Have a story that you think will be perfect for Nat 1?
Send it to us at any time—we accept submissions all year!
First and foremost, Nat 1 Publishing is a niche publishing house dealing in science fiction and fantasy—usually with a good dash of comedy, parody, or satire—your story or poem should fall into at least one of these fields. The non-exclusive list of subgenres we accept is:
- Biopunk
- Dark Fantasy
- Dungeon Core
- Game-related Fantasy
- Harem / Reverse Harem
- Heroic Fantasy
- Historical Fantasy
- Horror
- LitRPG
- LGBTQA
- Magical Realism
- Parody
- Poetry
- Portal Fantasy / Isekai
- Post-Apocalyptic
- Romance
- Romantic Comedy
- Science Fantasy
- Space Opera
- Steampunk
- Superheroes
- Sword and Sorcery
- Thriller
- Urban Fantasy
For romance submissions, we’ll consider any level of heat, from sweet to erotic.
Short Stories and Poetry
Right now, we primarily take short stories, 50 to 3,000 words (this is a very flexible guideline), and poetry (4 to 40 lines, including stanza breaks, also flexible) to be included in our anthologies. These anthologies are typically themed so be sure to check out which collection you’re submitting to. Every accepted work is given an original illustration based on their story, and authors will receive a digital copy of the anthology. Occasionally, we also have small monetary payments for inclusion.
Full-length Works
Despite being primarily anthology-oriented, we do our fair share of novelettes, novellas, and novels of at least 8,000 words (We tend to gravitate most to novellas with a word count between 8k and 40k, but we’ll consider any length!). These works can be standalone or a series. For these longer works, authors will receive 50% of the royalties, as determined by the distributor (until we gain more momentum, we offer exclusively through Amazon), paid out quarterly via PayPal. BUT PLEASE NOTE, Nat 1 is a niche micro-publishing house. What does that entail for your book? Scroll down to the bottom of this page for a quick FAQ!
Submission Guidelines
- No glorifying sexism, racism, ageism, ableism, or any other isms,
We are an avid supporter of the LGBTQ+ and POC communities; submissions attacking any community will be automatically rejected; - It must be your own original work and does not infringe on existing copyrighted material (includes fan fiction);
- No AI-generated text or illustrations;
- It must be previously unpublished (personal blogs, websites, Patreon, Reddit, etc. are okay);
- Please don’t resubmit books that we have previously rejected. Short stories and poetry for an anthology call are acceptable to resubmit to any future anthology call.
- Simultaneous submissions are okay, if accepted elsewhere, let us know ASAP;
- We read submissions blind. Do not put any identifying information on your submission, including the file name.
Selection Process (what we look for)
Because we are a small press with limited manpower, we look for work that already feels like it’s been through several rounds of editing (no easy-to-catch grammar or continuity issues), has a strong narrative voice, believable characters, and a sense of intention behind every scene. We are especially drawn to submissions that demonstrate an understanding of pacing and structure (arcs that build, jokes that land, distinctive worldbuilding, genre awareness, and endings that feel earned). Essentially, the works we accept are already well on their way to being publication-ready. And, of course, they have to meet the needs of the anthology if a short story/poem, or, for full-length works, complement our catalogue as a whole.
Response time
We respond to anthology entries the month after a submission window closes, and full-length submissions four to nine months after submission, unless the “expedite” option is chosen. Publishing agreements are also sent out during this time, even for expedited acceptances.
Editing Process
Because we select works that already feel ready for publication, our editing process is less extensive than many presses. We typically do not do developmental editing for accepted pieces, but we may occasionally suggest changes that strengthen the story without overhauling the structure. Edits usually focus on clarity, flow, grammar, and polish—tightening language, smoothing transitions, flagging minor inconsistencies, and sharpening moments where the emotional or narrative payoff could be enhanced.
As for the process itself, the text is first made available to a group of volunteer editors and beta readers—the editors work on line-editing while the beta readers concentrate on the story from a reader’s POV—once they complete the story it’s sent to Nat 1’s lead editors, who go over the notes of beta readers and volunteer editors and do a run-through of the work themselves before sending the updated manuscript back to the author as a galley copy. (Although it doesn’t happen often because we select works that feel publish-ready, the story may be sent back with notes on required work and improvements for the author to work on.) The author reads through their work, notes any additional changes or revisions they want made, and sends it back to the house, where it undergoes a final proofread and is finalized.
Nat 1 Publishing currently only accepts submissions sent via Submittable.
So You Want to Publish a Book through us? Great! Here’s an FAQ—
How much does it cost?
You are not required to pay for anything, including acceptance, edits, cover, or physical books.
How many books will I sell / Will I be a bestseller?
It is impossible to tell, and we can make no guarantees. That said, for a micro-publishing house this size that primarily picks up new authors and caters to a niche demographic, a successful title will have between 100 and 200 verified sales
How much will I make?
We keep our price points very low to entice readers to take a chance on the quirky stories we print, so an author typically makes between $0.15 and $1.00 per verified sale (eBooks have higher profit margins). Take those numbers and compare them to what makes a successful title, and you have roughly $20-$200.
How am I paid?
For novels, novellas, and novelettes, you will receive 50% of net revenue. This means that once all expenses are deducted (such as print costs and distributor platform fees), you will receive half of what’s left as royalties. The same applies to chapbooks, except you can opt to receive a lump sum of $25 instead. Payments are made quarterly through PayPal, so long as your work(s) earned at least $5, if not, the total will roll over into the next quarter.
How long will it take for my book to be published?
Most titles are published about a year after being accepted, but based on their length, the amount of in-house editing required, and what other projects are in the pipeline, it can be as soon as two months or as long as two years.
Do I have to advertise/promote my book?
You are not required to market, and Nat 1 does advertise our titles; however, because of our size and demographic, our range of influence is limited, so you may find it beneficial to also promote your book—especially if you have connections to different circles that wouldn’t necessarily interact with Nat 1 Publishing or its imprints.
Can I provide my own cover?
Yes! While we do create a cover for every book, if you would like to provide one you or someone else made, we can certainly make it work. Just note that it likely won’t match the other titles in our catalog, and some homemade covers may look less professional, which could affect sales.
Do you have a question not answered here? Don’t hesitate to ask us on Discord or hit up our Contact Page!