Submission Guidelines

Full-Length Manuscript Submissions (Now Open Year-Round!)
Word Count 60,000 - 120,000

History Through Fiction, along with our imprints HTF Publishing, HTF Romance, and HTF Fantasy, is dedicated to publishing high-quality fiction rooted in historical research. We are interested in stories about real people and events, with fictionalized elements that may include (though they are not required) nonfiction features like footnotes, endnotes, or a bibliography. These elements provide transparency and allow readers to explore the history behind the stories. When submitting, ensure your historical novel is both informative and educational while being a compelling fictional narrative.

All submissions must be made through our Duosuma Submission Platform. As a single file, please submit the following:

  1. A query letter with your word count (via Duosuma)

  2. A synopsis of 500 words or less (via Duosuma)

  3. The first 10-15 pages of your manuscript (as an attached file or Drive link)

We will carefully evaluate your submission to see if it captures our interest, fits our niche, and merits a full evaluation. If it does, we’ll request the full manuscript.

Upon receiving your full manuscript, we’ll assess it for craft, content, and quality. If we love your story and believe it’s a great fit for our audience, we'll offer a publishing contract, which could be either traditional or hybrid. Our decision will be based on many factors such as quality of writing, marketability of your story, and alignment with our niche. Traditional contracts are reserved for a small percentage of manuscripts that fit a wide range of qualifications.

We are now also considering manuscripts for HTF Fantasy and HTF Romance. Submissions that fall within these genres will be considered for both traditional and hybrid contracts.

  • Traditional Publishing Contract: Offered to manuscripts that are an impeccable fit for our specialized market. Includes a small advance on royalties and requires no financial investment from the author.

  • Hybrid Publishing Contract: Offered when we love your story and believe it will resonate with our audience, but see potential for further enhancement. Requires a financial investment from the author, with the aim of collaborating to create a novel that closely resembles our traditionally published works.

Additional Information:

  • We accept multiple submissions and unsolicited manuscripts.

  • We encourage submissions from both first-time and experienced authors.

  • Writers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or as members of other marginalized and traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to submit.

  • Please allow up to three months for a response. If you haven’t heard from us by then, feel free to send a polite follow-up email.

  • We will not accept submissions that have used Generative AI in any step of the writing process.

Short Story and Novel Excerpt Submissions - Open Year-round (One story published the first of each month)
Word Count 1,000 - 7,000

History Through Fiction accepts historical fiction short story and novel excerpt submissions that, if accepted, will be published in the member-only content area of our website. Stories and excerpts must be previously unpublished and should be 1,000 - 7,000 words long. HTF prefers stories that are based on real historical events and/or people. However, all stories (with the exception of those related to Nazi cruelty) with any kind of historical setting will be considered – this includes those with elements of fantasy and alternative history. Stories that are accepted will receive light editing before being scheduled for publication to our member-only content area. We will publish one new story on the first day of each month. Authors whose work is accepted for publication will receive a $30 honorarium for their work. History Through Fiction reserves first time rights for publication. This means, once an author’s story is accepted for publication, and a contract is signed, the author cannot publish it elsewhere until it has been published by History Through Fiction plus thirty days thereafter.

To submit, please complete all required information and upload your synopsis and short story as a single document via our Duosuma Submission Platform. Please allow up to eight weeks for a response to your short story submission. Due to the quantity of submissions, if your story is rejected, we will not be able to provide any specific feedback.

Starting immediately, we will be implementing a $5 submission fee for all short stories. This fee serves three important purposes:

Ensuring Serious Submissions: By introducing this nominal fee, we aim to filter out submissions from individuals who are genuinely committed to seeking publication. This helps us maintain a high standard of quality and dedication among our contributors.

Recognizing Our Esteemed Editor: The fee also enables us to compensate our esteemed editor for the valuable time and effort she invests in reviewing each submission meticulously. Her expertise ensures that only the best stories make it to our platform.

Supporting Our Published Authors: Lastly, the submission fee allows us to financially support our published authors by compensating them for the privilege of sharing their exceptional work with our readers. It's a way for us to acknowledge their talent and contribution to the literary community.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement this new policy. Your continued support is invaluable in helping us maintain the quality and integrity of our publication. Thank you!

Writers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, neuro-diverse or as a member of other marginalized and traditionally underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to submit their work.

*History Through Fiction will not accept submissions that have used Generative AI in any step of the writing process.