Reading Periods
D’Aulnoy Editions is open to submissions during two reading periods each year:
- Spring Reading Period: April 20 – June 20
- Summer Reading Period: July 22 – September 22
Why Publish with Us?
Whether you’re an established or emerging author, we’re here to help you navigate the process of editing, publishing, and marketing your book, with guidance and resources to support you along the way.
Read more about how we support our authors.
The Fine Print
While we generally prefer completed manuscripts with a target range of 40,000 – 70,000 words, we do accept submissions of the first three chapters of works in progress. Submissions must be previously unpublished in their current form.
For more information, please see What We’re Looking For and our Guidelines below.
Our mission is to publish stories that broaden the diversity of voices in the public sphere, and to promote equity in publishing, so anyone can tell their story and see themselves in the content they read.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for manuscripts that are compelling, honest, and creative. Whether fiction or nonfiction, longform or anthologies, we like well-written prose with an engaging and authentic voice. Stories should combine a strong narrative with rich, vividly communicated detail. Submissions should include an informative or reflective element, a unifying thread or message that winds its way through the work, reaching toward some deeper meaning.
We accept submissions of both longform works (e.g., biographies, memoirs, novels, novellas, etc.) and anthologies of shortform works (e.g., essays, short stories, flash fiction, etc.). For longform submissions, we prefer completed manuscripts with a target range of 40k – 70k words. Anthologies can include any number of individual pieces and chapter/section content for a similar combined length.
We’re currently working to build our lists in the following categories:
- Narrative Nonfiction & Memoir
- Essays & Anthologies
- Social Sciences
Submissions must be previously unpublished in their current form.
Longform
Longform submissions that have had a previous version published, and since been significantly changed, are acceptable. For example, if an essay, short story, or other shortform piece was previously published in a literary journal or anthology, a significantly modified – i.e., longer and updated – version may be submitted.
Please include details of where and when it was published. Be sure to also check the publisher’s guidelines for any limitations on republishing.
Anthologies
Anthology submissions can include previously published work but should not have been published in their current form. For example, an anthology could include pieces previously published in a literary journal or magazine, but the collection as a whole should not have been previously published.
If a piece in your anthology submission was published elsewhere, please include details of where and when it was published. Be sure to also check the publisher’s guidelines for any limitations on republishing.
Essays accepted for publication will undergo a fact-checking process. If your work draws on research and/or reportage, you must be prepared to send our editors documentation of your sources and to help with the fact-checking process.
You can use your preferred method of citation (we prefer MLA or AP style), but you should have some kind of documentation of sources quoted and/or referred to.
Works of memoir should include a disclaimer and/or written consent from individuals included in the work as applicable. Examples of disclaimers include (but are not limited to):
- The names and identifying characteristics of some people described in this book have been changed.
- Most names and identifying details have been changed to protect individual’s privacy.
If d’Aulnoy Editions determines that written consent should be sought from an individual, you must be prepared to help our editors seek consent.
For more information, please see our FAQs or get in touch.
Does this not quite sound like the right fit for your book?
Check out our sister imprint, How2Conquer, who accept how-to books and guides designed to help readers master new skills quickly.
What Happens When You Submit
We review all proposals and manuscript samples submitted via our submission form. We aim to respond to submissions within six to eight weeks.
If we choose a manuscript for publication, we put together a contract and outline next steps for the project.