Engine Books seeks story collections, novels, collected novellas, and books related to the writing and reading of fiction. Though the press has no specific allegiance to any particular form or style of fiction, the work we publish falls squarely into the category of “literary,” which the press defines generally as “everyday life made worthy of art.” In the case of “genre” work—crime fiction, romance, sci-fi, etc.—manuscripts should rise beyond the usually formulaic nature of the genre.
Before submitting your manuscript, please send a query letter to Victoria Barrett at queries@enginebooks.org. Include a description of the book, your qualifications, and either one story or the first 10-20 pages of the manuscript. Include this information in the body of your e-mail; please do not send attachments. Expect a reply within two months. Simultaneous submissions are welcome.
What Kind of Books Are Right for Engine Books?
All styles of literary fiction are happily considered. Of course, that’s not a very helpful answer. Instead of attempting to prescribe an aesthetic for the press, I present here a list of my favorite books. The one quality they all share is a big storytelling heart—human stories large in scope. If you feel your manuscript bears similarity to any of the books below, please consider sending a query letter.
Engine Books
PO BOX 44167, Indianapolis, IN
More information here.
This blog is no longer updated. Please instead visit Writers For Diversity for new opportunities for women/ LGBT writers and writers of color. Thank you.
