First Steps Publishing is a traditional publisher producing and promoting a variety of genres. Since we work closely with each and every one of our authors, we are very selective with our acquisitions. This selectivity ensures that each project receives the exact amount of time and attention required in order to promote its development effectively.
We prefer original unpublished works; on occasion we consider original works where all rights have reverted back to the author. We accept no responsibility for lost or misplaced submissions.
All MS Submissions must use our online Submission Form.
We publish under:
First Steps Publishing
- Adult: First Steps Publishing
- NA, YA, and Middle Grade: West Wind Press
- FIRESIDE Press: self-publishing division of First Steps Publishing
We are currently seeking the following:
Fiction (Adult, New Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade)
- Adventure
- Mystery / Thriller
- Historical Fiction
- Other? If your query letter convinces us we should publish your book, we just might, even though it is not in the above categories.
NonFiction
- Adventure / True Story
- Memoir / Biography
- Military / War
- Creative NonFiction
- History
- Other? If your query letter convinces us we should publish your book, we just might, even though it is not in the above categories.
BEFORE SUBMITTING
Read and follow these Writers Digest guidelines
- All submissions must be CAREFULLY edited
- Double-check all punctuation and spelling
- Only one space after a sentence, not two.
- Watch your point of view; make sure you stay in one character’s point of view per section.
Submission Guidelines:
- All manuscripts should be complete and fully edited
- Novels should be within 50,000 to 120,000 words in length*
- All inquiries should be made by mail or through our online contact or submission forms.**
*Longer? Shorter? please indicate your full manuscript length when submitting to us.
** We do not open Unsolicited email attachments, so please use our online contact or submission forms.
To submit a manuscript for consideration, paste the following into the appropriate section of our Submission Form:
- A one-page query letter containing your title, genre, market, word count, a brief description about your book, and any pertinent writing credentials
- A brief synopsis (no more than 1 page) that describes the plot and tells us how it ends
- The first ten pages, double-spaced, of your manuscript
- Where we can find you on the web (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.)
SUBMIT using our online Submission Form.
Though we try to respond quickly we can get backlogged, so your patience is appreciated. We look forward to hearing from you!
What if FSP doesn’t accept your manuscript for publication or you have chosen to self-publish your book? We recognize there are talented writers who may not choose the route of traditional publishing. We offer FIRESIDE PRESS, a division of FSP as well as a wide range of services for those who choose a more independent, self-publishing path. Contact us for more details.
Copyright—Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created—digital, handwritten or printed. FSP will retain copyright to your work once we agree to publish it. If for any reason we should part ways, FSP will revert the copyright back to you. However if you wish to keep the copyright yourself you will need to obtain a copyright for your work from the US Copyright Office. This will not preclude the publication of the work, but publication prior to confirmation of the copyright may make enforcement more difficult if there is any need for that.