On Paper Press Submission Page
Welcome to Subsmissions!
We don't publish just anything. But we do publish anyone—when the work is ready, true, and aligned. We believe every story has a place when it's told with purpose.
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You don't need a literary agent. You don't need a platform. You don't need perfection. You need voice, vision, and a willingness to be seen.
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If you feel like you've been too raw, too experimental, too honest, too brown, too bold, too neurodivergent, too unknown—you might be exactly who we're looking for.
Submission Process
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Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis
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You’ll receive a confirmation email within 3 business days
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Final response within 6–8 weeks
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If selected, we begin the publishing conversation: editorial partnership, timeline, contract, royalties, and design
Every submission receives review and feedback. Our goal is to publish everyone—not anyone. That means we give thoughtful insight, even if we don’t move forward. We want you to grow your work, not just hope it lands.
What We Publish
On Paper Press is here for the work—and the people—who don’t fit the mold.
We publish:
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Memoir
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Poetry collections
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Fiction and short story collections
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Creative nonfiction
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Hybrid & experimental manuscripts
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Curriculum, journals, and workbooks rooted in liberation, healing, or identity
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Scripts, screenplays, and performance texts
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Lyrics, scores, and music books
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Visual formats like zines, art books, and coloring books
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Children’s and youth literature
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Collaborative anthologies and collective voices
We center young authors, first-time authors, and those overlooked by traditional publishing. If it speaks truth, stirs hearts, or defies genre—it belongs here.
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If it lives on paper, it lives here.
Publishing Philosophy
We are not a traditional press.
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We don’t gatekeep. We don’t center perfection. We don’t silence the voice to please the market.
Instead, we believe in:
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Collaborative editing, not top-down control
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Raw truth and emotional honesty
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Story as strategy and memory as medicine
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Author partnership, not ownership
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Publishing with purpose, not performance
We offer a tiered publishing model that allows each author to co-create the journey. Some books may be underwritten. Some may require shared investment. All of them are held with care.
Before You Submit
You'll be asked a few questions in the submission form, such as:
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Why On Paper Press?
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What makes your story a fit for this space?
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How does your work challenge or break traditional publishing rules?
There are no right answers. These are here to help us understand where you are and what you need. If you don’t know how to answer confidently yet, say that. We meet writers where they are.​
What Makes Us Different
Traditional Publishing On Paper Press
Requires an agent Accepts direct submissions
Prioritizes platform size Prioritizes voice and lived experience
Rejects unfinished or unpolished work Welcomes raw and in-progress projects
Focuses on sales and market trends Focuses on truth, impact, and healing
Editorial control rests with publisher Editorial is a collaborative partnership
Rarely offers feedback Offers review and guidance to all submitters
Centered in whiteness and elitism Built for BIPOC, queer, disabled, and underrepresented writers
Want support?
You can request a 35-minute exploratory call with someone from our team.
✅ SCHEDULE NOW
