Category Archives: Submission Guidelines

These guidelines are for both e-book and paper book authors. Moon Willow Press’s focus is to publish fiction, non-fiction, and poetry exploring nature and science. A high priority will be placed on publishing credible authors in their field of knowledge, with previous publications being an asset, though first-time authors are acceptable.

Non-fiction

MWP is looking for any of the following general topics:

• Conservation and preservation
• Renewable and healthy energy
• Land, water, and air pollution and restoration
• Natural resource depletion
• Changing agricultural dynamics
• Effects of climate variations
• Genetic engineering
• Environmental policy
• Traditional and quantum physics
• Academic studies in biology, chemistry, oceanography, geology, and so on
• And more!

In order to be considered for publication, you may want to discuss with me first your idea for a book, and whether or not you have written a rough draft or are just getting started. We can discuss previous or ongoing research, data, solutions, and similar books on topic.

Non-fiction books must be supported by peer-reviewed data, consensus, and illustrations.

Fiction

MWP will most highly consider fiction that follows the same topics as the non-fiction subjects listed above, but we will also accept most any genre of fiction that presents an interesting perspective on life.

Poetry

Eco-poetry will be considered for paper publishing, but it is a very low priority at the moment.

E-books

I will be prepared to publish and distribute more e-books than paper titles, so will be less strict on accepting manuscripts for digital publications only. Keep in mind that once a book is digital, if it does sell well, we may give it special consideration and eventually print it as well.

Another level of e-book is the $2-4.00 e-book, which will be implemented in the future as either of the following:

1. A discount for MWP members
2. A portion of the book profits going to a credible environmental organization

These e-books will be short novellas, poetry chapbooks, first-time authors, and post-prime sales of books. This lower-priced e-book is simply one initiative that Moon Willow Press will implement, but these books will hold to the high quality of any other publication by MWP.

Manuscript Formatting and Other Guidelines

Only submissions following these guidelines will be considered.

Book Proposal

• Initial letter and book description: Send a cover letter that summarizes the book, a table of contents, and at least one sample chapter to Moon Willow Press by regular mail or e-mail. In the case of regular mail, sample chapters may not be sent back without proper self-addressed postage applied. I encourage e-mail submissions to reduce paper waste.
• Market summary: What other books are on the market that are level with your book? How do you feel your book will fare in that market? What avenues do you have for marketing and advertising your book?
• Curriculum vitae: Please supply a recent résumé stating your relevant experience and background as it pertains to your book. List any other previous publications.
• Responses: Please allow up to three months for a reply. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a physical reply or your e-mail address for an electronic reply.
• Follow-up after initial interest: If Moon Willow Press is interested in your book, we will discuss schedule, drafts, research, and any other relevant items. At that point, you should send a final draft or more sample chapters.

Final Manuscript Submissions

As a start-up press, I will be doing acquisitions work in helping with book ideas and drafts, but the final manuscript must follow all of these guidelines.

• The author must sign a statement saying that none of the works are stolen or plagiarized.
• The author is responsible for the proofing and editing of the manuscript. Moon Willow Press offers a free final proofread, but will not accept unedited manuscripts.
• Handwritten or messy typewritten papers are not acceptable. Submit digitally processed documents only. Do not send original materials. No materials will be returned unless proper postage or payment is included in the submission for return. Please take into account foreign shipping costs and exchange rates. Again, I encourage e-mail submissions to reduce paper waste.
• Illustrations must be referenced properly within a manuscript, be referenced and credited in text, and come with written permissions by artists.
• All research and resources must be properly cited, and scientific findings must be current and credible.
• The submission must be 8.5″ x 11″ paper size, with one-inch margins. Please use a standard font like Ariel or Times New Roman, and a 12-inch font size. You do not need to double-space, but do distinguish new paragraphs with an indention.
• In the header of your first page, include your name, address, book title, and word count.
• On subsequent pages, include the page number, book title, and chapter title (if relevant) in the footer.
• For final accepted digital submissions, we will go over details such as stylesheets, illustration placement, digital formatting, references, indexing, and so forth.