Traditional Publishing

Offering authors competitive royalty rates, while handling all book production and distribution needs

What Are We Looking For?

There is no one right answer to this question. There is not a particular mold a story must fit in to pique our interest. We are simply looking for good writing and good stories. We want readers of our novels to say they could not put the book down; they just had to know what was going to happen next. Our primary focus is on literary and genre fiction, but we also take on poetry and children’s books.

So What's Next?

Click the buttons below for details on each step of the process.

submit your manuscript

Tell us about yourself, your manuscript and your goals as an author.

While hiring a professional editor is not a requirement, we suggest that you have at least one other person read your work to help catch any plot holes, underdeveloped characters, or consistent spelling and grammar mistakes. Pen & Pad Publishing will do a full and thorough edit of works we select for publication, but it's important to put your best foot forward when submitting the manuscript.

Submit manuscript

Give us time to review
the manuscript

Manuscript submissions are put through a rigorous assessment and approval process. We're gauging not just the writing, but the marketability of the story as well.

We review manuscript submissions as quickly as we can, but the process could take up to 6 months, depending on how many titles have already been submitted. We are a small team, but we attempt to reply to all those whose manuscripts are not selected for publication. If you have not heard back after several months, you can contact us for a status update.

IF We Loved it...

We will prepare a proposal, laying out the main parameters of the contract we intend to offer you. This will include your royalty rate, as well as what we loved about the book. We might also bring up the need for revisions that already caught our eye.

An official contract will either accompany the proposal or be sent shortly thereafter. Review the contract and raise any concerns with us early.

If it missed the mark...

When possible, we will provide feedback as to why a submission wasn't chosen. No one wants to receive the dreaded rejection letter, but publishing is a highly subjective industry so something that's not our cup of tea may very well be perfect for the next publishing house you query.

At times, we may have too many other projects on our plate, or we might feel like we don't have the expertise to handle the subject matter in your submission. The fit has to be right for both the author and the publisher.

If there are changes we'd like to see that might make us reconsider, we'll let you know, and you are welcome to submit your work again.

If we're unsure of the marketability of a work but you strongly believe there's a market for your title, you may want to consider our self-publishing services.

sign your book deal

If you wish to move forward with Pen & Pad Publishing's proposal, we will present you with a finalized contract ready for your e-signature. Signing the contract is only the beginning of your journey. Even though your book’s release date is likely 12 to 18 months off, it’s important to start building your online presence as an author and engaging with online and local communities to build a buzz about your book. Pen & Pad Publishing will guide you in doing this, but ultimately readers want to hear from the author, not the publisher.