52 short story publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts in September 2025
Congratulations on writing your short story! This list of novella publishers are currently accepting manuscripts this month without a literary agent. I’ve done my best to weed out any vanity presses or publishers without any novels published from the past year.
Don’t forget to check out my developmental editing services or pre-querying package if you want to make sure your novel is in top shape before you send it to a publisher for consideration. I offer a variety of services to suit all budgets, from writers looking for the standard developmental editing experience to those seeking high-level feedback with a quick turnaround time.
Fairlight Books
Fairlight Books was published with the aim of promoting writers of highly original literary and quality fiction. Their writers have been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Republic of Consciousness Prize and the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, and shortlisted for the Paul Torday Prize, the Diverse Book Awards and the BBC National Short Story Award.
Genre: Literary fiction.
Word count: Short stories to full-length novels.Etruscan Press
Etruscan Press is based at Wilkes University and partners with Youngstown State University. They are a nonprofit literary press that works to produce and promote books that nurture dialogue among genres, cultures and voices.
Genre: Poetry, literary fiction, creative nonfiction, short story collections, literary criticism, anthologies and translations.
Word count: All manuscripts must be a minimum of 50 pages.Neon Hemlock
Neon Hemlock is a Washington, DC-based small press specializing in speculative fiction, rad zines and queer chapbooks.
Genre: Queer speculative short stories, flash fiction and novellas.
Word count: Not stated.1366 Books
1366 Books is the experimental fiction imprint of Guernica Editions. They aim to explode readers’ expectations and explore the possibilities of the novel and the short story.
Genre: Literary and experimental fiction.
Word count: 20,000 to 40,000 words.Linen Press
Linen Press aims to fill the niche left by big publishes. They are looking beautifully written manuscripts which are relevant to women's lives.
Genre: Literary fiction, top end contemporary fiction, memoir, biography, short stories and poetry.
Word count: Not stated.Crippen and Landru
Crippen and Landru is a small business operation publishing short mystery fiction.
Genre: Mystery fiction.
Word count: Short stories.New Letters
New Letters founded in Kansas City to publish the best literary writing, wherever it might be found.
Genre: Novellas, short stories and poetry. It seems they charge for submissions if you are not a subscriber with them.
Word count: No more than 30,000 words.Text Publishing
Text Publishing is an independent Melbourne-based publisher of fiction and nonfiction. They accept submissions from citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, erotica, fantasy, paranormal, historical, romance, LGBTQIA+, young adult, and middle grade. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, essays, film, history, humour, philosophy, politics, religion, science, environment, relationships, society, culture, sport, travel and war.
Word count: 10,000-120,000 words.Ara Pacis Publishers
Ara Pacis is a print-on-demand traditional publisher.
Genre: Poetry, short story collections and literary novels.
Word count: Not stated.Aurealis
Aurealis is Australia's most successful science fiction and fantasy magazine.
Genre: Fantasy, science fiction, or horror short stories.
Word count: 2,000 to 8,000 words.Dancing Star Press
Dancing Star Press is a Michigan-based indie publisher specializing in speculative fiction.
Genre: Space opera, solarpunk, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, fantasy based on non-Western cultures, optimistic futurism, poplar tesla, soft science fiction, and hard science fiction.
Word count: Novellas between 17,500 and 40,000 words.Bliss
Bliss is the sweet romance imprint of Entangled Publishing.
Genre: Contemporary romance with a small-town setting and dual point of view.
Word count: 15,000 to 65,000 words.The Wild Rose Press
The Wild Rose Press is primarily a virtual publisher founded in 2006.
Genre: Romance, including contemporary, science fiction, steampunk, futuristic, paranormal and historical.
Word count: 15,000 to 100,000 words.Unsolicited Press
Unsolicited Press is a no-frills, kick-ass small press that works for the author, not for the dollar.
Genre: Literary novels, poetry, novellas, short story collections, memoirs and nonfiction. Please note there is a small submission fee, which is currently US$5.
Word count: Not stated.Siren-BookStrand
Siren-BookStrand is an ebook publisher with over 8,000 romance novels under their belt and over 700 authors writing for them.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres with ménage, M/M, and M/F (only if it includes BDSM) pairings.
Word count: 20,000 words to 85,000 words.Pelican Book Group
Pelican Book Group is a Christian publisher of Christian fiction and nonfiction.
Genre: Christian genre fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: 15,000 words and over.Suspense Magazine
Suspense Magazine publishes some of the best titles in suspense, thriller, mystery and horror.
Genre: Suspense, thriller, mystery and horror.
Word count: 5,000 words and less.ACTA Publications
ACTA Publications opened their doors in 1957 as a publisher of books and resources for religious education and spiritual development. Now they publish a variety of books in sports, social justice, caregiving and more.
Genre: Children's fiction, poetry, fiction and nonfiction, including sports, social justice, caregiving, grief, gift, cookbooks, humor, religious, biography, crafts and parenting.
Word count: Not stated.SFA Press
SFA Press broadens the university's mission by publishing works of cultural and scholarly significance.
Genre: Literary fiction, short fiction, poetry and academic nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Ninestar Press
Ninestar Press is a boutique publisher of quality LGBTQA+ romance, erotica, and literary fiction.
Genre: LGBTQA+ romance and literary novels.
Word count: 20,000 to 120,000 words.Yellow Dog
Yellow Dog is the middle grade and young adult imprint of Great Plains Press. They publish contemporary and historical fiction and nonfiction. They are also interested in speculative, climate and genre fiction. Please note that they only publish writers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
Genre: Middle grade and young adult contemporary, historical, speculative (but not strictly fantasy/science fiction), climate and genre fiction. They also consider nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Black Bed Sheet Books
Black Bed Sheet Books publishes horror, science fiction and fantasy.
Genre: Fiction of a dark nature, especially horror, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, young adult, contemporary and thrillers.
Word count: Not stated.Enfield & Wizenty
Enfield & Wizenty is the literary imprint of Great Plains Press. They publish literary fiction with a national scope. Please note that they only publish writers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
Genre: Literary fiction and short story collections.
Word count: Not stated.Decadent Publishing
Decadent Publishing is a romance fiction publisher. They are always looking for submissions for their main line as well as ongoing series and special calls.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres.
Word count: 15,000 words and over.Finishing Line Editions
Finishing Line Editions is the fiction and nonfiction imprint of Finishing Line Press. Please note they charge a reading fee of $10.
Genre: Literary, genre and upmarket fiction in the areas of historical, realistic, science fiction, fairy tales, folktales and fables. They also accept narrative nonfiction, short story collections, personal narrative, memoir and narrative procedure (how-to/craft).
Word count: Not stated.Pulp Literature
Pulp Literature's motto is 'good books for the price of a beer'. They publish magazines of short stories and novels.
Genre: Genre and literary fiction.
Word count: Not stated.Baraka Books
Baraka Books is an English-language publisher based in Quebec.
Genre: Nonfiction, including creative, political and history. For fiction, they accept historical, literary and upmarket.
Word count: Not stated.Four Way Books
Four Way Books produces literary publications to connect writers and readers. They were founded in 1993 by four writers and published their first book in 1995. Please note they charge a $32 processing fee.
Genre: Literary fiction and short story collections.
Word count: Book-length novels, novellas, flash fiction and short story collections.Deep Desire Press
Deep Desires Press is a publisher of erotica and high-heat-level erotic romance whose goal is to excite the reader.
Genre: Erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres, including contemporary, paranormal, LGTQ+ BDSM, historical, science fiction, fantasy and similar.
Word count: 10,000 words and over.Guernica Editions
Guernica Editions houses a variety of imprints focused on books written by Canadian and non-Canadian authors.
Genre: Prose, poetry, essays and anthologies.
Word count: Not stated.Caitlin Press
Caitlin Press publishes work by Canadian authors, particularly those based in British Columbia.
Genre: Literary fiction, regional nonfiction and poetry.
Word count: Not stated.Evernight Publishing
Evernight is an indie publisher that prefers to publish popular tropes.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres, including science fiction, BDSM, LGBTQ+, holiday, medical, new adult, dark, motorcycle, menage, paranormal, shifters, vampires, urban, erotica, humor, contemporary, military, steampunk, western, fantasy, reverse harem, suspense and young adult.
Word count: 16,000 to 100,000 words.Creature Horror
Creature Horror is a Virginia-based publisher focusing on genres like feminist horror, dark speculative fiction, and fantastical fiction.
Genre: Feminist horror, dark speculative fiction, women-driven thrillers, spooky fantastical fiction, literary fiction, or genre-defying prose.
Word count: 20,000 to 90,000 words.Bold Strokes Books
As an LGBTQ+ publisher, Bold Strokes Books strives to ensure their authors represent the cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints of our world.
Genre: Genre fiction, including romance, young adult, crime, suspense, speculative, mystery, thriller, contemporary, historical, saga, erotica and general. They also accept nonfiction.
Word count: 15,000 to 120,000 words.Agape Editions
Agape Editions was founded in 2016 and publishes visionary literature.
Genre: Poetry.
Word count: Short stories for their anthologies.Acair
Acair was founded in 1977 and is a registered Scottish charity that publishes Scottish Gaelic children's books and a range of titles in Scottish Gaelic and English.
Genre: Poetry, fiction, children's books and nonfiction. Many of their titles relate to Scotland, history, nature and social issues.
Word count: Not stated.BlazeVOX
BlazeVOX publishes innovative fiction and wide ranging fields of contemporary poetry. Their mission is to disseminate poetry within both academic spheres and society at large.
Genre: Poetry, literary fiction and select non-fiction and literary criticism.
Word count: Not stated.Biblioasis
Biblioasis is a literary publisher based in Windsor, Ontario. They are searching for works of exceptional literary and cultural merit across the board.
Genre: Literary fiction, short story collections, poetry and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Crab Orchard Review
Crab Orchard Review is the poetry magazine of the Southern Illinois University Press.
Genre: Poetry, short fiction, nonfiction essays and book reviews.
Word count: Not stated.Game Over Books
Game Over Books is a small Boston-based press run by nerdy artists. Their mission is to print books from diverse voices that push creative writing forward into the next level.
Genre: Poems, essays and short stories for their anthologies.
Word count: Not stated.Good River Review
Good River Review is the literary journal of the Sena Jeter Naslund-Karen Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University. They publish two issues a year and also regularly feature book reviews, interviews and essays on the practice of writing.
Genre: Submissions for their literary journal, including essays, poems, memoirs and immersive journalism.
Word count: Less than 5,000 words for longer-form pieces or less than 2,000 words for shorter pieces. No more than 10 pages for poetry.From Beyond Press
From Beyond Press is an independent publishing imprint founded by Michael W. Phillips Jr. They specialize in new horror, science fiction and poetry.
Genre: Short stories in new horror, science fiction and poetry for their anthologies.
Word count: 1,000 to 5,000 words.Gemma
Gemma publishes writers who explore the diverse experiences of young adults. As part of this commitment, they founded Gemma Open Door for Literacy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting adult and young adult readers.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction of relevance to adults and young adults improving their reading. These stories should involve simple tenses with a second- to -fourth-grade reading level.
Word count: 10,000 words or fewer.Jaded Ibis Press
Jaded Ibis Press publishes literature that tackles a personal or universal truth and that makes people see the world around them more clearly or from a different perspective.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction that explores a personal or universal truth.
Word count: Short stories to full-length novels.JMS Books LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small electronic press publishing LGBTQ+ romance, erotic romance, and young adult romance.
Genre: LGBTQ+ romance, erotic romance, and young adult romance. They are not interested in straight romance stories at this time.
Word count: 12,000 to 130,000 for adult stories and 20,000 to 130,000 for young adult.Mad Creek Books
Mad Creek is the literary trade imprint of the Ohio State University Press. Their mission is to foster creativity, innovate and illuminate.
Genre: Literary fiction.
Word count: Short stories.Madville Publishing
Madville Publishing was founded in 2018 in Texas. While they are not an academic press, they adhere to the same rigorous standards when evaluating manuscripts.
Genre: Short stories for their anthologies.
Word count: Not stated.Scandalous
Scandalous is the historical romance imprint of Entangled Publishing.
Genre: Historical romance.
Word count: 15,000 to 65,000 words.Scorched
Scorched is the erotic romance imprint of Entangled Publishing.
Genre: Erotic romance.
Word count: 15,000 to 65,000 words.Steel Toe Books
Steel Toe Books was founded in 2003 and publishes both prose and poetry.
Genre: Poetry, literary fiction, short stories, essays, memoir and mixed genre.
Word count: Not stated.Interpret Magazine
Interpret is a new magazine of international literature based in Scotland. Please note that submission is free for all readers who need it to be (they won't ask any questions or for proof) but they do ask that if you are in a financial position that you pay a £3 submission fee.
Genre: Short fiction and poetry.
Word count: Under 2,500 words.University of Alberta Press
University of Alberta Press publishes literary works by Canadian citizens and landed immigrants.
Genre: Poetry, creative and trade nonfiction, and short fiction.
Word count: Not stated.
Best of luck with your manuscript submissions! If you want to ensure your manuscript is in the best position to be accepted, check out my developmental editing services, pre-querying package or my free writing advice.