Submissions Update: Row House open submissions for our traditional acquisitions and Guided Indie Publishing division are currently closed until September 2026.
When acquisitions resume, we will be open to the following categories: Adult Nonfiction (including literary memoir), Adult Fiction (Romance, Fantasy, Upmarket, Literary), Young Adult Fiction (Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary), Children’s Picture Books (Fiction and Nonfiction). We do not accept submissions for poetry or anthologies.
Guided Indie Publishing: Expert Support, Total Creative Control, and Real Distribution, for the Same Price as Self-Publishing
Thinking of Self-Publishing? Here’s How to Stay Independent, Without Doing It Alone
Guided Indie Publishing™ is Row House Publishing’s hybrid self-publishing program for authors who want expert support, national distribution, and complete creative freedom.
Hello! I’m Rebekah Borucki, the publisher here at Row House, and I’m thrilled to introduce you to Third Avenue Books and Lunchpail Press—Row House’s newest imprints for indie authors who want to go big, but not alone.
And what’s more: we’re offering something very exciting that makes us stand out from any other hybrid publisher: a path to traditional publishing and even bigger success.
IMAGINE YOUR BOOK
AMONG THESE TITLES
GET DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE
BY THESE POWERHOUSES
Why Choose Guided Indie Publishing Over Self-Publishing Alone?
All the Perks of Big Publishing—For the Same Cost as DIY
We’re passing our savings directly to you. Our pricing is fully transparent—you’ll see a line-by-line breakdown of what your book costs and exactly what you’re paying for our services. And because we extend our insider rates, you’ll get all the benefits of big publishing at a cost comparable to doing it yourself. No need to vet freelancers or guess at quality—we guarantee every person on your publishing team meets the highest standards of talent and integrity.
Row House is a Traditional Publisher—Not a Vanity Press
We’re not just another pay-to-publish press—we’re a traditional publisher offering Guided Indie Publishing. With New York Times bestsellers, Kirkus-starred reviews, national distribution, and editorial excellence, we combine the creative control of indie publishing with the credibility and support of a traditional press.
Prestige and Market Perception Are Maintained
Books published through our Guided Indie Publishing imprints are fully aligned with the Row House brand, which means they carry the same prestige, bookstore access, and media recognition as our traditional titles. You get personal guidance from industry pros, bookstore-ready design, and a publishing partner that believes your story deserves more than a vanity press.
Real Access—No Hurdles, No Gatekeeping!
Nurturing talent and growing with our authors is a top priority at Row House. While we aren't able to acquire every manuscript through a traditional publishing model, Third Avenue Books and Lunchpail Press help bridge that gap—offering creators a way to publish their work with minimal cost and maximum impact.
That’s why every Guided Indie Publishing agreement includes a built-in path to a traditional publishing deal. If your book hits specific sales goals, you’ll have the opportunity to transition to a traditional Row House contract—with no extra cost or resubmission needed.
15 RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOU
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
Distribution, Marketing & Exposure
Your Book Featured in the Row House Catalog
Gain visibility alongside top titles in our official listings.
Distribution by Simon & Schuster
Get national bookstore and library reach through a Big Five publisher.
Built-In Marketing Support
Access to our Book Launch Success Plan and publicity community.
Trade Review & Award Submissions
We’ll submit your book where self-published titles can’t go.
Join the Row House Creator Community
Be part of a network of award-winning, mission-driven authors.
Professional Production & Publishing Services
Professional Editing Included
Work with our expert editorial team to make your manuscript shine.
Custom Interior & Cover Design
Your book will look as good as it reads—with stunning design.
Ebook Publishing on All Major Retailers
Your ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and more.
Audiobook Production with Spotify
Bring your book to life with audio—and get it in listeners’ ears worldwide.
Affordable Bulk Printing
Access discounted print rates not available to self-published authors and small presses.
Vetted Talent-Matching
We pair you with trusted illustrators, editors, and designers.
Ownership, Rights & Long-Term Value
Keep 80% of Net Profits
You stay in control—and earn the majority of your book’s income.
A Clear Path to Traditional Publishing
Hit a sales goal and earn a full Row House publishing contract.
Library of Congress Submission
Official registration for increased legitimacy and access.
Free Copyright and ISBN Registration
Avoid hidden costs—We provide your official ISBNs and take care of the paperwork to protect your work.
End-to-End Publishing Support
We manage the entire publishing process so you don’t have to.
How Our All-in-One Guided Indie Publishing Works: Support, Distribution, and Creative Control with Transparency and Integrity
Partnered Publishing, Powered by Integrity
Third Avenue Books and Lunchpail Press operate with the same values that define Row House’s traditional model. We carefully consider every submission for alignment with our mission: to amplify all voices and uplift stories that shift old narratives.
Whether you’re publishing with us traditionally or through our Guided Indie Publishing program, you can expect transparency, care, and a publishing experience rooted in equity.
FAQ: Got Questions? We Have Answers!
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It’s our hybrid publishing option available through our imprints—Third Avenue Books and Lunchpail Press. With this model, you stay in the driver’s seat: you keep creative control and ownership of your book while gaining access to professional editing, design, marketing, and distribution through Row House’s trusted systems.
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With traditional publishing, the publisher covers all the costs and usually pays an advance—but they also own more of the process and profits. With Guided Indie Publishing, you contribute to the production costs up front, but you keep significantly more of the earnings and maintain full ownership of your work. We handle the logistics, so you don’t have to.
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That depends on your genre. If you're writing adult nonfiction or fiction, we’d publish you through Third Avenue Books. If you’re working on a children’s book, YA, or middle-grade title, then Lunchpail Press would be the best fit.
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Not for Guided Indie Publishing. This model doesn’t include advances, but you do earn a much higher share of profits from book sales.
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A lot! You’ll have access to professional editing, beautiful and bookstore-ready design, national distribution, marketing resources, award submissions, and an experienced team to guide you every step of the way.
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Start by filling out our form here, and we’ll schedule a call to learn more about your project. If you decide to move forward, you’ll send us a short overview of your book, your author bio, and your manuscript. For children’s books, we only need the text—unless you’re an author-illustrator, in which case we’d love to see some sample illustrations too. Once we have everything, our team will review your materials and respond within 7 business days.
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Our publishing packages start at $15,000. You may pay in full upon signing your contract or divide the cost into 3 to 5 installments. If you choose the installment option, a $250 processing fee will be added to each payment. Due dates will be aligned with key milestones in your book’s production and clearly outlined in your contract.
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The typical timeline from finished manuscript to publication is about 12 to 18 months—but we’ll tailor the schedule based on what your book needs.
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All packages include formatting and publishing for eBooks. Print copies are available to you at discounted rates through Simon & Schuster’s print partners. Your book will also be pitched to Spotify as part of our exclusive audiobook partnership. While Spotify makes the final decision, your book will be treated with the same priority as every other title in our catalog.
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Your book will be available for preorder and purchase through all major online retailers in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be considered for international online sales and made available in print in the UK through our distribution partner, Deep Books. Just like every Row House title, it will be included in our seasonal catalog and pitched to both independent bookstores and major chains by our team at Simon & Schuster. While we can’t guarantee placement in brick-and-mortar stores, we’ll give your book every opportunity to succeed. Audiobooks are distributed by Spotify and made available across all major listening platforms.
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Our team will work with you to choose the best print options for your book, taking into account your sales and distribution goals, genre, and budget. We’ll always offer our professional recommendation, but the final product specifications are yours to decide. Here are our standard options:
TRADE PAPERBACK (TP)
Trim Size
5.5" × 8.25"
6" × 9"
Custom sizes also available
Cover Finish Options
Uncoated
Soft-touch matte
Full gloss
UV spot gloss
Colored foil
Cover embossing
French flaps
Interior 1/C (black & white) cover printing
Interior Design Options
Interior 4/C (full color) photo inserts
Interior 1/C photo inserts
Full 4/C interior (more commonly used for graphic novels, art books, and cookbooks)
HARDCOVER (HC)
Trim Size
5.5" × 8.25"
6" × 9"
Custom sizes also available
Jacket Finish Options
Uncoated
Soft-touch matte
Full gloss
UV spot gloss
Colored foil
Jacket embossing
Interior 1/C (black & white) jacket printing
Interior Design Options
Interior 4/C (full color) photo inserts
Interior 1/C photo inserts
Full 4/C interior (more commonly used for graphic novels, art books, and cookbooks)
HARDCOVER CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS & BOARD BOOKS
Trim Size — Children’s picture books and board books are available in a variety of sizes. We recommend the following ranges, but custom sizes are available and will be included in your quote.
Interior Design — Children’s picture books and board books are almost always printed with 4/C (full color) interiors, since they rely heavily on illustrations and vibrant imagery to engage young readers.
Board Books — Recommended trim sizes: 5" × 5" to 8" × 8"; page counts: 12–24 pages.
Hardcover Picture Books — Flexible format, but bookseller-friendly sizes include: 8.5" × 11", 9" × 11", 10" × 10", 8" × 10", and 11" × 8.5". Interior paper choices include uncoated and matte finish. Most feature a hard case with a jacket, though paper-over-board hardcovers are also available.
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As a Guided Indie author, you’ll receive 80% of net profits. That’s a significantly higher share than most traditional deals, where authors typically receive 5–15%. For comparison, our traditional Row House authors earn 40% of net profits.
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Absolutely. We recommend using the full package for the strongest impact, but we can talk about customizing your plan and pricing based on your needs.
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Yes, you’ll retain ownership. During the license term, Row House holds the exclusive right to publish and distribute your book in print, digital, and audio formats, and we can license foreign rights on your behalf—with your input. After the initial term, either of us can choose to renew or end the agreement.
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We see marketing as a partnership. We’ll provide the tools, guidance, and support—but your enthusiasm and engagement make all the difference. We’ll tailor strategies that fit your strengths, budget, and communication style.
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Yes—we’ll keep your book active in our catalog, promote it alongside other seasonal titles, and enter it for awards and review opportunities. We’ll also guide you away from scammy awards and help you identify the ones that are truly worth your time and money.
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Absolutely. We prioritize transparency at every stage of the process. You’re welcome to click here to view and download the contract.
Now, Tell Us About Your Book!
Ready to take the first step in bringing your book to life?
Fill out this short form to book a no-pressure info call. We’d love to hear about your project. IMPORTANT NOTE: Once you submit the form, you’ll see a confirmation message below with a link to schedule your call.