Submissions
Book Submissions
Existing Salt authors
If you are an existing Salt author or contributor, we are happy to receive your submissions either directly or through your agent, please contact your editor. We are not currently accepting poetry or short stories.
Unsolicited submissions from non-Salt authors
We only accept unsolicited submissions from literary agents. We cannot respond to submissions made by authors through our contact page on this website, by phone, through social media channels, or by text. We strongly recommend finding an agent, and these are listed in publications such as Writers’ and Artists’ Year Book.
Additionally, many literature agencies run workshops involving agents – and we recommend attending these where you can.
See also our guides and information down below.
Notes for agents
Fiction
We love literary fiction, crime and mystery, historical fiction, folk horror, and are particularly interested in dark, uncanny and edgy fiction, comic fiction, eerie novels, and Gothic novels. However, if the work you are proposing lies outside of these categories, but you believe your author would fit our list, do feel free to contact us.
Novels should preferably be no longer than 80,000 words. We will happily consider novellas. It will help if your writer lives in the British Isles and is able to participate in publicity and promotion.
Please send a plot summary, at least the first chapter, a biographical note, and two concise and compelling reasons why you believe booksellers might stock the work you are representing, along with the author’s publication history to the email address below.
Non-Fiction
We have a particular interest in narrative non-fiction writing about the natural world. We are also happy to consider life-writing projects and creative writing guides.
Processing your submission
Sadly, we cannot respond to all submissions (though we try), and if you have not heard from us within one month, your submission has been unsuccessful. Feel free to nag us.
We only accept digital submissions. All attachments must be sent as MS Word files or PDFs. Please send your email to: submissions@saltpublishing.com. Please be aware that we can only process submissions sent to this specific email address. (It’s an admin thing.).
Many thanks for considering Salt.
Submitting to House Magazine
We’re opening up our new online magazine exclusively to contributions from Salt authors and contributors. House Magazine is a space for original writing, ideas, and reflections — a way to connect with our readers (around 1,200 visitors each week) and to showcase the breadth of talent on our list.
We welcome submissions from existing Salt authors and contributors:
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Up to three poems
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A single short story
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Essays or think pieces (800–1,200 words)
Your piece should be original, written for curious general readers, and suitable for reading on a smartphone. We can include images and links, but please keep formatting simple.
What we’re looking for:
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Fresh writing (we’re not republishing material that has appeared elsewhere)
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Personal essays about your writing life
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Insights into the making of your book
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Reflections on literature and culture more broadly
What we’ll include:
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Your author bio and headshot
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Links to your book(s) and/or personal website
Publication is continuous rather than issue-based. We’ll promote new pieces across Salt’s social channels, newsletter, and bookseller networks.
If you’d like to contribute, please send us your ideas by email to house-magazine@saltpublishing.com
Salt guides for authors
1. For general advice on being published, please read An Author’s Guide to Getting Published.
2. For advice on submitting poetry (not to us), please read An Author’s Guide to Making Poetry Submissions.
3. For further reading, An Author’s Pre-Publication Route Map offers advice on preparing for publication.
General information for authors
For manuscript assessment and editorial advice, you might also consider services like The Literary Consultancy.
If you are trying to develop your own writing, we recommend:
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The Art of the Novel, edited by Nicholas Royle
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Short Circuit: A Guide to the Art of the Short Story, edited by Vanessa Gebbie
Creative Writing Courses
If you want to develop your writing and critical skills further, we also recommend the following MA courses:
Additionally, we recommend the writing courses run by Curtis Brown Creative and Faber Academy.
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Last updated 1 September 2025