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 They are 32-page picture flats (we do not publish novelty books) with simple stories.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.

Teenage Fiction:
Our teenage 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. Books are aimed at 10 to 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.

• 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.

• If you are sending illustration samples, please send only photocopies of the work.

• Please enclose a brief covering letter and a stamped, self-addressed envelope for reply.

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.