Their website was updated in the last two years and is much better than the original site.

The covers of their books are largely well designed and appealing.

You must query first. They are not interested in unsolicited manuscripts, only queries. When you query them include a query letter and a small representative sample from the book. It should not be more than 20 pages in length.

They are currently interested in the queries in the flowing areas:

• Teachings and texts from authentic spiritual and mystical traditions, such as Buddhism, Sufism, Hinduism, Taoism, 4th Way, esoteric Christianity, etc
• Transformational psychology
• Translations of classic spiritual poetry
• Biographies and autobiographies of spiritual teachers
• Autobiographies or memoirs that feature work with a spiritual teacher, teaching, or path
• First-hand accounts of transformational experiences or relationships

They specify that “A professionally edited manuscript will receive a more favorable response from us.” And go on to say “If we accept your professionally edited manuscript, Hohm Press will manage the design, printing, and distribution of your book through our extensive national and international networks. Domestically, our national distributor ensures availability in over 8,000 major retail and chain bookstores, along with approximately 2,600 independent booksellers across the U.S. and Canada. We are represented by 25 sales firms that cover all major wholesalers and bookstores, as well as more than 100 eBook platforms, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ingram, Baker & Taylor, and iTunes.”

I have two take-aways from this. The first is that they are no longer editing most work (even professionally edited work, still needs some copy editing before publishing) and the second, is that even though none of their distribution is excellent, in and of itself, they do manage to get books into stores (and I have seen them there). The lack of editing doesn’t appear to be across the board, but I would very much take that into consideration if I was considering submitting to them.

To learn more, visit their submission guidelines here. Before you submit your query, I highly recommend that you review their catalog.

Paralysis

The poetry journal Whirlwind is seeking poetry submissions on the theme of paralysis. This is what they have to say about the theme in their call for submission “The theme of this issue is on the symbolic nature of paralysis. James Joyce, in his short story collection, Dubliners, wrote of paralyzation on both a personal and societal level. We’re not looking for a literal rendering of the word paralysis, rather, we’re looking for an interpretation based off of the lives of the oppressed around the world. We’re interested in showing the plight of children in developing countries, for example, such as child brides in India, or child soldiers in Africa.” To learn more go here: https://whirlwindmagazine.org/submission-info/

Sage

The Phoenix Soul, an online publication that publishes poetry and prose,  is looking for submissions on the theme of sage. This is what they have to say about the theme “Honor your innate wisdom, gathered throughout your phoenix journey. Pay tribute to trusted teachers (including yourself). What transformative lessons have you learned and embraced?”.

This can be very frustrating. After all how can a writer ever create a publication history, if an editor or an agent doesn’t help them publish their first work? Particularly, since most editors and agents don’t take self published work seriously unless the author has already sold thousands of copies.

The system that relies on publication history seems to rely on flawed logic. But your publication history doesn’t have to include a full length book. The real substance that fills most authors publication histories is not novels, or books of any kind.

Instead, the foundation most publication histories are built on are literary journals.

Literary journal are magazines, some are online, some are print, that publish literature. Sometimes they publish a variety of work, sometimes only poetry, or only creative non-fiction, or only short stories. Some literary journals are very respected while others accept almost everything that is submitted to them.

The issue most novelists find themselves facing is the fact that most literary journals do not publish novel excerpts (although there are exceptions). This just means that novelists should write a few short stories, or poems, or creative non-fiction pieces to be submitted to journals.

Agents do not care if the work that you have previously published is in a different genre. Several agents have explicitly told me that. My poems have been widely published in literary journals, yet I write novels that are very mainstream, and in no way literary. Still agents have stressed the importance of my publication history to me.

The other way that writers build a publication history prior to publishing a manuscript is through anthologies. An anthology is a published collection of writing, usually on a theme. Some anthologies are published by major publishers and others by small presses. Often anthologies have a much longer shelf life than literary journals, but there are also far fewer anthologies than literary journals published each year.

I am noticing more and more books being promoted as debut novels written by authors who have been publishing work for decades. I recently read a book that was being heavily promoted as a “debut novel.” It was a great book, so I looked up the author. He had been publishing his work in literary journals for over a decade and had already published a collection of short stories with a major publisher.

This is becoming more common, not less. So make sure that your work is being seriously considered by building a strong history of publication. Unsure of where to start in terms of submitting to literary journals? This article on good literary journals for unpublished authors, is very helpful.

Remember a publication history is not built overnight, but it might take less time than you think. After all some literary journals respond to submissions within a month.

New Zenith will update their online content monthly, and their print magazine will be published four times a year. The deadline for submissions to the first print issue of New Zenith is June 30, and the magazine will be released on July 31. All published authors will be paid for their contributions.

Fiction writers may submit up to three short stories, 3,000 words or fewer, or three works of flash fiction, 1,000 words or fewer. Poets may submit up to five poems. Visual artists may submit up to five works of art in any of the following categories: cartoons, illustrations, illustrated stories, photographs, or photo stories. New Zenith accepts submissions via email, but not online or by post.

Right now, New Zenith is also accepting flash fiction submissions inspired by the prompt, “I woke up and found myself . . .” Fiction writers may submit one piece of flash fiction following this prompt, 400 words or fewer. The exact words of the prompt should appear in the piece.

If you would like to learn more or submit to New Zenith Magazine, please visit their website at http://newzenithmagazine.com/submission-guidelines/.