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Submission Guidelines
Full-Length Manuscript Submissions (Open Year-Round!)
Word Count 60,000 - 120,000
History Through Fiction, along with our imprints HTF Publishing, HTF Romance, and HTF Fantasy, is dedicated to publishing high-quality fiction rooted in historical research.
We are open to all subgenres of historical fiction and welcome stories from any historical period, geographic region, or cultural perspective. We are interested in novels that engage thoughtfully with the past while offering readers a compelling and immersive fictional experience.
We are particularly interested in stories involving real people and events, though fictionalized elements and entirely fictional characters are welcome. Manuscripts may also include, though are not required to include, nonfiction features such as footnotes, endnotes, or a bibliography. These elements can provide transparency and allow readers to further explore the history behind the story.
Above all, we are looking for historical fiction that is both well researched and deeply engaging. Your novel should illuminate some aspect of the past while succeeding first and foremost as a compelling work of fiction.
All submissions must be made through our Duosuma Submission Platform. As a single file, please submit the following:
A query letter with your word count (via Duosuma)
A synopsis of 500 words or less (via Duosuma)
The first 10-15 pages of your manuscript (as an attached file or Drive link)
What We're Looking For
We welcome historical fiction across a broad range of subjects, settings, and subgenres. We are especially interested in stories that offer fresh perspectives, explore overlooked aspects of history, or approach familiar historical events in new and compelling ways.
We recognize that World War II remains an important and enduring subject for historical fiction, and we are open to unique and compelling stories set during this period. However, we are not currently interested in manuscripts that primarily focus on depictions of Nazi cruelty or that rely on a simplistic or overt good-versus-evil portrayal of World War II. We are particularly interested in stories that move beyond familiar narratives and offer greater complexity, nuance, or an unexpected perspective on the period.
Our Submission Process
We will carefully evaluate your submission to determine whether it captures our interest, fits our publishing niche, and merits a full evaluation. If it does, we will request the complete manuscript.
Upon receiving your full manuscript, we will assess it for craft, content, quality, and overall fit with our audience. If we love your story and believe it is a strong fit for our publishing program, we may offer either a traditional or hybrid publishing contract.
Our decision is based on a variety of factors, including the quality of the writing, the strength and originality of the story, its marketability, and its alignment with our publishing mission and audience. Traditional contracts are reserved for a small percentage of manuscripts that meet a wide range of qualifications.
We also consider manuscripts for HTF Fantasy and HTF Romance. Submissions that fall within these genres may be considered for either traditional or hybrid publication.
Traditional Publishing Contract: Offered to manuscripts that are an exceptional fit for our specialized market. Traditional publishing includes a small advance against royalties and requires no financial investment from the author.
Hybrid Publishing Contract: Offered when we love a story and believe it will resonate with our audience but see opportunities for further development or enhancement. Hybrid publishing requires a financial investment from the author and is designed as a collaborative process to create a novel that meets the same high standards as our traditionally published books.
Our Stance on Artificial Intelligence
We understand that artificial intelligence is increasingly incorporated into many of the online tools and platforms writers use every day. We also recognize that the line between AI and other forms of digital assistance is becoming increasingly complex.
However, our expectation is simple: writers should not use generative AI to write or generate text for their manuscripts. The work submitted to History Through Fiction should represent the author's own creative writing.
At the same time, we believe that accusations and speculation surrounding AI use can be unreliable and unproductive. For that reason, we will never use artificial intelligence to evaluate your submission. We will not submit your manuscript to AI detection software, and we will not make accusations or assumptions about AI use.
Instead, we will evaluate every submission based on its own merit. We trust that writers submitting to History Through Fiction will respect our policies and submit work that reflects their own creative effort.
If your manuscript is selected for publication, your work will continue to be handled by people. We will not use AI software to edit or proofread your story. Your manuscript will be read, evaluated, edited, and prepared for publication by human editors and publishing professionals.
Additional Information
We accept multiple submissions and unsolicited manuscripts.
We encourage submissions from both first-time and experienced authors.
Writers from historically marginalized and traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to submit.
Please allow up to three months for a response. If you have not heard from us by that time, feel free to send a polite follow-up email.
By submitting to History Through Fiction or one of our imprints, you acknowledge and agree to our submission policies, including our expectation that generative AI has not been used to write or generate text for the manuscript.
Short Story and Novel Excerpt Submissions - Open Year-round (One story published the first of each month)
Word Count 1,000 - 7,000
History Through Fiction accepts submissions of historical fiction short stories and novel excerpts for publication in the Historical Readers Club, our member-only reading community.
Stories and excerpts must be previously unpublished and between 1,000 and 7,000 words. Authors whose work is accepted for publication will receive a $30 honorarium.
We are open to all subgenres and forms of historical fiction. While we especially enjoy stories inspired by real historical people and events, we welcome any compelling work with a historical setting. This includes, but is not limited to, traditional historical fiction, historical fantasy, alternative history, speculative historical fiction, and other imaginative approaches to the past.
We are also interested in unique and compelling stories set during World War II. However, we are not interested in stories that primarily highlight or dwell on Nazi cruelty or that rely on a simplistic or overt good-versus-evil portrayal of the war. We encourage writers to explore the period with complexity, nuance, originality, and fresh perspectives.
Stories selected for publication will receive light editing before being scheduled for publication in the Historical Readers Club. We publish one new story on the first day of each month.
Rights
History Through Fiction reserves first publication rights. Once a story has been accepted and a contract has been signed, the author may not publish the story elsewhere until it has been published by History Through Fiction and for thirty days thereafter. After that period, all rights revert to the author, subject to the terms of the publication agreement.
How to Submit
To submit, please complete all required information and upload your synopsis and short story or novel excerpt as a single document through our Duosuma Submission Platform.
Please allow up to twelves weeks for a response. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we are unable to provide individualized feedback on rejected submissions.
Submission Fee
There is a $10 submission fee for all short story and novel excerpt submissions. If your work is accepted for publication, your submission fee will be reimbursed.
This fee helps us:
Support the editorial review process. Each submission is read and carefully considered, and the fee helps compensate the editor for the time and expertise involved in evaluating submissions.
Encourage thoughtful submissions. The fee helps ensure that writers are submitting work they believe is ready for serious consideration.
Compensate published authors. Submission fees also help support the honoraria paid to authors whose work is selected for publication.
We appreciate your understanding and support. These fees help us maintain a thoughtful editorial process while continuing to compensate both the professionals who evaluate submissions and the authors whose work we publish.
Our Stance on Artificial Intelligence
We understand that artificial intelligence is increasingly incorporated into many of the online tools and platforms writers use every day.
However, our expectation is straightforward: writers should not use generative AI to write or generate text for their short story or novel excerpt. Work submitted to History Through Fiction should represent the author's own creative writing.
At the same time, we will never use artificial intelligence to evaluate your submission. We will not submit your story or excerpt to AI detection software, nor will we make accusations or assumptions about AI use.
Instead, we evaluate submissions based on their own merit. We trust that writers submitting to History Through Fiction will respect our policies and submit work that reflects their own creative effort.
If your work is selected for publication, we will not use AI software to edit or proofread it. Your story will be read, evaluated, edited, and prepared for publication by human editors.
Additional Information
We accept unsolicited submissions.
We encourage submissions from both emerging and experienced writers.
Writers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, or as members of other marginalized and traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to submit.
By submitting to History Through Fiction, you acknowledge and agree to our submission policies, including our expectation that generative AI has not been used to write or generate text for the submitted work.