Red Hen Press is an independent, non-profit press that publishes about twenty books of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry every year. We’re looking for novels, memoir, creative nonfiction, hybrid works, and story, essay, and poetry collections of exceptional literary merit that demonstrate a high level of mastery.
Red Hen publications are diverse in style and subject, but tend to have in common a certain wildness. Please familiarize yourself with our catalog before submitting. Representative fiction writers include Ron Carlson, Brian Doyle, B.H. James, Andrew Lam, David Maine, Ellen Meeropol, and Rob Roberge. Representative poets include Chris Abani, Katharine Coles, Camille Dungy, Eloise Klein Healy, Douglas Kearney, David Mason, Peggy Shumaker, and William Trowbridge.
With your submission, be sure to include:
- A cover letter that briefly describes the work and the author’s background, lists any publication credits if applicable, and explains why the work is a fit for Red Hen Press. This information should not be included in award submissions.
- A brief synopsis of the work (“this happens, then this happens…”), no more than two pages in length.
- The work itself. For General Submissions, writers may submit either the full manuscript or a sample of between 20 and 30 pages. Please keep in mind that full manuscripts take longer to review. All manuscripts should include page numbers on every page.
Please include all parts of your submission in a single PDF.
Given the high volume of submissions we receive, please expect a response time of three to six months. We appreciate your patience. Phone calls, emails, and letters will not speed up the process, and are strongly discouraged.
Good luck!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy