Submissions

CALLING FOR SUBMISSIONS | #LilliputAt40

Lilliput is turning 40 in 2024! To celebrate, a special anthology of short stories and essays is in the making – and your writing could be the highlight of the book.

We’ve commissioned new work from some of the writers we’ve published before and are now looking for a contribution from one undiscovered voice. We’re welcoming submissions of short stories and essays between 3000-6000 words until 29 February 2024 under the loose theme ‘Christmas Parties’.

The winner will be published alongside a line-up of some of the best Irish writers at work today (including: Donal Ryan, Kevin Power, Elske Rahill, Alice Lyons, Martina Devlin, Mike McCormack, Rob Doyle and many more…) and be paid €500.

Submit your work to editorial@lilliputpress.ie with the subject line:
Lilliput at 40 Submission: [Your name]

We can’t wait to read your best Christmas Party stories and essays! Please read the terms and conditions below carefully before sending us your work.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

This is a competition for unpublished writers (writers who have not published a book-length work). The winning work will be published in the Lilliput at 40 anthology and the writer will receive €500.
Please read the terms and conditions carefully before submitting. Submission of an entry is taken as acceptance of entry rules.
1. The competition is open to new writers – writers who have not published a book-length work.
2. The competition is free to enter.
3. Only submissions received by midnight on 29 February 2024 will be considered.
4. Writing published by The Lilliput Press is broadly focused on Irish themes. Please bear this in mind ahead of sending us your work.
5. We are not currently looking for genre literature, such as children’s literature, crime fiction or science fiction.
6. Stories or essays that have been previously published, online or in print form, will not be eligible.
7. The work must be the entrant’s own creation and not infringe upon the right or copyright of any person or entity.
8. Entries must be at least 3000 words and must not exceed 6000 words.
9. The work must be written in English.
10. When submitting, please include a cover letter to supply your bio, contact details and why you feel your work would find a good home in the Lilliput at 40 anthology.
11. Submissions should be in Word.doc or PDF format.
12. We are not in a position to offer editorial feedback to unsuccessful entrants.
13. The decision of the editorial team is final.
14. The Lilliput at 40 anthology will publish in AW24.
15. The Lilliput Press will have the exclusive right to publish the winning story or essay for a period of twelve months from first publication. After twelve months, rights revert to the author.
16. The Lilliput Press will be donating the equivalent of author royalties from the book to an Irish charity which supports writers. Our chosen charity is the Irish Writers Centre.
17. Only submissions which meet all terms and conditions will be considered.
18. By entering the competition, each entrant agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions.

_______________________________________________________________________

Our regular submissions window for full manuscripts will is open from 1–31 March 2024. We are accepting submissions for book-length works.

Guidelines

  • The books published by The Lilliput Press are all broadly focused on Irish themes. Please bear this in mind when considering us for submission. The Lilliput Press is currently not accepting genre literature, such as children’s literature, crime fiction or science fiction.
  • When the submissions window opens, we ask for a one-page cover letter including some details about your writing background, a synopsis of your book and why you believe The Lilliput Press is the best fit for your work. We also ask for three chapters (or an extract of up to 5000 words) from your manuscript.
  • Submissions should be uploaded via our Google form. If you have any difficulties viewing this form, please email editorial@lilliputpress.ie
  • Please save your cover letter and manuscript sample with the title of your book and your name before uploading.
  • You will receive confirmation of your submission via the Google form. The Lilliput Press receives hundreds of submissions every year. We endeavour to give time and attention to all of them, but please allow up to 6 months for a response.

You can also refer to this Irish Times article for further advice.

Sign up to our mailing list and follow Lilliput on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for notice of each submissions window.