Stillhouse Press publishes surprising, gutsy fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that can’t or doesn’t want to find a home in big publishing. We are drawn to the strange, the unconventional, the transcendent, the risky. We’re looking for work that pushes boundaries.

As a student and alumni-led teaching press, our primary aim is to provide educational opportunity through applied experience in the art of craft publishing — student staff are responsible for acquiring, producing, and marketing work from independent authors in the course of their professional education, allowing them to forge lasting professional relationships and step out with confidence into the greater literary community.

Stillhouse Press accepts new manuscript submissions between November and March of each academic year. Check our website and social media for updates on when we will open. 

For all submissions to Stillhouse Press, the following guidelines apply:

• Only complete, full-length manuscripts will be considered for publication. Please refer to individual call guidelines for our ideal wordcounts in prose, poetry and hybrid work. 
• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. Please notify us as soon as possible if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

Submitted manuscripts should include:

• a word count in the top right corner of the first page.
• a cover letter with a short synopsis or overview of the work. Authors are also encouraged to share information about their writing background, online presence, involvement with the writing community, and inspiration for their submission.
• an acknowledgements page at the beginning or end of the manuscript.

At this time we do not consider:

• Agented submissions. 
• AI-generated prose.
• Previously published or forthcoming manuscripts. 
• Work from writers currently or recently affiliated with George Mason University’s Creative Writing MFA/BFA programs.

For more information about Stillhouse Press and our submission guidelines, please visit our website: www.stillhousepress.org 

Diversity & Inclusion

Stillhouse Press is committed to publishing work from voices often excluded from traditional publishing, including writers of color, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ writers, and those living with disabilities. To create an accessible platform for marginalized voices, we offer fee-free submissions to writers who request a fee waiver via submissions@stillhousepress.org.