At Flatpage, we welcome book projects that help bridge the gap between subject-area expertise and public understanding. Whether you are proposing a new idea, revising an existing manuscript, or preparing sample chapters, the guidelines below outline what we look for in prospective works.

We are currently open to submissions of compelling books on topics that engage in today’s debates—political, social, cultural, and intellectual. We’re most drawn to manuscripts that offer fresh perspectives and smart, critical reevaluations of the contemporary landscape. We do accept unagented submissions, though agents are encouraged to reach out as well.

Topics of interest include:

• Contemporary politics and global affairs
• Social, cultural, and economic change
• Cultural shifts and transformations shaping public life
• Technology, media, and the digital public sphere
• Advances in arts and culture, including theatre, visual art, music, dance, fashion, film, and adjacent creative fields
• Monographs or book-length studies of artists, creatives, and cultural practitioners
• Creative movements, institutions, and histories with present-day relevance
• Climate, environment, and sustainability
• Ethics, power, and public institutions
• Medical and scientific innovations that impact society
• History in dialogue with the present across today’s intellectual issues
• Research-driven explorations of urgent public questions

Submission Process

Flatpage works closely with authors to turn rigorous research into clear, engaging books for a general audience. Our acquisitions editors and in-house editorial team—former academics and journalists—provide tailored support based on each project’s needs.

As an independent press without a lengthy peer-review process, we publish on a faster timeline than university presses, often within a few months of final content. Unlike self-publishing, authors benefit from a guided, collaborative publishing experience led by experienced editors.

The process begins with the intake form below. Our acquisitions editors will review your submission and follow up to discuss your project. If there is mutual interest, we will share initial feedback and outline any revisions needed prior to publication.

All Flatpage authors receive complimentary copyediting and proofreading as part of production. Authors seeking additional support earlier in the process may access optional services through our editorial agency, including coaching, developmental editing, and line editing.

We publish high-quality print and/or e-book editions and support authors with marketing and distribution. Authors participate actively in publicity efforts and typically subsidize image rights and indexing, as is standard with independent presses. Flatpage offers competitive royalties, access to leading book designers, guidance on printing and distribution, and audience-focused marketing strategies. Optional enhancements such as augmented reality (AR) features are also available.

We invite authors to partner with us in making important ideas accessible, relevant, and impactful for today’s readers.

What We Look For

Clarity for general audiences
Proposals should show how your research or expertise can be communicated effectively and impactfully to readers without a technical background—or outline how you would collaborate with our editorial team to achieve this.

Appropriate manuscript length
Authors should aim for a 50,000–80,000-word final manuscript to allow for depth, narrative cohesion, and meaningful engagement with the subject matter.

Project stage flexibility
We consider:

• Completed manuscripts
• Partial manuscripts
• Proposals for works yet to be written

Sample chapters may be requested on a case-by-case basis.

We are not looking for:

• Dissertation-to-book conversions
• Fiction
• Memoir