Submissions Guidelines
The Carnegie Mellon University Press was founded by Gerald Costanzo, a professor in the Creative Writing program, in 1972 as Three Rivers Press. Now publishing for more than 50 years, the CMU Press was among the first to publish works by poets who would become Pulitzer Prize winners, including Rita Dove, Ted Kooser, Franz Wright, Stephen Dunn and Peter Balakian. In 2024, the Carnegie Mellon University Press brand expanded to include other publishing ventures at the university and continues its strong commitment to publishing literary works.
The literary imprint of Carnegie Mellon University Press is pleased to announce an open reading period in September 2024. We welcome original volumes of poetry, collections of short fiction, and completed novels from new, emerging, and underrepresented authors.
Returning Carnegie Mellon University Press authors may reach out to Connie Amoroso with their queries at any time.
Poetry Submissions
Eligibility
Submissions to the Poetry Series are open to any poet writing in English who adheres to the guidelines detailed on Submittable and provides the reading fee.
Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages, exclusive of front matter.
Submissions
Manuscripts for the Poetry Series should be sent during the annual submission period of September 1 – September 30.
All submissions must be sent through our Submittable system, which allows you to enter your manuscript, provide your contact information, and check the status of your submission.
Submission Fee
Each manuscript must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee, paid through Submittable at the time of your submission.
Simultaneous Submissions
Manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed, but if a manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify the Press, and withdraw your manuscript through Submittable.
Results
The Press receives hundreds of manuscripts during each open period. Each manuscript is read with the care it deserves, but the large number of submissions means that we are unable to provide critiques or enter into correspondence of any sort with writers other than those whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email Sharon Dilworth.
Fiction Submissions
Eligibility
Collections of short fiction and full length novels will be considered if they meet the following criteria:
- The submitted work must be in English, regardless of the citizenship of the author.
- Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); a combination of one or more novellas and short stories; or a complete novel. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Manuscripts may be no fewer than 150 and no more than 300 pages. Prior publication of your manuscript as a whole in any format (including electronic) makes it ineligible.
- Stories or novellas previously published in magazines or journals or in book form as part of an anthology are eligible.
Submissions
Manuscripts for the Fiction Series should be sent during the annual submission period of September 1 – September 30.
All submissions must be sent through our Submittable system, which allows you to enter your manuscript, provide your contact information, and check the status of your submission.
Submission Fee
Each manuscript must be accompanied by a $25.00 fee, paid through Submittable at the time of your submission.
Simultaneous Submissions
Manuscripts being considered by other publishers are allowed, but if a manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify the Press, and withdraw your manuscript through Submittable.
Results
The Press receives hundreds of manuscripts during each open period. Each manuscript is read with the care it deserves, but the large number of submissions means that we are unable to provide critiques or enter into correspondence of any sort with writers other than those whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, please email Sharon Dilworth.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction is considered on a case by case basis at the discretion of the editors.
Please send inquiries directly to Sharon Dilworth. Subject line: Nonfiction Submission