Submissions Policy
Seren is one of Wales’ leading publishers, with a reputation for high quality poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Many of our books are shortlisted for, and win major literary prizes across the UK and America. At the heart of our list is a story well told, if you feel you have something special to offer us, please send us your submission, following the guidelines below.
General advice
- Read our list before submitting a manuscript to see if what you are offering will fit in with what we already publish.
- We only consider the work of writers who are aged eighteen or over at the time of submitting.
- Please be aware that in many areas we are considering titles for publication two or more years ahead.
- As a successful and prize-winning publisher Seren receives hundreds of manuscripts. We do our best to respond as quickly as we can, the ratio of submissions to editors means that proper consideration of your typescript may take some time.
- If sending a submission by post, please include a stamped addressed envelope for return of manuscript, and for acknowledgment of receipt if required.
- Hard copy submissions should be addressed to the relevant editor and sent to our head office: Seren, Suite 6, 4 Derwen Road, Bridgend, CF31 1LH.
- Email submissions are only accepted for non-fiction proposals and should be sent to the relevant editor’s email address.
Poetry
Poetry submissions should be emailed to poetrysubmissions@serenbooks.com, addressed to our joint editors Rhian Edwards and Zoë Brigley. Please include a cover letter introducing yourself and detailing your writing history including a record of any previously published work (e.g. poems published in journals such as Poetry Wales, New Welsh Review, Poetry Review etc.). Manuscripts should be approximately 50 pages (minimum). Please only submit one manuscript at a time. Electronic submissions are preferred but hard copy manuscripts can also be sent to the Seren office. Hard copies will only be returned if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided.
Fiction
As part of a reorganisation Seren is only accepting fiction submissions from authors, in any genre, whom it has previously published. If Seren hasn’t previously published you in any part of its list please don’t submit your typescript as it won’t be considered. It is possible that this development may be revised in future, so keep an eye on this part of the website for any changes. Seren remains a publisher of fiction but is currently focused on its existing authors.
If you have already submitted a typescript but not yet heard back from us, we will return it to you shortly.
Submissions for the ‘Short Story of the Month’ feature on the website are currently closed whilst we read through the high volumes of submissions we have already received. We will announce on this page when submissions reopen.
Non-Fiction
Non fiction submissions are accepted in both hard copy and electronically. Electronic manuscripts should be sent to Mick Felton. In the first instance please send a proposal of 3-4 pages of A4, covering the following; Brief biographical details of the author, editor(s) or collaborators. (ii) Book title. (iii) Synopsis and chapter outline. (iv) Number of illustrations. (v) The market and competing titles, including readership, educational use, overseas interest, potential market for the book, the date of delivery and the author’s CV.