Nonfiction Contest

Guidelines for the 2019 Autumn House Nonfiction Contest

For the 2019 contest, the Autumn House staff serves as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Paul Lisicky. The winner receives publication of a full-length manuscript and $2,500. The submission period opens January 1, 2019, and closes June 30, 2019 (Eastern Time). If you have any questions, please check our FAQs page!

• The winner will receive book publication, $1,000 advance against royalties, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book.
• All finalists will be considered for publication.
• Nonfiction submissions should be approximately 200-300 pages. All nonfiction subjects (including personal essays, memoirs, travel writing, historical narratives, nature or science writing…) or any combination of subjects are eligible.
• Contest results will be announced on our website www.autumnhouse.org.
• Please don’t include your name anywhere on the actual MS.
• Include your name and contact info in the “cover letter” section of Submittable as well as a brief bio. Feel free to include a TOC and acknowledgments page. 
• We no longer accept paper submissions.