📣 A Call for Brave Stories 📣
PSP is excited to open our doors to traditional submissions in June and December of each year. Although our traditional list is small, it is one that we are very proud of. When selecting new titles, we follow our publishing mandate to focus on stories that celebrate diversity in culture and relationships, that connect people to the land, and that tie us closer to our communities.
We exist to give rise to brave stories,
Pownal Street Press
and to be a light for community
and connection.
If you read our mandate above and think your manuscript is the right fit for us, follow the guidelines below and send us your best work during one of our open submission windows.
✅ DO:
- Submit in the Right Genres
We accept nonfiction, memoir, children’s books, poetry and guided journals. Books that explore social issues, lived experience, identity, and empowerment are especially welcome. Memoirs and kids books should be complete, and in poetry, please submit your full collection (30-100 poems) - Tell Us Why You’re a Fit
Make it clear why this book belongs on the Pownal Street Press list and why now is the time to publish it. Check out our most recent titles HERE to get a feel for what we publish. - Use Industry-Standard Formatting
Microsoft Word document, 12 pt font, double-spaced
File name format: Lastname_Title_2026 - Include Contact Info
Include your full name, email address, and social media/website if relevant. - Include the Subject Line
Email subject line: Traditional - Check Submission Dates
Our submission windows are open during specific times of year (usually June and December) and only submissions received during the specified dates will be considered for traditional publishing. - Send a Query During Submission Windows
Please send a query letter introducing your work to hello@pownalstreetpress.com, with the subject line “Traditional”, and the completed manuscript attached. - Be Patient
Our editorial team is small (but mighty!) and will read through each submission before making a decision on whether to accept or pass on it. This process can take up to six months after the submission deadline has closed.
❌ DON’T:
- Submit Fiction
We do not accept novels, short stories, or fictionalized collections at this time. - Send Unpolished Drafts
Make sure your submission is clean, edited, complete and representative of your best work. - Ignore Our Social Purpose
If your book doesn’t fit our core genres or values, we’re not the right publisher for you. Ask yourself, is this a brave story? Is this story a light for community, or connection? - Resubmit Without an Invite
If we’ve previously passed on a project, please wait for a formal invitation before resubmitting. - Send Work Created with the Help of AI
PSP does not accept work created using the help of AI. Read why HERE. - Spam our Inbox
If your story is chosen for publication you will hear from us within six months. If you haven’t heard from us within that timeframe, the answer will unfortunately be a no, whether you hound us or not.
✨ Does this ^ process sound as slow as cold molasses on a January day?
Are you raring to get your story on bookstore shelves as quickly as possible? Want greater control and creative freedom during the publishing process? Do you want bigger returns than traditional publishing can offer? Our Hybrid publishing stream is ALWAYS OPEN! Book a call with us HERE or fill out an application form HERE to see if Hybrid publishing is right for you.
Pownal Street Press is PEI’s newest publishing house. Women-owned and women-led, friendly, warm and professional: We exist to give rise to brave stories, and to be a light for community and connection. With distribution through Raincoast Books (Canada) and Orca Books (US), Pownal Street Press’ titles have national reach but local heart. For more information about the Press and its books, please visit: www.pownalstreetpress.com.