What is an unsolicited manuscript or submission?
An unsolicited submission is made by an individual rather than an agent. Many publishing houses will not consider unsolicited manuscripts at any time. Fremantle Press accepts unsolicited manuscripts for consideration throughout the year.
What do you publish?
Fremantle Press publishes the work of authors and illustrators of Western Australian origin or whose main place of residence is Western Australia. We will also consider work where the subject matter has a strong Western Australian focus.
Fremantle Press publishes in the areas of non-fiction, fiction and narrative non-fiction, poetry, and books for children and young adults. See the new releases page for examples of our titles.
How do I submit my manuscript?
Submissions may only be made electronically, using the Fremantle Press Submittable home page. You will be prompted to upload your manuscript file as well as fill out an online form. For more details, including our submission guidelines, please click here.
Can I still submit a hard copy?
No. As of December 2017, Fremantle Press only accepts electronic submissions.
Can I send my submissions on USB, disk or as an email attachment?
No. Submissions made in this way will not be considered. All submissions to Fremantle Press are processed through Submittable. For more information please visit the Fremantle Press Submittable home page.
Why do I need to create a Submittable account?
Fremantle Press has chosen Submittable as the most efficient way of managing the requirements of authors and publishers during the submission process. Like most online apps and websites, Submittable requires that all submitters set up an account. You will be asked for an account name and a valid email address. Submittable automatically verifies your email address and alerts you if it is invalid – this prevents us from receiving spam emails, which in turn gives us more time to assess your manuscript.
What are the benefits of having a Submittable account?
A Submittable account allows you to track the status of your submission, as well as to follow Fremantle Press for updates on calls for manuscripts and competitions. You can also keep track of your submissions to other publishers and literary journals on the same account.
How do I submit if I am an agent?
If you have worked with Fremantle Press before, please email your usual Fremantle Press contact. Otherwise, please email admin@fremantlepress.com.au for more information.
How do I submit if I am a returning Fremantle Press author?
If you are a returning author, please email your usual Fremantle Press contact or admin@fremantlepress.com.au for more information.
How should I format or set out my manuscript?
Manuscripts should be typed, page-numbered and saved as a Word document or pdf file, then uploaded through Submittable. Apart from that, there is no single right way to format your manuscript file. As long as the document is easy to read, it is acceptable.
How long will the assessment process take?
The great majority of submissions are assessed in approximately ten weeks. If more time is required you will be contacted.
What do I do if I don’t get a response?
All submissions should receive an acknowledgement followed by either a decline letter or a direct email from a publisher asking for additional information or offering you a contract. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within 15 minutes of your submission it is likely your email account is treating emails from Fremantle Press or Submittable as spam. Please check your junk and deleted folders and, if you still have not received confirmation, contact Fremantle Press on 08 9430 6331.
Who will assess my submission?
Initial assessment is by an editor or publisher.
Why can’t I speak directly to a publisher about my submission?
Information necessary to make a submission to Fremantle Press is contained in our submission guidelines on the Fremantle Press Submittable home page. There is little a publisher or editor can advise you on without reading your submission material.
Will I get feedback?
Unfortunately the large volume of submissions makes it impossible in most cases to give individual feedback or to provide guidance in the early stages of manuscript development.
Do I need to get an external reader’s report before I submit my manuscript?
No. We make our own assessments according to our requirements.
Do I need to get my manuscript professionally edited before I submit it?
No, but attention to correct spelling, punctuation and grammar is important. Ask yourself if your submission is as polished and well-presented as you can make it.
Can I submit a manuscript that is with another publisher?
We will consider manuscripts simultaneously submitted to other publishing houses but please inform us of this in your author biography.
Can I submit a manuscript previously considered by Fremantle Press?
Only if you have undertaken substantial revision and at least six months has passed since the manuscript was declined. When resubmitting, please give a brief summary of how the manuscript has been revised.
How many unsolicited manuscripts do you receive?
Fremantle Press receives hundreds of submissions each year, most of which are unsolicited. Many of our best known authors were ‘discovered’ this way.
If I submit an illustration or photographic portfolio will it be considered for a book?
No. Sending your portfolio is like sending us your CV. We will keep it on file and might invite you to work with us on future projects. Please refer to our Submittable home page for how to submit a manuscript.
How do I submit a manuscript to the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award?
The City of Fremantle Hungerford Award is a biennial award for an unpublished manuscript by an unpublished Western Australian author. Submissions are now closed. To find out when the next round opens, subscribe to the Fremantle Press newsletter. More information on the award including the terms and conditions is available here.
How do I submit a manuscript to the Fogarty Literary Award?
The Fogarty Literary Award is a biennial award for an unpublished manuscript by a Western Australian author aged between 18 and 35. Entries closed at midnight WST on Sunday 18 April 2021. Sign up to the Fremantle Press enewsletter to get a reminder closer to the time for the next round. More information on the 2023 award including the terms and conditions is available here.
How do I submit my poetry manuscript?
The poetry list is currently closed to submissions. It will open again after the summer break in early January 2023.
What is narrative non-fiction?
A narrative non-fiction text has non-fiction as its foundation, but is written with attention to literary style, deploying the techniques of fiction, such as dialogue, scene setting and characterisation. Some examples of narrative non-fiction (also called creative non-fiction) include Helen Garner’s This House of Grief, Chloe Hooper’s The Tall Man, Robert Drewe’s The Shark Net, John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.
What should I do if I have another question?
Carefully read the submission guidelines. If your question remains unanswered you can send it to admin@fremantlepress.com.au. Please keep your email brief and specific, and mark the subject line: Submission query.
Thank you for submitting your work to Fremantle Press.