word west

completed manuscripts only. queries are ok (and welcomed) as long as they are representative of a “completed” work. that said, we don’t have any length restrictions. so if your completed work is a 30 page chapbook, great! we’d be happy to look at it. our goal is to find exciting literary work we love and get it out into the world no matter what shape, size, or form it comes in.

what we like?

we like literary work that’s surprising, resonant, sad, funny, surreal—things that make us look at the world in a new way. in the words of joy williams, "a clean clear surface with much disturbance below."

truth is, we don’t know what we’re looking for. our mindset is to remain open and ready for the unexpected. so what does that mean? we don’t necessarily have any genre restrictions. we’re probably not the best place for fantasy or sci-fi, but give us vision and great writing and we’re willing to go anywhere.

​

ps: we have a soft spot for the weirdo, offbeat stuff that traditional publishers won’t even touch.

reading fees?

we do not charge reading fees.

turnaround?

our usual turnaround is approx. 3-4 months. we try our best to stick to this. we’re writers too, and we know how frustrating the waiting game can be. but keep in mind we are a small team and the timeline could vary depending on the volume of submissions. thank you very much for your patience.

if you haven’t heard from us after 4 months, feel free to reach out: hello@wordwest.co

simultaneous submissions?

simultaneous submissions are ok. though please notify us if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

feedback?

due to the volume of submissions, we are unable to give detailed, individual feedback re: each submission. if this is something you’re interested in, please contact us about our manuscript consultation services.

word west?

while we are certainly interested in writing coming out of the west, especially from perspectives not as often represented, we are not limited in any way to stories or authors specifically from the western usa.

money?

our authors recieve an advance upon acceptance and 15% royalties on print sales and 35% on ebook sales, paid out quarterly.

acceptance rate?

we put as much time, energy, and love as we can into the projects we choose, so we have to be very selective. we average about 400-500 manuscripts per year and our acceptance rate is less than < 1%.

other questions?

please contact us at hello@wordwest.co with any further questions. we look forward to hearing from you.