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Newsletter

Submissions

So, you have a great idea for a book—or, even better, you’ve already written it. We love new ideas, and we are happy to consider your work for publication. However, we receive hundreds of submissions, and we only publish about 20 books every year.

To give yourself the best chance of being considered, please familiarize yourself with our publishing program before sending a submission. You can do this by browsing our website, downloading a copy of our current catalogue, and reviewing the guidelines below.

We do not send feedback or rejection letters. If we are interested in your manuscript or proposal, you will hear from us.

Submit to TouchWood

We publish books in the following categories:

  • Food & Wine
  • Art & Photography
  • Gardening & Pets
  • House & Home
  • Regional & Popular History
  • Literary fiction
  • Memoir
  • Narrative non-fiction
  • Literary anthologies

*We are currently not accepting submissions for mystery novels.

*We only publish Canadian authors, with a strong preference for publishing authors who are from, and who write about topics pertinent to western Canada (includes BC, AB, SK, MB and the North).
  • All submissions must be emailed to submissions@touchwoodeditions.com. Any submissions received via hard copy will not be considered.
  • We will only respond to submissions that we are interested in pursuing for publication. We do not send out rejection letters or provide feedback to all submissions.
  • Please do not call to inquire into the status of your proposal.
  • In your email, please include a brief summary of what your book is about and how you feel it will fit with our publishing program. Make sure to include your email address and phone number.
  • Attach your book proposal in a single PDF document. Do not send multiple attachments.
  • Your book proposal should include:
  • a synopsis of the work
  • a marketing plan and a summary of your current platform
  • a biography, including your publication history
  • sample chapters and a table of contents (where applicable)
  • sample images
  • contact information
  • any other pertinent information that will help us understand how we can successfully collaborate with you on your project

There is no need to send us your entire manuscript; please only send a few sample chapters. If we would like to see more, we’ll get in touch. Email your submission to submissions@touchwoodeditions.com. In the subject line, specify the title of your manuscript and your surname. You will receive confirmation of receipt via reply email.
  • We only publish Canadian authors.
  • Our review process can take six months to a year from the time we receive your original query; if we wish to explore next steps, you will be contacted by email or phone within that time frame.
  • Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we will only respond if we are interested in potentially publishing your manuscript.
  • If six to twelve months have passed and you have not heard back from us, and if you wish to follow up on the status of your submission, please do not phone the office. Instead, you may inquire by email at submissions@touchwoodeditions.com. We ask that you inquire no sooner than six months after the original submission of materials.


Our Dedication to Inclusion

At TouchWood, we are committed to doing our part in correcting the historical and societal imbalance of representation in literature. In the spirit of moving towards an inclusive publishing program that reflects the rich diversity of our communities, we welcome submissions from Indigenous writers, writers of colour, writers with disabilities, writers from the LGBTQIA2S community, and writers from any other community that have historically been underrepresented. If you identify with any of these communities, and you feel comfortable in doing so, we encourage you to mention this in your submission letter.

Writers' Resources

If you would like to learn more about the publishing process, or if you’d like to find an editor to work with prior to your submission, we recommend the following resources:

*View submission details as PDF