Groundwood Submissions

Groundwood Books publishes award-winning literary picture books, fiction, poetry, nonfiction and graphic novels from Canada and around the world. Before submitting, prospective authors are encouraged to visit a library or bookstore to familiarize themselves with our books in order to judge their work’s compatibility with our publishing program. 

Please take time to follow the format/genre guidelines provided below. 

Submissions should be legibly typed and double-spaced, and sent electronically to submissions@groundwoodbooks.com. You will receive an automatic email confirming receipt of your work. 

Please submit no more than one manuscript at a time. We accept simultaneous submissions as long as this is indicated on the manuscript. Mailed manuscripts will not be accepted, particularly in light of our office’s current COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

We greatly appreciate the work that prospective authors put into each submission, and we read each one carefully. We aim to review submissions within four to six months of receipt. However, due to the very high volume of submissions we receive, we can only respond to proposals that we feel are a good fit for our publishing program. We regret that we cannot reply to phone queries or follow-up emails.

PICTURE BOOKS

Groundwood regrets that we are not currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts for picture books.

NOVEL-LENGTH FICTION

We are always looking for new authors of novel-length middle-grade and/or YA fiction. Our mandate is to publish high-quality, character-driven literary fiction with a strong narrative voice. We do not generally publish stories with an obvious moral or message, or genre fiction such as thrillers or fantasy.

Please submit a cover letter, several sample chapters and a brief synopsis rather than the entire manuscript.

NONFICTION

Groundwood publishes nonfiction for all ages, from informational picture books to issues- driven works for middle-grade and young adult readers. 

For middle-grade and YA nonfiction, we do not require a completed manuscript. Please submit a proposal that includes a compelling introduction to and argument for the book, followed by a chapter outline that conveys the proposed content of the work, plus one or two sample chapters that convey the proposed tone and approach. 

Please also include a bio and/or previous publishing credits that demonstrate credentials relevant to your book or give you authority on the proposed subject.

ILLUSTRATION GUIDELINES

Groundwood Books is looking for Canadian illustrators to interpret the words of some of Canada’s finest children’s writers. Our emphasis is on stories of memorable characters in convincing situations and milieus, both contemporary and historical, for all ages from infants to teens. 

Art may be realistic or abstracted and stylized to any degree, but conventional cartoon and animation styles are not needed. Accomplished drawing and execution in the final chosen medium and a skill for storytelling are important, as is accurate and thorough subject and period research. 

Send a link to your portfolio site, blog or Instagram account to submissions@groundwoodbooks.com. You may also send digital samples (PDFs, JPEGs, TIFFs) as e-mail attachments. 

Mailed illustration samples will not be accepted, particularly in light of our office’s current COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Please do not send original art, hand-bound books or any materials that you need returned.