Novel Submission Guidelines

Permuted Press is a small publishing company with a strong presence in the apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, and zombie fiction market(s). We’re seeking:

• Completed novels between 70,000 and 110,000 words (85,000-90,000 words is ideal). We are not considering novellas or short story collections at this time.
• We're primarily interested in:
  • Apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic tales of various subject matter (not just zombies!). Acceptable genres include horror, science fiction, and speculative fiction. Obviously we love zombie novels, but we're really interested in new and unusual takes on the apocalypse. Bring something unique to the table!
  • Survival horror/adventure novels. Great examples of this type of work include Richard Laymon's Island, John Carpenter's The Thing, and the television show Lost.

We will consider reprints/reissues of previously published/self-published books (please include details of the previous publication with your query).

We will entertain submissions until we have met our quota. This will most likely take several months, but we currently have no specific closing date.

Royalties, Advance, and Rights
Permuted Press pays a minimum $500 advance on a minimum 6% royalty on retail price for previously unpublished novels. We ask for exclusive English language rights to the work for a period of 5 years.

Formatting and Submitting Your Manuscript
Follow the instructions below to query us. We do not accept full novels via email. Based on your synopsis and first 3 chapters we will determine whether to request a hard copy of your novel.

The email body should contain the following information:

• Your full (real) name.
• Your (good, reliable, and current) e-mail address.
• Your snail-mail address.
• Your phone number.
• The exact title of your book.
• Approximate number of words (not number of pages) in your manuscript.
• A short synopsis of your novel (such as you would find on the back of a published book).  This is your chance to sell us your story, so put some serious thought into it.  A nice guide to writing a four-point synopsis can be found here.
• A brief author biography (optional).  Include any information which might influence our decision to publish your novel.

Attach to the email the first 3 chapters of your novel as a Microsoft Word (.doc) or Rich Text (.rtf) file. The submission should adhere to standard manuscript format: one-inch margins on all sides, Courier New font, etc. If you are not sure what "standard manuscript format" means, please see William Shunn's excellent article/model here.

Email to submit@permutedpress.com with the subject "Novel Submission Query".

Reading Time
You should receive a confirmation of receipt within 7 days of emailing your query.  If you do not, please send again. After confirmation, contact us if you do not receive a response within 6 months.

Questions? See the FAQ or contact us.