Manuscript Submissions
We're Looking
for Your Book.
Haven House accepts unsolicited submissions from debut and established authors writing non-fiction, self-help, and memoir. Read our guidelines below — then tell us about your book.
What We Publish
Our Genre Focus
We publish three genres — and we publish them with care. Here's what we're looking for in each.
Non-Fiction
Narrative non-fiction, investigative journalism, cultural criticism, business, science, and history. We look for books that illuminate the world in ways readers haven't seen before.
Examples
Self-Help
Practical, evidence-based books that help readers change their lives. We're not interested in quick fixes — we want books grounded in research, lived experience, or both.
Examples
Memoir
Personal narratives with universal resonance. The best memoirs we publish aren't just about what happened — they're about what it means. Voice, specificity, and emotional honesty are everything.
Examples
Before You Submit
Submission Guidelines
Please Do
- Submit a complete or near-complete manuscript (minimum 50,000 words)
- Include a one-page synopsis and author bio
- Tell us who your reader is and why this book is for them
- Share any relevant platform, credentials, or prior publications
- Attach the first three chapters as a PDF or Word document
Please Don't
- Submit fiction, poetry, children's books, or academic texts
- Send physical manuscripts — we accept digital submissions only
- Submit the same manuscript to multiple Haven House editors simultaneously
- Follow up within 90 days — we read everything and will respond
- Submit a manuscript that has already been self-published
Step 01
Submit the Form
Fill out the submission form below and send us your synopsis and bio.
Step 02
We Review
Our editorial team reads every submission. Expect a response within 90 days.
Step 03
We Respond
If we're interested, we'll reach out to request the full manuscript or schedule a call.
Ready to Submit?
Tell Us About Your Book
Fill out the form and we'll be in touch. Every submission is read by a real editor — not a screening algorithm.
Common Questions
FAQs
We aim to respond to all submissions within 90 days. If you haven't heard from us after 90 days, you're welcome to send a brief follow-up email to [email protected].
Absolutely. Some of our most successful books have been debut works. We care about the quality of the manuscript and the strength of the idea — not the length of your publishing history.
No. We accept unagented submissions directly from authors. If we're interested in your work, we'll discuss next steps — including whether representation would be beneficial.
For non-fiction and self-help, we can consider a detailed proposal (overview, chapter outline, sample chapters, and author bio) even if the manuscript isn't finished. For memoir, we prefer a complete or near-complete draft.
Every submission is read by a member of our editorial team. If we're interested, we'll reach out to request the full manuscript or schedule a call. If it's not the right fit, we'll let you know with a brief note.
Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we're not able to provide detailed feedback on every manuscript. However, if we see real potential in your work, we'll say so — and we may invite you to revise and resubmit.
One More Thing
Not Quite Ready?
Browse our published authors for a sense of the voices we champion — or explore our About page to learn more about who we are and what we believe.