Submissions

General Submission Guidelines

We are so excited to be making a splash already, but we are currently closed to novel and novella submissions. We need to focus on our current list for now, but will look at filling 2025’s calendar in the late fall. If you have already submitted, we will be reaching out shortly. In the interim, consider submitting to one of our open anthology calls.

PUBLISHING FAQs

Undertaker Books is a royalty-paying, full-service publisher. This means we do not charge fees to the author at any time. We pay a royalty rate of 50% of distribution payouts. This can mean you will earn different rates for books sold through different outlets. Our contracts are for digital and print worldwide English rights. At this stage, we do not provide advance payments unless specified for anthology calls.

SUBMISSIONS ARE TO BE SENT TO: submissions@undertakerbooks.com

  • Modern Shunn Format is preferred. Please review this website if you are unsure how to proceed.
  • Submit the first 20 pages of your manuscript as a single .doc(x) file attachment.
  • If submitting for general consideration, please include a one page synopsis of the plot (including the ending) with working title, category or subgenre, and word count.
  • In the body of your email, please include a cover letter containing: a short author bio,your legal name, pen name (if applicable), social media links, and website.

WHAT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT

  • No AI-generated content. If an author’s work is discovered to be generated by AI, the work will be rejected (or unpublished). View our AI Use Policy.
  • No depictions of sexual assault against children.
  • No animal abuse.
  • No reprints or previously published works.
  • No unfinished stories or rough drafts.

OPEN SUBMISSIONS

None at this time.

COMING SOON

Theme: Winter Horrorland
Word Count: 1,500-3,000
Call Open: September 1-October 15, 2024
Publication: December 2024
Call: We’re looking for horror stories of all subgenres that take place in winter. Please note that we are not looking for holiday-themed horror stories.

Theme: Stories to Take To Your Grave: High Seas Edition
Word Count: 2,000-5,000
Call Open: November 1-30, 2024
Publication: July 2025
Call: We’re looking for horror stories of all subgenres that take place on the high seas. Ports, ships, deserted islands–all are fair game!

CLOSED SUBMISSIONS

  • “Stories To Take To Your Grave” Mortuary Edition
  • General Novel and Novella Submissions
  • Western & Historical Horror (March 2024)
  • Stories To Take To Your Grave – Wandering Souls
  • Horrors from the Execution Chamber