Piccadilly Press publish a range of titles, but there are three
strands of publishing on which we are focussing when commissioning
new titles:
Picture Books:
Our picture books are very strongly character-led, and
are for young children (2 to 5 years old). They are 32-page picture
flats (we do not publish novelty books) with simple stories. Texts
should be 500 to 1,000 words long.
Children's and Teenage Fiction:
Our fiction is contemporary, humorous and deals
with the issues and problems which teenagers face in their own
everyday lives: most obviously with the opposite sex, embarrassing
parents, school, changing friendships, and also a wide range of
scenarios that each author individually recognises and explores.
Children's books can range from aiming at 6+ to 8–12 and can vary in length – generally longer for older readers; teenager books are generally intended for 11–15-year-olds. and they are usually between
25,000 and 35,000 words in length.
Teenage Non-Fiction:
Our teenage non-fiction is mostly humorous and light-hearted
in approach, and is essentially a practical and sympathetic engagement
with the issues teenagers face.
We will consider manuscripts which do not fall into these categories,
but a work would have to be quite exceptional for us to make an
offer to publish it.
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When submitting a manuscript please send a copy of the work,
typed, with double line spacing (do not send discs). The whole
of a picture book text should be sent, but only a synopsis
and a couple of chapters of longer works are required.
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If you are sending illustration samples, please send only
photocopies of the work.
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Please enclose a brief covering letter and a stamped, self-addressed
envelope for reply if posting.
We receive many manuscripts each week. We aim to get back to
everyone in six weeks, so please be patient. There is no fee for
reading a manuscript, but we cannot comment on it if we reject
it. Please note that every reasonable care is taken of the manuscripts
we receive, but we cannot accept any responsibility for any loss
or damage thereto. Copyright is a complex legal process which
is normally only of importance if we make an offer to publish
your work. At this stage we advise you just to keep a copy of
your manuscript on file.
No email submissions accepted. Please post your submission to:
Submissions, Piccadilly Press, 5 Castle Road, London, NW1 8PR.
Top tips
Take a look in bookshops to see if there are many other books of a similar nature to yours – this is what your book will be competing against, so make sure there is something truly unique about your story.
Looking at what else is available will give you ideas as to what topics arepopular, but reading a little of them will also give you a sense of the right styles, language and length appropriate for the age-group.
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