Find out more about our company and our mission.

Who are you?

Sword and Silk, officially, is a small traditional publisher of a variety of genres focused on uplifting and supporting womxn everywhere. For information about each staff member, please visit our About page.
So is this a "man haters" club?"

Sword and Silk is company born out of love and light, out of a desire to lift other womxn up. It does not mean that doing so has to put others down and, in fact, we are strongly against hate in all forms.
I heard about your street team. How can I be a part of that?

Please fill out our application form here and we will let you know more as soon as possible.
If I am a man, can I still submit to you?"

Of course! We just ask that your novel be able to pass the Bechdel test and have strong women written well.
What about non-binary, trans, or genderfluid people?"

As both a company and the individuals on our team, inclusion is incredibly important to us. We recognize terms such as "woman" and "female" do not only include cis-women. The goal of this company is to highlight those that may have been previously disadvantaged in the publishing industry, including those with a non-binary, trans, or fluid gender identity.
I'm under 18. Can I still submit to you?

Unfortunately minors (people under the age of 18) cannot sign into a binding legal contact, something that's pretty necessary for publication. We encourage you to stick with it though, and would love to see your work when you turn 18!
I previously put a rough draft of my work on a website for readers. Can I still submit to you?

Short answer, yes. Long answer, as long as you still have all of your rights (i.e. you didn't sign any contracts or exclusivity deals) and you are willing to take it down once an offer is made, then we will be happy to accept your submission. If you have any questions about whether or not you may be eligible, reach out to us and we will be happy to talk with you.
Do I have to have an agent?

Nope! But if you do, we'd love to talk to them! (Agents, please put AGENT at the beginning of your subject line.)
Does my book HAVE to have strong women?

Yes. End of story. There can be strength in softness, though. For example, give us a heroine that loves hard despite the world falling down around her, and we will see her strength.
What do I need to do before I submit my work to you?

Please only send work that is complete. Once you think your manuscript is complete, look over it again. Then revise it once more. Then send it out to some beta readers or critique partners. THEN it's ready for our eyes.
I hate querying. Is there another way?

Our submissions process, including both the query letter and sample pages, help us keep things in order. Don't worry though, even if you aren't good at short pitches, we read every page sent. So even if you're not confident with your query letter, your manuscript itself might still blow us away!
I thought my book was a great fit but got rejected. What gives?

We receive hundreds of queries a year and each one of them is important to us. However, we only publish five books a year (in order to give those authors the best support possible). This means that some books that we absolutely love might not make it through the the final rounds of the submission process.
Do I have to pay for anything?

No. Sword and Silk is a traditional publisher. Which means, you never have to pay for any part of the publishing process—from editing to cover design.
Do you pay an advance?

Yes! Although currently our advance rates are not quite as large as some other publishers, at this stage we are able to offer a small advance on manuscripts we sign.
What is your distribution service?

We currently use Ingram* for distribution, which means your book will be available at all online retailers as well as available to order for bookstores and libraries all over the world.
What is your royalty rate?

Our legal guys told us not to list that sort of thing on the website, but it is industry standard. (:whispers where the legal guys can't hear: It's actually better than industry standard)
So, once you sign me I don't have to do anymore work, right? I mean, I wrote the book. That's the hard part."

In our experience, an author's work doesn't end when they finish their manuscript. We aim for our authors and our staff to be a team, working together for the same goal, but that does take some work on the Authors' end. From revisions to marketing, our staff will help guide you through the process and provide you with every tool in their arsenal. It is also highly recommended that authors gather their own arsenal of marketing tools as well for the best possible experience. The editing process timeline unique to you and your book will be presented shortly after signing your contract. This ensures that you know exactly what to expect from us and exactly what is expected of you.