At Wildthought Books, we’re bringing compassion to publishing. We seek stories that make us feel. We like big ideas to break up the carnist status quo. We love personal narratives that shine new light on lived experiences. We publish fiction, non-fiction, handbooks and children’s books. Our international editorial team has diverse interests, talents and reading habits. We are united by our unshakeable desire to publish high-quality books, all bound by compassion. Now there’s a wild thought!
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What we’re Looking for
We crave captivating characters, clear thinking and inspirational ideas for a world where all beings are respected. If you have a story that mixes an ounce of compassion with a huge dollop of intrigue, we want to read it!
Fiction
Have you written an action adventure or thriller with an animal liberation theme? A science fiction, fantasy, or space opera with incredible world-building? A detective series without the casual animal abuse? A picture book for caring kids?
We publish books that make compassion to all beings as normal as it should be. Compelling characters, genre-bending stories, tradition with a twist… we can’t wait to discover your story!
Genres we love: Action adventure, speculative fiction, SF, fantasy, romance, thriller, literary fiction, translated fiction, historical fiction, mystery, comedy, cosy crime, children’s, middle grade and young adult.
Non-Fiction
Is there a gap in the market – a book you wish was out there? Do you have a finished handbook or textbook, or a proposal for one?
Whether you’re the next great ethical chef, traveller, dancer, fashion designer, woodworker, zen teacher, political analyst, bodybuilder, dog rescuer, castle restorer, sustainable living guru, linguist, or plant-lover who makes gardening fun… we want to see your work.
If you have an interesting story to tell, and can tell it with style, we can’t wait to hear from you!
Genres we love: History, philosophy, biography, popular science, health and fitness, business, politics, spirituality, educational, and humour.
NOTE: We’re certainly not looking for anything that promotes sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia or class division. We are unlikely to be interested in graphic sexual content or poetry.
What we Offer
We are a vegan-founded, independent publisher of fiction, non-fiction, handbooks and children’s books. Our international team is dedicated to providing a platform for compelling stories and creative voices.
Sending your precious words to a new publisher can feel risky. As writers ourselves, we get it. We promise to respect you and your words at every stage in the publishing process from initial submission right through to publication, promotion and beyond.
Our team has:
- A combined 30 years of editorial experience
- Marketing and publishing experts
- Mission-led editors passionate and knowledgeable about veganism
Our editorial approach combines rigour and professionalism with compassion and patience. We will work with you to produce the book you want to see in the world.
We don’t offer hybrid or vanity (sometimes called “author-led”) publishing. We don’t offer a six-figure advance or a massive marketing budget. We’re a start-up, and if we back your book, you’ll join us on our journey to establish ourselves in the marketplace.
Submission Guidelines
All text should be 11 or 12 point size, all in the same font, 1.5 or double-spaced, on A4 pages with wide margins.
Fiction and completed non-fiction: Send the first 3 chapters or 5,000 words (whichever is shorter) along with a cover letter that should include an elevator pitch. We don’t need a synopsis yet.
Children’s picture books: Submissions of picture books for children should include both text and artwork. If you don’t have completed artwork yet, sketch illustrations at this stage are fine.
Non-fiction book proposals: Send a 100-200 word pitch for your book, a proposed chapter breakdown, a sample of your writing (around 1,000 words) and a cover letter that explains why you are the best person to write this book.
All work submitted should be non-copyrighted and written by you, with no AI generated content.
Submission Forms
Submission FAQs
- What happens after I submit?
If your work is submitted according to our instructions, five people will read it. If we love what we read and feel it could be a good fit for us, we will request the full manuscript. - Do you charge a reading fee?
No. Competitions often do, though publishers don’t. - Do you accept un-agented writers?
Yes. Anyone can submit to us, provided they follow our guidelines. - Can I submit by post?
No, for sustainability reasons and to make submissions easier to share between our team-members, we only accept digital submissions via the appropriate submission form. - Do you offer hybrid publishing, where writers pay for services like editing and cover design?
We only offer traditional publishing. - Do you offer an advance?
Currently no. We are a small start-up and published writers will be paid a fair and competitive royalty rate. - Do you offer feedback on rejected submissions?
No, sorry, we can’t afford to do this. There are many online writers’ groups where you can get peer feedback on your work, and reputable paid services where industry experts will provide written feedback. - Do I have to be vegan to submit?
No, although if your work contains anti-vegan messages or non-vegan content, it is unlikely to be a good fit for us.