Submission Guidelines

Submissions Update: Row House is currently considering proposals for our 2026 and 2027 catalogs. We are open to the following categories: Adult Nonfiction, Adult Fiction (Romance, Fantasy, Upmarket, Literary), Young Adult Fiction (Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary), Children’s Picture Books (Fiction and Nonfiction). These terms exclude participants of the Blocked 2 Book community, for whom all genres are open.

Note on Accessibility: We at Row House believe that every person—no matter their background, identity, or disability—should have an equal opportunity to tell their story. Therefore, if any of our submission guidelines do not meet your access needs, please email us here or use the chat feature on this page to let us know how we can assist you in submitting your proposal.

About Row House’s Submissions Process
is your book a row House book?

We at Row House are on a mission to raise the volume on voices that matter by publishing beautiful, groundbreaking, and provocative books by authors who are also advocates, activists, thought leaders, and masterful storytellers. Row House books are as unique as their authors, yet they share several distinctive traits. Our books...

  • Speak through a social justice lens, center those pushed into the margins, and challenge the status quo with courage, creativity, and critical thinking. (e.g., The Antiracist Business Book by Trudi Lebrón and The Day God Saw Me as Black by D. Danyelle Thomas)

  • Start new conversations, introduce novel concepts, and shed light on culturally significant but overlooked movements. (e.g., Are We Free Yet? by Tina Strawn)

  • Expand discussions by replacing false narratives with truth, especially those regarding identity, culture, and history. (e.g., The Humanity Archive by Jermaine Fowler and Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas)

  • Exemplify a “for us, by us” model, but also serve readers outside of the author’s immediate community or who might not share the author’s identity or experiences. (e.g., All the Black Girls Are Activists by EbonyJanice Moore and We Alive, Beloved by Frederick Joseph)

  • Align with the core themes and values of the company and its existing catalog, facilitating a cohesive conversation among various works. (e.g., Hood Wellness by Tamela Julia Gordon)

  • Contribute to collective liberation, center joy, and acknowledge the beauty inherent in our diverse intersecting identities. (e.g., Adventurous Adeline by Mary Fashik and Someplace Generous, an inclusive romance anthology)

  • Row House and our imprints accept proposals from both agents and unagented authors on a continuous basis.

    The submission process is designed to be fair and equitable, giving no preferential treatment to agented authors.

    Exclusivity: Row House accepts proposals from agented authors on an exclusive basis only, which means that we do not accept proposals sent to other publishers for consideration. However, authors without representation can submit their proposal on a non-exclusive basis.

  • Please allow 60 days for our team to review your submission and respond via email. Submissions are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, with no preference given to agented authors.

    Kindly refrain from requesting updates on your proposal before the 60-day review period has passed.

    Note that we do not offer editorial notes or feedback on submissions.

  • Row House’s standard contracts are available for your review here. These can help you in deciding whether Row House’s financial and rights models are the right fit for your book.

    Our contracts include an eleven-page Book Launch Success Plan, a proprietary document that offers a step-by-step framework and timeline to help our authors effectively promote and market their books using accessible tools and methods.

  • Download an example of a proposal for a nonfiction self-help book, You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life by Rebekah Borucki, here.

Submit your book proposal to row house

Thank you for choosing Row House as a potential home for your book. Follow Steps 1-3 for detailed instructions on how to submit your proposal for consideration.

STEP 1: Choose the best imprint for your book.

  • Row House® publishes socially impactful and culturally relevant titles on a limited basis, typically releasing one title per season. We welcome nonfiction proposals in social sciences, politics, culture, religion, memoir, and history, with a focus on works rooted in social justice, liberation, and equity.

  • Brick & Bloom™ is a digital-first romance publishing imprint seeking fresh, diverse love stories featuring characters of all genders, races, sizes, and abilities. We welcome manuscripts under 100,000 words across sub-genres like contemporary rom-coms, fantasy, and thrillers, as well as unique retellings and genre-blends. We prioritize Black and brown, queer, and disabled voices, publishing romance at any heat level (excluding erotica). Stories should inspire hope, celebrate resilience, and explore love in all its forms. While we focus first on publishing new stories in ebook and audiobook formats, titles are also considered for special print editions.

  • 100 Block by Row House welcomes proposals for nonfiction and fiction books, decks, graphic novels, and illustrated works in mental and general wellness, cooking, lifestyle, politics, fantasy, humor, and pop culture—authored by voices that matter.

  • 100 Block Futures is Row House’s young adult imprint, welcoming proposals for nonfiction and fiction books, decks, graphic novels, comics, and illustrated works in humor, politics, lifestyle, fantasy, contemporary, horror and thrillers, and romance.

    We’re especially interested in:

    • Queer-focused, campy YA horror—think jump scares, dark humor, and characters with a touch of nihilism who warm up as they find their chosen family.

    • Folklore, mythology, and fairy tale-inspired stories—whether retellings or original works rooted in these traditions.

    • Clean teen romance—where relationships help characters discover themselves, find acceptance, and rediscover joy. Give us all the meet-cutes!

    • Magical realism and urban fantasy—stories that blend everyday life with adventure and a touch of magic.

    We’re currently less interested in:

    • Heavy sci-fi—unless it explores utopian themes or presents an empowering relationship with technology.

    • Strictly historical fiction—but we’d love historical YA that incorporates self-acceptance, love, magic, paranormal elements, or fresh retellings.

  • Wheat Penny Press, the children’s imprint of Row House, welcomes proposals for board books, picture books, early readers, and middle-grade fiction and nonfiction.

    We are especially interested in stories that explore:

    • Health and wellness

    • Diversity and social justice

    • Mythology, food, and culture

    • “Non-traditional” families

    • Adventure and fantasy

    Please note: Wheat Penny Press does not publish books centered on non-human characters.

  • small. is seeking contributor submissions for small business-focused content. All calls for submissions will be posted on our jobs listings page.

  • Your book is best suited for Row House or 100 Block by Row House.

    Please include a one-page cover letter in your submission email, introducing yourself, your book, and your target audience. Additionally, attach a book proposal (30-40 pages) that includes the following:

    1. An overview describing your book, what it will contain, why you are the person to write it, and a description of your audience or community (3-5 pages)

    2. A marketing section to include your bio, platform insights and statistics, marketing plan, and a list of 4-5 comparative titles with links to their Amazon sales pages (3-5 pages)

    3. A chapter summary, offering 1-2 paragraphs on each chapter, explaining what each will contain, including any exercises, activities, or resources (10-15 pages)

    4. Two sample chapters that best illustrate your content, writing style, and what you hope your book will achieve (10-15 pages)

  • Your book is best suited for Wheat Penny Press, 100 Block by Row House, 100 Block Futures, or Brick & Bloom.

    Please include a one-page cover letter in your submission email, introducing yourself, your book, and your target audience. Additionally, attach a book proposal that includes the following:

    1. An overview describing your book, what it will contain, why you are the person to write it, and a description of your audience or community (3-5 pages)

    2. A marketing section to include your bio, platform insights and statistics, marketing plan, and a list of 4-5 comparative titles with links to their Amazon sales pages (3-5 pages)

    3. The completed manuscript.

    4. Sample illustrations (only if you are the project's illustrator or currently working in partnership with an illustrator).

  • Your project is best suited for Row House, 100 Block by Row House, or 100 Block Futures.

    Please include a one-page cover letter in your submission email, introducing yourself, your project, and your target audience. Additionally, attach a book proposal that includes the following:

    1. An overview describing your deck, what it will contain, why you are the person to create it, and a description of your audience or community (3-5 pages)

    2. A marketing section to include your bio, platform insights and statistics, marketing plan, and a list of 4-5 comparative titles with links to their Amazon sales pages (3-5 pages)

    3. Writing samples as card descriptions and booklet content.

    4. Sample illustrations (only if you are the illustrator for the project or if you are currently working in partnership with an illustrator).

STEP 2: Prepare your proposal.

  • The preparation of your proposal (including the overview, bio, marketing plan, etc.) provides our editorial team with a clear indication of how you will promote and market your book to potential readers and booksellers. All proposals should be in 12-point Arial, Helvetica, or Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and sent as a PDF with pages numbered.

    Also include your name, phone number, and email address on your cover letter and in your email. Only complete submissions will be reviewed by our editorial team.

  • Email your proposal to Row House Submissions using this format for the subject line: Book Proposal Submission for [imprint name] - [author name] - [book title] - [genre]

STEP 3: Finalize and send your proposal.