The Simon & Schuster Fiction Editorial team is delighted to announce that we will be holding an exclusive Black Girl Writers open submission window from 13th – 17th January 2025 for debut/un-agented authors of historical, contemporary, crime, thriller, romance, horror, sci-fi, fantasy or reading group fiction. 

Here is all the information you need on how to submit your work, guidelines, eligibility and FAQ. 

• Submission packages must be received between the hours of 9.00am Monday 13th January 2025 and 5.00pm Friday 17th January 2025. 
• Email your submission package to sara-jade.virtue@simonandschuster.co.uk.  
• You must include #BGWNewYearNewYou in the subject heading of your email. 
• Your submission package should be sent as ONE word document attachment, double spaced, starting with your pitch and synopsis, and then the first three chapters of your manuscript. You are welcome to include a short biography, but it is not compulsory. 
• This opportunity is NOT open for non-fiction, short stories, poetry, YA or children’s titles. 
• You must be aged 18+ at the time of submission. 
• We want to discover new voices, so if you are already represented by a Literary Agent at the time of submission, I’m afraid you are not eligible to submit your work to us through this open submission window. 
• Only one submission package is permitted per person, so please only send us the novel you believe to be your strongest concept. 
• If we enjoy your pitch, synopsis and first three chapters, and whether we subsequently request to read your complete manuscript or not, we will put you in direct contact with Jon Stefani, Literary Agent at Stefani & Stefani.  There is no obligation on either side, but Jon will be able to offer (via email, telephone, zoom or, if mutually convenient, in real life) some advice and guidance as you take the next steps in your writing journey, and, where appropriate, feedback on your work.   
• If we are interested in reading your complete manuscript, we will contact you by 21st February 2025, at which time we will ask you to send the complete novel (no less than 80,000 words, no more than 100,000) as a word document double spaced. 
• Any materials submitted will not be returned. 
• By submitting, writers confirm that (i) his/her/their submitted materials are their original, wholly-owned, creation and make no use of any third-party materials or intellectual property rights; (ii) no deliberate attempt has been made to base any fictional characters in the written submissions upon any individual, living or dead; and (iii) the submitted materials contain nothing that is illegal, obscene, discriminatory or of a defamatory nature. Applicants will defend, indemnify and keep Simon & Schuster UK Ltd harmless from any claims that their submitted materials infringe the personal or proprietary right of any other person or entity.
• We reserve the right to discount any submission that does not meet the criteria stated, at our discretion.
• Simon & Schuster UK Ltd accept no responsibility for any illegible, incomplete, delayed, corrupted, malfunctioning, late, lost or misdirected submissions, including but not limited to emails not received due to technical disruptions, network congestion, computer error in transit or any other reason.
• Submission is not a guarantee of acquisition, and writers acknowledge that Simon & Schuster UK Ltd. has not and cannot make any warranties, representations or promises. 
• We are specifically looking to see novels that reflect a diversity of experience, written by under-represented authors. We are dedicated to publishing a broad and diverse range of books for everyone, representative of the world around us and are committed to working with and supporting writers from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender identity, disability status, race, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, social or economic circumstance.
• Notwithstanding anything set forth in these guidelines if, in the sole opinion of Simon & Schuster UK, Ltd., none of the submissions are of a sufficiently high standard to merit publication, Simon & Schuster UK, Ltd. shall have no obligation to proceed with this offering. 

FAQ 

• I have self-published my book previously, can I still query it? Yes, as long as you have retained full rights.
• I queried my novel but haven’t heard back from you yet, what should I do? If we don’t contact you by 21st February 2025, please don’t be disheartened. This is a very subjective business, and it is likely that your novel is not quite what we are currently looking for, for our list. 
• How does the introduction to Jon Stefani work?  If we enjoy your pitch, synopsis and the first three chapters of your manuscript, we will introduce you via email to Jon Stefani. There is no obligation on either side, and the introduction does not guarantee an offer of representation. Should an offer of representation be made by Jon and accepted by you, it would not apply to the manuscript submitted through this open submission window opportunity, which, if acquired by us, would be an un-agented deal.   
• You requested to read my full manuscript, when will I hear back from you? We will endeavor to get back to you within 12 weeks of receipt of your full manuscript.  

GENERAL INFORMATION 

• Your pitch and synopsis will help us understand exactly what your novel is about and give us an idea of how we might talk to potential readers about it. We want to be immediately grabbed by your concept, and desperate to read more, so draw us into your plot, your characters or setting, with a hook we haven’t read before. If you’re struggling to pin down what your book is about, consider how you’d describe it to a friend.  
• If we make an offer to publish your novel and you don’t accept the terms of the acquisition or advance, you are entitled to reject them, but the terms of our contract are non-negotiable. 
• We are not a vanity or custom publisher and we do not charge a fee for submitting your work through this open submission window 
• All decisions made by the Simon & Schuster editorial team are final and not subject to appeal. 

Simon & Schuster UK is one of the leading general book publishing companies in the UK. The group is based in London with sister companies in the United States, Canada, Australia and India. We publish a wide and eclectic mix of authors ranging across commercial fiction, literary fiction, non-fiction and children’s publications. Home to bestselling authors and award winners, Simon & Schuster UK is a publishing house of quality writing and a proud home to its authors and their exceptional work. 

Please follow this link to find out more about the standard S&S UK Ltd submission process, which includes some more general information that you might find useful as well.