UPDATED April 11 2021: International Thriller Writers has suspended Diversion from its list of approved publishers for six months due to lack of communication/statements/royalties with its authors.  We have received direct reports from authors that they have not been paid. I would not submit.

Diversion Books was started by Scott Waxman of Waxman Literary Agency. He said that it started as an experiment of sorts to publish books that the agency represented that they had a hard time finding “Big 5” publishers to accept. That was seen as conflict of interest, and writers were initially very leery. However, after seven years they seem to be doing a good job.

Diversion Books started out as strictly an eBook publisher but now they publish print books as well. They publish a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. They seem to have good distribution, as I have found their books in a number of bookstores. For a while they closed to unsolicited submissions, but currently they are open to un-agented queries. Unfortunately if they are not interested in your book they often do not respond.

Their glassdoor reviews are mostly abysmal, and it appears to be very challenging to work there. The postive ones seem inauthentic.

They accept books that have been previously self-published, which is rare. Their FAQ page is actually very helpful.

Their catalog is also very helpful as you can really get a feel for the range of books they publish, everything from corny romance, to a business book by Mark Cuban.

Currently they are looking for books in the following categories:

Fiction: Romance (contemporary and historical), Thrillers, Mysteries, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult.

Non-Fiction: Business, Sports, Health, True Crime, and platform-based general interest titles.

If you want to submit to them please send a query letter including any marketing information and the first two chapters in an email. Do not attach anything. If you have not heard from them in over two months assume that they are not interested in your book.

To learn more or to submit visit their website here.

Founded in 2014 in Skagway, Alaska, Bottlecap Press publishes poetry and fiction that explores our alarming humanity with unflinching honesty and artistry. They seek visionary literature, work that is both surprising and deeply meaningful. And, they continually strive to explore the unlimited possibilities of literary multimedia through their online content.

Bottlecap is dedicated to promoting fair pay for authors and advocating for authors’ rights. To get a sense of what they publish, you can read excerpts of their printed books available in their online store.

Bottlecap publishes chapbooks and full-length books, handcrafted on demand. They accept submissions on a rolling basis.

Authors may also submit complete full-length manuscripts of poetry and fiction for publication by Bottlecap Press. Manuscripts must be at least 26 pages, and partial manuscripts will not be read. Bottlecap Press mostly publishes chapbooks; however, they occasionally publish longer works such as novellas.

Bottlecap accepts submissions via email, not online or by post.

Manuscript submissions may contain some previously published work with acknowledgements, but should be composed primarily of unpublished material.

If you would like to learn more or submit to Bottlecap, please visit their website at http://www.bottlecap.press/subguidelines.

“Oh, you’re a writer! Have you published a book?”

For some writers, this question is easy to answer. Their Amazon or Goodreads author page confirms their writerly status with a list of traditionally or self-published books. For those still working on a first book, admitting we’re not yet published can feel like defeat.

But completing an entire novel isn’t the only way to have your work published and in a reader’s hands.

An anthology is a collection of stories written by different authors. The Chicken Soup series is a best-selling example. Anthologies focus on a theme or genre and may include short stories, poems, and varying lengths of fiction known as flash or short, short fiction.

Some anthologies are published in both digital and print while some are only available as digital editions. Either way, the anthology can be listed as a writing credit on each author’s bio – it can even appear as a snazzy book icon on your Amazon and Goodreads author page.

Anthologies are published by large, small, and micro presses. More well-known publishers receive thousands of submissions while smaller presses may receive hundreds. Since many anthologies accept simultaneous submissions, you can submit the same story to different publishers and increase your chances of an acceptance and another writing credit.

Some pay upfront with a flat sum or per word while others provide a contract. Most contracts explain that royalties will be paid after sales cover publishing costs. Royalties are then divided by the number of authors in the anthology.

Anthology contracts usually don’t hold exclusive rights to your work, which means you can include your story in your own collection. Those reprinted stories give your collection extra credibility.

How do you find anthologies to submit to?

The best first step is to search on Google and on Facebook for “submission calls” or “anthology markets” for publishers seeking submissions. Subscribe to e-magazines such as Authors Publish to receive alerts.

Find submission calls on webpages such as Cathy’s Comps and Calls, Freedom With Writing, Horror Tree, New Pages, Places for Writers, and The Submission Grinder.

Most anthologies are on a specific theme or focus. Such as Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul, or Till the Tides (an anthology of mermaid poems).   It can be hard to find an anthology that fits work you have already written.

When you submit follow the publisher’s guidelines. If they request standard manuscript format or ask you to remove identification from your story, be sure you do.

As writers, we know we’re going to get a collection of rejection slips. Don’t set yourself up to question the quality of your story when it could have been rejected because it simply didn’t fit the publisher’s needs. In other words don’t submit a dog poem to Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul.

In the meantime, keep working on that novel. When you’re ready to query agents, publishers, or self-publish, you’ll have an established author page and bio with writing credits that will gain attention.

Bio: K.N. Johnson won first place in Mythraeum’s short story contest and her story “Frigid” is now in the running for development as a short film. Her short fiction has appeared in Proximity Magazine plus the anthologies A Journey of Words, Polterguests , and Incandescent Mind, the literary journal of Sadie Girl Press. She has served as an Acquisitions Editor for Mighty Quill Books and worked as a local reporter. You can follow her at https://www.facebook.com/knjohnsonauthor.