Publish with Us

For Unagented Authors

At Inked Elephant, we’re looking for changemakers. We believe that words can shift mindsets, heal hearts, and move mountains. If that’s your vibe too, let’s talk.

We accept unsolicited submissions directly from authors in January, March and August of each year as well as at select pitch events around the country.

IMPORTANT NOTES

For unagented work, we follow industry standard and require an a professional developmental edit prior to signing a contract. Additionally, as a small press, we have to prioritize our focus. Therefore, we now only accept fully completed manuscripts. Should you desire support while writing, please consider a literary coach through Inked Elephant or beyond. 

If it’s not the right fit, please know that we appreciate the vulnerability and effort it takes to share your work and we wish you every success on your publishing journey.

ABOUT AI: We are a human-first publisher. While we understand that AI is a tool that can be used in various contexts, such as book proposals and marketing materials, we expect all manuscripts to be written exclusively by humans. Should we suspect this is not the case, we will immediately pass. 

What We’re Looking For

We publish primarily in nonfiction genres such as:

  • Self-development 
  • Social and cultural commentary
  • Thought leadership 
  • Memoir
  • Poetry with a Memoir Arch* New Focus Area

We occasionally consider fiction with a strong emotional or societal thread, particularly stories rooted in resilience, transformation, or connection.

Submission Guidelines

To submit your work for consideration, please submit a full book proposal to editor@inkedelephant.org

Here are some helpful tips for writing your book proposal

  • Title & Overview: A catchy title and a 1-2 page pitch explaining the book’s value, the problem it solves, and why it’s needed now.
  • Target Audience: A detailed description of who will buy the book.
  • About the Author: Your qualifications, expertise, and why you are the right person to write this book.
  • Marketing Plan (Platform): A detailed marketing plan for the book (social media, media, connections).
  • Comparable Titles (“Comp Titles”): A list of 3-5 recent, successful books similar to yours, showing how your book fits into the current market.
  • Chapter Outline/Annotated Table of Contents: A chapter-by-chapter summary, often 1-2 paragraphs per chapter, describing what the reader will learn.
  • Sample Chapters: One or two of your strongest, polished chapters, usually the introduction or first chapters.
  • Logistics: Estimated word count and timeline for completion.

Winning Tips

  • Focus on Marketability: Emphasize why this book matters and who will buy it.
  • Keep it Concise: Use a professional tone and format, generally in the third person.
  • Follow Guidelines: Adhere strictly to the submission guidelines provided here.
  • “Hook, Book, and Cook”: Ensure your proposal has a strong hook (value), detailed book overview, and proves you (the cook) can deliver.

WHAT TO EXPECT

We aim to respond within 2–4 weeks. If your submission resonates with our team, we’ll reach out for more material or a conversation. 

Inked Elephant Publishing House is a nonprofit, independent, traditional publisher certified by IBPA, CIPA, ABA, and Author’s Guild.  

Once signed, we provide all the services of a large publisher but in a more personal and timely manner. For transparency, the process steps are listed below. 
  • Cover Design and Internal Layout  
  • Copy Editing 
  • ISBN/Barcode acquisition
  • Copyright acquisition
  • Library of Congress filing
  • BISAC selection 
  • Worldwide Distribution Channels 
  • Royalty & Reporting Set up and Quarterly Payouts
  • Author recognition on IE’s website and social media
  • Custom marketing plan and event schedule
  • Digital outreach direct to bookstores (independent and franchised chains)
  • Personal outreach to a limited number of bookstores in the authors region
  • Coordination on distributor led outreach, catalogues, book fairs, ads, etc.
  • Coordination of IBPA outreach opportunities
  • Award nominations as applicable
  • Mailed outreach to bookstores* 
  • Mailed outreach to libraries* 
  • Bulk purchase book orders* 

*At the Publisher’s discretion based on sales. Author fees may apply.