Anything Over 17,500 Words, including Novels

We occasionally consider material over 7,500 words on a case by case basis, if submitted in their entirety. Novelettes could either be serialized in the magazine or published as a separate title. Over 17,500 words would be published as a stand-alone volume.

When the submittable category is open, this means that only query letters are being accepting for anything over 7,500 words.
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You can see the diagram to understand the book press efforts. The press is the larger entity under which we make the magazine and stand-alone books and other publications. We divide the publishing so that Black Denim Press serves as Publisher, Distributor and Editor of Books and Magazines -- print and eBooks. Therefore:
  • Anything under 17,500 words will be within the Magazine.
  • Over that will be a stand-alone publication under the Black Denim Press imprint.

Submit Query Letter and Sample Chapters

When we are open for Query Letters for material over 7,500 words, the content we favor is "General", "Sci-Fi" and "Fantasy"... It's possible that we might also publish: 
  • Action/adventure, Western
  • Mystery, Crime, Suspense or Thriller
  • ...but not erotica nor horror

We strongly favor "literary" style. Most "subjects" are OK, but avoid the over-used.

This all should be:
  • Prose (not poetry)
  • Novella or longer (Over 17,500 words)
  • Fiction (not letters, essays, journals or other non-fiction)
  • Have finished work READY
  • Submit query letter ONLY, with first chapters up to 5000 words--not more.
  • SimSubs=yes; MultipleSubs=no; Reprints=no; 

Without entering into a debate as to what qualifies as "literary" we are looking for stories that have unique and lasting artistic merit. 

Note well, that this would NOT be published among other online stories. Instead it would be as a stand-alone print and/or eBook.

Format of the Query Letter

There are many handy guides available to the public for how to format winning query letters.

Format of The Sample Chapters

We prefer Manuscript format. See a guide to Manuscript Format. Keep in mind that we favor material that can be read aloud (think Audio Book), so we're not interested in unique presentations that depend on particular white space or fonts. Highlights of this format include:
  • Double space lines.
  • No extra lines between paragraphs.
  • Single space between sentences.
  • Straight quotes (" "), not curly (“ ”).
  • Half inch indents in paragraphs.
  • three periods (...), not an ellipsis (…).
  • Speech quotes and tags. "For example," he said, "this is fine."  
  • Etc... 
For a full list of guidelines see the descriptive guide to Manuscript Format. This is the exact format of how the print edition works. The web edition will be altered slightly, and your help is needed to make the formatting tasks on your piece quick and easy. Requiring the Manuscript Format is simply one way to place all material on equal footing in readability.

Your sample chapters should add up to no more than 5,000 words.

Before you Submit

  • SIM SUBS: Submitting to us while at the same time submitting the same query letter to another venue is fine. Please notify us immediately if it's accepted elsewhere by withdrawing the submission from Submittable.
  • MULTIPLE SUBS: We do not accept multiple query letters.
  • REPRINTS: We do not accept reprints.

Make sure you check the Things to Avoid page for factors that cause quick rejections.

Submission Schedule

Check to see if we're open for query letters through Submittable.


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