General Submissions

This is Writing reaches readers and writers just like you each and every month.

We strive to work with writers who are creating stories that grip readers, and take pride in creating quality work. 

We love stories, we love books and we love everything related to writing. We love writing that inspires, excites, scares and thrills us. Writing that draws us in, spits us out and leaves us wanting more. 

As such we want to work with new and established writers to share their stories with our community. We look for a variety of things in a pitch – creativity, magnificent grammar, punctuality, professionalism – but mostly we are looking for people with a passion for writing.

In an effort to pursue writing of a high standard we have strict submission guidelines. Given the large number of submissions we receive everyday, we’ll only consider working with authors who meet the criteria below.

We’re open to unsolicited submissions of fiction, poetry and essays. We also suggest that before submitting you explore the site and read the works featured on This is Writing to get an idea of the type of writing we enjoy.

We currently accept pitches for the following categories of writing:

• Short stories
• Poetry
• Novel excerpts
• Critical essays
• Personal essays
• Interviews
• Book reviews

Each area has slightly different guidelines.

Short stories

A good short story plays on the reader’s emotions. They leave you wanting more and asking questions that can’t easily be answered. Character, setting and plot are formed not by what is on the page but what is left out. 

We recommend writers familiarise themselves with fiction that has previously been featured.

The subject line of your pitch email should be PITCH: Short story [Story title]. You may address your email to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

Short stories should be no longer than 8000 words.

Poetry

Poets should submit no more than six poems and should place all poems in a single document.

Our editors are gripped by poetry that evokes emotion, mystery, surprise and creates a vivid image in the mind of the reader. 

The subject line of your pitch email should be PITCH: Poetry [Poem or collection title]. You may address your email to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

Please keep in mind the length of features when submitting poems. 

Novel excerpts

Novel excerpts are great for giving readers a taste for your writing and novel. To draw them in and leave them wanting more. The best excerpts give a feel for what the pace, setting and how the overall book reads.. 

We will only accept novel excerpts for upcoming releases; excerpts will be  published prior to book publication dates. Excerpts from novels that are already available will not be considered.

We will also accept excerpts from aspiring writers. If accepted, these ‘novel-in-progress’ excerpts will be accompanied by a note from the author talking about their work and life behind the scenes as an aspiring writer.

The subject line of your pitch email should be PITCH: Novel Excerpt on [Novel Title]. You may address your email to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

Novel Excerpts should be under 8,000 words.

Critical essays

Critical essays should engage in exploration and examination of literature, the writing process or the publishing industry. We want critical essays with a strong sense of identity and voice that display critical thinking, fresh perspectives and writing that takes hold of the reader. 

When pitching your critical essay, please identify subject matter, perspective, and expected word count. Please also include why your subject is relevant now, and why it is apt for our audience. Explain how your essays will differ from other writings on the topic. 

The subject line of your pitch email should be PITCH: Critical Essay on [Subject Matter].You may address your email to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

Critical essays should be between 1,100 and 2,100 words.

Personal essays

Personal essays should have a tie to literature, writing or the publishing industry. They should have a clear voice and narrative that demonstrates growth, change or overcoming adversity.

When pitching a personal essay, please briefly explain your narrative and focus. Think of this as your elevator pitch to hook us. Please also include why you think it is relevant to our audience, and your expected word count.

The subject line of your pitch email should be PITCH: Personal Essay on [Subject Matter].You may address your email to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

Personal essays should be between 1,100 and 2,100 words.

Interviews

This is Writing has a strong history of interviewing authors and other individuals from within the publishing industry. Interviews give readers a peek behind the curtain and allow them to connect with authors on a more personal level.

The subject line of your email should be REQUEST: Interview – [Your Name].  You may address your pitch to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

If you would like us to interview you, in your pitch, please include the title, author, publisher, and publication date, relevant press kits, your unique angle and why it needs to be told. 

If you have interviewed an author or someone within the publishing industry and would like to pitch this to us the subject line of your email should be PITCH: Interview – [Your Name + Author’s Name].  You may address your pitch to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

In your pitch, please include the author’s name, if you have secured contact with this person, why an interview with this person is relevant now, expected word count, and two to three writing samples (published or unpublished). 

You may submit a completed interview for consideration. 

Interviews should be between 1,000 and 2000 words.

Book reviews

Book reviews are an essential path to writers finding their audience. Reviews help new readers to find great writers. 

We will only accept requests for book reviews for upcoming releases; book reviews are published prior to book publication dates. We only accept physical copies for review, ebooks will not be considered.

Our reviewers are interested in books from the following genres:

• Fiction; Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Suspense
• Non-Fiction; Military History, Biography, Technology

In your pitch, please include the title, author, publisher, and publication date and relevant press kits. 

The subject line of your email should be PITCH: Review – [Book Title] – [Book Publication Date]. You may address your email to Scott Mullins, This is Writing’s Managing Editor.

You may also submit a completed review for consideration. With these submissions, please include two-three writing samples of previously published work from the author.

We do not consider pitches or submissions covering books written by a friend or family member of the reviewer.

We prefer book reviews between 800 – 1000 words.

Important Guidelines

When submitting your work please note the following guidelines:

• We will not publish previously published work.
• Please limit formats to .doc, .docx, and PDF. 
• All submissions must be in English.
• We accept one short story, one non-fiction piece, or six poems. 
• Simultaneous submissions are accepted, provided you contact us immediately to withdraw your work if it is accepted for publication elsewhere. 
• Submissions should be double-spaced.
• Submit via email to info@thisiswriting.com
• Please note that we are not in a position to comment on your work. 
• Please include page numbers
• Please do not submit revisions of work we’ve already considered.
• Please include a cover letter; your cover letter should provide contact information, the title, genre, wordcount, as well as any salient information about you and your writing. 
• We encourage all who submit that they read through This is Writing to get an idea of the type of writing we enjoy.
• We do not accept writing with graphic sexual content, hate speech, or homophobic subject matter.