Submissions Policy

Thank you for your interest in submitting work to Dillinger Publishing.

Dillinger Publishing is the central publishing home for a growing catalog of titles released under Dillinger Publishing and its affiliated imprints. Each imprint has its own editorial focus, audience, and publishing identity. Because of that, submissions should be directed according to the type of work being proposed and the imprint for which it may be best suited.

Current Submission Status

Dillinger Publishing reviews submissions selectively and may not be open to all categories at all times. Submission windows, imprint needs, and editorial priorities may change based on production schedules, catalog development, and available publishing capacity.

If submissions are currently open, guidelines will be posted on this page or announced through Dillinger Publishing’s official channels.

If submissions are closed, we are unable to review unsolicited manuscripts, proposals, pitches, artwork, concepts, or creative materials.

What We Consider

When submissions are open, Dillinger Publishing may consider completed manuscripts, book proposals, series concepts, nonfiction proposals, poetry collections, graphic novel concepts, illustrated works, or other creative projects that align with the mission and editorial focus of Dillinger Publishing or one of its imprints.

Submissions should be polished, carefully prepared, and appropriate for the imprint or publishing category being queried. We are especially interested in work with a clear voice, strong structure, defined audience, and meaningful creative or intellectual purpose.

What to Include

Unless a specific submission call states otherwise, a submission inquiry should include:

Your name and contact information
The title of the work
The genre, category, or subject area
The intended audience
The imprint you believe may be the best fit, if known
A brief summary or pitch
The manuscript status and approximate word count
A short author biography
Any relevant publication history, platform, credentials, or comparable titles

Please do not send full manuscripts, artwork portfolios, confidential materials, or extensive attachments unless specifically requested.

Unsolicited Materials

Dillinger Publishing does not accept unsolicited full manuscripts, scripts, screenplays, artwork, concepts, worldbuilding documents, character designs, marketing plans, or other creative materials outside of an open submission window or formal request.

Any unsolicited material submitted outside the stated guidelines may be deleted unread and will not create any obligation of review, response, confidentiality, payment, credit, publication, or return.

Please do not submit ideas alone. Ideas, themes, premises, titles, concepts, or general subject matter are not protected in the same way as completed creative expression, and Dillinger Publishing may already be developing similar works, titles, imprints, series, or projects.

No Confidentiality or Obligation

By submitting material to Dillinger Publishing, you acknowledge that your submission is not confidential unless a separate written agreement has been signed by an authorized representative of Dillinger Publishing.

Submission of material does not create an author-publisher relationship, agency relationship, partnership, fiduciary duty, implied contract, obligation to publish, obligation to respond, or obligation to compensate. Dillinger Publishing is not responsible for any claim based on alleged similarity between submitted material and any existing, forthcoming, or independently developed work.

Response Times

Dillinger Publishing receives and reviews submissions according to editorial availability. Response times may vary. Unless otherwise stated in a specific submission call, we cannot guarantee an individual response to every inquiry.

If we are interested in reviewing more material, we will contact you with instructions. Please do not send follow-up messages repeatedly unless the submission guidelines for a specific call provide a follow-up timeline.

Rights and Ownership

Authors and creators retain ownership of their submitted work unless and until a separate written publishing agreement, licensing agreement, work-for-hire agreement, or other rights agreement is signed by all required parties.

Do not submit work that you do not own or control. If the submission includes coauthors, illustrators, photographers, editors, contributors, estates, licensed material, public-domain adaptations, AI-assisted material, copyrighted excerpts, trademarks, images, song lyrics, or third-party content, please disclose that information clearly in your inquiry.

AI-Assisted Work

Dillinger Publishing may require disclosure of any material use of generative AI in submitted manuscripts, artwork, illustrations, cover concepts, editing, translation, research, or other creative production.

AI-assisted submissions may be considered only where the author or creator can clearly identify their own original contribution and confirm that the submitted work does not infringe on the rights of others. Dillinger Publishing reserves the right to decline any submission involving undisclosed, unclear, or legally uncertain AI-generated content.

Multiple Submissions and Simultaneous Submissions

Unless a specific submission call states otherwise, simultaneous submissions are permitted. Please notify Dillinger Publishing promptly if the work is accepted elsewhere or is no longer available for consideration.

Multiple submissions from the same author or creator should be limited to the strongest and most relevant projects. Please do not send large batches of unrelated material.

Previously Published Work

Previously published work may be considered only if the author or creator clearly discloses its publication history, current rights status, ISBN history if applicable, existing contracts, prior editions, platform distribution, and any rights that may still be controlled by another publisher, distributor, artist, agency, or third party.

Dillinger Publishing will not consider work that is under contract elsewhere unless the submitting party has the legal authority to submit it.

How to Submit

When submissions are open, please follow the instructions listed for the appropriate imprint or submission call. Submissions that do not follow the stated guidelines may not be reviewed.

For general submission inquiries, please use the contact form or email:
submissions@dillingerpublishing.com

Please include “Submission Inquiry” and the title of your work in the subject line.

Final Note

Dillinger Publishing values original voices, careful craft, and work that has been prepared with seriousness and respect for the publishing process. We appreciate your interest in sharing your work with us and encourage all prospective authors and creators to review the applicable guidelines carefully before submitting.