Submissions

If you have a work you believe will interest us we would like to hear from you. We are particularly interested in Scottish non-fiction, wildlife, maritime and social history.

Please do not send submissions by post, or phone us to tell us about your idea. We will only consider complete submissions sent by email to: dave@portopress.com.

What do we need from you initially?

A proposal. This should contain a synopsis and sample material. In it you should make clear why you think your book would suit us and why you think you are best placed to write it. Make the sample material as representative as you can of the style and content of the book. We need at least a full chapter to read to get a feel for your work.

Questions to answer in your proposal:

• Why do you want to write your book and why are you the best person to do it?
• What is the title of your book?
• What is your book about?
• Who will read your book?
• Why is your book timely or necessary?
• What makes your book different from competing titles?

What else to include?

• A short biography of yourself.
• An explanation of how you came to have expertise in your subject area.

Other things to think about:

We need to be working with authors who are keen to work with us in promoting their work, both online and in person. Therefore, we need to know about:

• Your existing audience if you have one (social media, podcast, public speaking, etc.).
• Media experience or connections.
• Ideas for marketing and promotion.
• Endorsements you could realistically secure.

We will review your proposal and will come back to you within four weeks. Should we accept your proposal we will work with you to ensure that the finished book is as good as it can possibly be.