No Query Letters Required
At Forge Publishing, we've deliberately broken away from one of traditional publishing’s most enduring traditions: the query letter. While most publishers require authors to submit carefully crafted pitches to accompany their manuscripts, we've taken a bold stance—removing query letters entirely from our submission process.
But why have we decided to take this uncommon approach? Query letters have long been a challenging aspect of publishing for authors. Writing a query letter is totally different from writing a novel; even great writers find it hard to sell their book in a short letter. The result? Great writing sometimes gets rejected because the query letter’s boring. We have realised that relying on query letters might unfairly leave out talented authors who just aren't great self-promoters. Forge Publishing decided it was time to let the manuscripts themselves do the talking.
Our streamlined submission process allows us to focus purely on your manuscript’s strength. We carefully review every submission, without needing a pitch. This helps editors spot hidden gems, giving every author a fair shot based on their writing. However, bypassing query letters means your opening chapters need to be exceptional. Our editors need to be hooked fast — great voice, clear story, and cool characters! While query letters offer context upfront, removing them places greater emphasis on those initial pages—so polish them thoroughly.
At Forge, this process has resulted in discovering fresh, exciting voices we might otherwise have missed. Our catalogue has benefited immensely from this unique submission approach, reinforcing our belief that great stories are best identified through great storytelling, not brief letters.
Ultimately, we’re committed to simplifying the publishing journey. We want authors to do what they do best—write fantastic stories—while we handle discovering and amplifying those voices. If you’ve hesitated to submit your manuscript elsewhere due to querying anxiety, Forge Publishing welcomes your talent and creativity. Let your manuscript speak clearly and loudly, and leave the query letters behind.
