstrate a reliance on or acceptance of deep spirituality, and that include a compelling storyline.
Packet: Cover letter with complete manuscript
Email: submissions@grotesqueries.com

Kettlestitch: For works intended for audiences between the ages of 14 and adult with sophisticated conflict and intelligent, engaging characters between the ages of 16 and 21. Violence, drug use, and sexual activity are allowed (though not required) as long as they are “fade-t0-black” and are not aggrandized in the story.
Packet: Cover letter, synopsis, 3 sample chapters
Email: submissions@kettlestitchpress.com

Pen Flourish: For works of romance, erotic romance, or erotica.
Packet: Cover letter, synopsis, full manuscript
Email: submissions@penflourish.com

Quadrivium: Science fiction and science fantasy.
Packet: Cover letter and complete manuscript
Email: submissions@quadriviumpress.com

As you can see from the above, many works will cross boundaries. Don’t worry too much about choosing the right imprint. If you have a story that does not fall within the guidelines of the imprints described above or you’re not sure where to submit it, submit to Drollerie.

The Submissions Process

When we receive your submission, it is placed in the queue and read in order of receipt. Please allow 16 weeks for a response.