30 Best Novella Publishers Accepting Submissions (In 2024)

Are you looking for novella publishers who currently encourage submissions?

Novellas are a hard commercial sell, and finding a publisher who would take a chance at a sub-50,000-word work of fiction these days is a long shot. Fortunately, there are a substantial number of publishing companies that publish novellas and appreciate quality writing. Some companies you’ll find below prefer novellas to novels because many e-book readers prefer shorter books. And a good novella packs a powerful story into a smaller package. Explore this extensive list, start the outreach process, and you’re on your way to becoming a published author. After digesting the insights from this guide, enrich your research with my extensive roster of over 3,000 publishing companies.

The Best Novella Publishers That Accept Manuscripts:

1. Alaska Quarterly Review

Founded in 1980, The Alaska Quarterly Review is one of America’s premier literary magazines. The publication is devoted to contemporary literary art and publishing fiction, short plays, poetry, and literary non-fiction in both print and digital formats. Allowed Limit: Up to 70 pages/18,000 words. Click here to see AQR’s submission guidelines.

2. The Georgia Review

The Georgia Review is an award-winning literary journal specializing in publishing poetry, fiction, essays, art, and reviews. Publishing at the University of Georgia since 1947, The Georgia Review is one of America’s most recognized journals of arts and letters. They accept submissions both online and by post. Allowed Limit: No limit. Click Here to see TGR’s submission guidelines.

3. The Massachusetts Review

The Massachusetts Review is a quarterly literary magazine that aims to promote social justice and equality through literature and art. The MR is one of America’s leading literary magazines publishing works of fiction, poetry, essays, and the visual arts. Allowed Limit: 7,000 – 25,000 words. Click here to see TMR’s submission guidelines.

4. New England Review

New England Review is an American literary journal published by Middlebury College. NER is a non-profit organization that publishes poetry and fiction in a variety of shapes and styles, alongside a range of fiction and non-fiction works. They are one of the country’s most distinguished literary journals, regularly releasing four issues every year. Allowed Limit: Up to 20,000 words. Click here to see NER’s submission guidelines.

5. Ploughshares Solos

Plowshares is a well-known American literary journal published by Emerson College in downtown Boston. Founded by DeWitt Henry and Peter O’Malley, Ploughshares has been churning out quality literature since 1971. Their literary journal goes out of the press four times a year, while their spirited literary blog is updated daily. Allowed Limit: 7,500 – 20,000 words. Click here to see Ploughshares Solos submission guidelines.

6. One Story

One Story is a non-profit, award-winning literary publisher that publishes 12 issues a year, each containing a single short story from both emerging and established writers. With 15,000+ readers and over 200 writers, One Story is one of the nation’s largest circulating literary magazines. Allowed Limit: 3,000 – 8,000 words. Click here to see One Story’s submission guidelines.

7. River Styx

Established in 1975, River Styx is an international award-winning literary journal that publishes poetry, fiction, essays, and art. The magazine publishes two times a year, regularly sponsors annual contests, and hosts a monthly reading series. River Styx is the oldest literary journal that comes out of St. Louis, Missouri. Allowed Limit: Up to 8,000 words. Click here to see River Styx’s submission guidelines.

8. Avon Books

Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, is one of America’s leading publishers of romance fiction. Producing award-winning romance books since 1941, Avon is regarded as a pioneer in the historical romance category. It also specializes in romance sub-genres such as rom-com and regency romance, like Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton, which was adapted into a Netflix series. Allowed Limit: Not specified. Click here to see Avon Books’ submission guidelines.

9. Big Fiction

Big Fiction is an international literary magazine that is proudly housed online. They only accept submissions of fictional work in any genre (except children’s) with clear literary intent. They accept submissions in the fall and spring. Allowed Limit: 7,500 – 20,000 words. Click here to see Big Fiction’s submission guidelines.

10. AGNI

AGNI is a literary magazine housed at Boston University. It specializes in publishing fiction, poetry, essays, reviews, interviews, and artwork. The magazine, which is named after the Vedic fire god, prints twice a year. One in late April and the other in late October. Allowed Limit: No limit. Click here to see AGNI’s submission guidelines

11. A Public Space

A Public Space is an independent non-profit English-language literary magazine based out of Brooklyn, New York. They welcome voices and conversations unheard elsewhere. A Public Space is a proud recipient of the 2018 Whiting Literary Magazine Prize. Allowed Limit: 15,000 – 40,000 words

12. Fairlight Books

Fairlight Books is an independent publisher focused on publishing contemporary literary fiction, short stories, and novellas. The Oxford-based Fairlight Books is home to the Fairlight Moderns, a series of pocket-sized books of brilliantly creative contemporary fiction. Allowed Limit: 25,000 – 50,000 words. Click here to see Fairlight Books’ submission guidelines.

13. The Malahat Review

Established in 1967, The Malahat Review is one of Canada’s leading literary journals. They are accepting submissions for its biennial Novella Prize, which is open to Canadians and other writers from all over the world. Allowed Limit: 10,000 – 20,000 words. Click here to see TMR’s submission guidelines.

14. Analog Science Fiction & Fact

Analog Science Fiction & Fact is a popular science fiction magazine and publisher that continues to bring together new talent and award-winning stories and poems. Analog is one of the most enduring and popular science fiction magazines of all time. Allowed Limit: Up to 80,000 words. Click here to see ASFF’s submission guidelines.

15. The Fantasist

The Fantasist is a quarterly online magazine that publishes fantasy novellas. They publish love stories that are set in a well-researched historical setting, as well as stories where magic and science intersect. The Fantasist is more than just a magazine; it’s a community that thrives to broaden the definition of fantasy. Allowed Limit: 15,000 – 40,000 words. Click here to see The Fantasist’s submission guidelines.

16. Ninth Letter

Ninth Letter is an award-winning literary magazine that publishes poetry, fiction, and non-fiction semi-annually. The publication is based at the University of Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. Several published works in the journal have been featured in many award-winning anthologies. Allowed Limit: Up to 8,000 words. Click here to see Ninth Letter’s submission guidelines.

17. Luna Press Publishing

Luna Press Publishing is an award-winning independent Scottish publisher of speculative fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and dark fantasy, in both fiction and academia. Founded in 2015 by author Francesca T. Barbini, Luna Press accepts submissions from writers of all levels (polished or unpolished). Allowed Limit: 20,000 – 40,000 words. Click here to see LPP’s submission guidelines.

18. The Missouri Review

The Missouri Review is one of the most recognized literary magazines in the United States. Established in 1978, The Missouri Review has helped shape the contemporary literary scene by publishing the very best writers. Based at the University of Missouri, TMR publishes four issues each year, with each issue containing stories, poetry, and essays from unsolicited writers. Allowed Limit: 9,000 – 12,000 words. Click here to see TMR’s submission guidelines

19. Albert Whitman and Company

Albert Whitman and Company is an independent book publisher that has been publishing award-winning children’s books since 1919. The publisher ranks among the most prolific publishers in family literature. Its mission is to entertain and engage children and teens of all backgrounds and levels. Allowed Limit: Up to 70,000 words. Click here to see AWC’s submission guidelines.

20. Boulevard

Boulevard is an international literary magazine that strives to publish only the finest in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and definitive essays on the arts and culture. The magazine was established in 1985 by Richard Burgin, who held the position of editor-in-chief for three decades, or through 2015. Allowed Limit: Up to 8,000 words. Click here to see Boulevard’s submission guidelines.

21. World Castle Publishing

World Castle Publishing is a relatively unique publishing house that has made quite a name for itself in the publishing world. They specialize in publishing short stories, novels, and novellas covering genres of all types and lengths. Allowed Limit: 15,000 – 39,999 words. Click here to see WCP’s submission guidelines.

22. Gold Line Press

Gold Line Press is a small press created by a group of graduate students from the University of Southern California in 2010. Gold Line Press aims to promote the work of up-and-coming poets and fiction writers, as well as to champion the chapbook form. Allowed Limit: 7,500 – 15,000 words. Click here to see GLP’s contest guidelines.

23. Beneath Ceaseless Skies

Beneath Ceaseless Skies is a pro-rate fantasy adventure online magazine run and operated by Firkin Press. It is a non-profit organization that aims to promote science fiction and fantasy short literature. Allowed Limit: Up to 15,000 words. Click here to see BCS’s submission guidelines.

24. The Idaho Review

The Idaho Review is an annual literary journal published by Boise State University. It aims to publish the works of emerging writers alongside established authors. They accept polished short stories and poetry within both traditional and experimental works of fiction. Allowed Limit: Up to 25 double-spaced pages. Click here to see TIR’s submission guidelines.

25. Gettysburg Review

The Gettysburg Review is a quarterly literary magazine published by Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. They are recognized as one of the nation’s premier literary journals focused on short stories, essays, poetry, and reviews. Since its debut in 1988, hundreds of works by already-established authors have appeared alongside that of emerging writers. Allowed Limit: Up to 10,000 words. Click here to see TGR’s submission guidelines.

26. Giganotosaurus

Giganotosaurus is an online publisher of science fiction and fantasy short stories. They accept stories from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender. They publish one science fiction or fantasy short story monthly. Allowed Limit: 5,000 – 25,000 words. Click here to see Giganotosaurus’s submission guidelines.

27. McSweeney’s

McSweeney’s is an independent non-profit publishing company founded by editor Dave Eggers in 1998. Based in San Francisco, McSweeney’s publishes a wide selection of books under various imprints. They are a fiscally sponsored project of SOMArts, a non-profit arts incubator in San Francisco. Allowed Limit: No guidelines for length. Click here to see McSweeney’s submission guidelines.

28. Miami University Press

Miami University Press publishes up to three books annually and that includes full-sized books, short fiction stories, poetry, poetry in translation, and novellas. They also sponsor the annual Miami University Novella Prize, which is awarded to a novella manuscript of original fiction. Allowed Limit: 18,000 – 40,000 words. Click here to see MUP’s contest guidelines for the Novella Prize.

29. Narrative

Narrative Magazine is a nonprofit American literary magazine dedicated to advancing literary arts in the digital age by promoting works of both celebrated authors and promising talents. Former Esquire editor Tom Jenks and author Carol Edgarian founded the company in 2003. Narrative regularly publishes works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, including novels, stories, novellas, and more. Allowed Limit: 15,000 – 40,000 words. Click here to see Narrative Magazine’s submission guidelines.

30. Mocha Memoirs

Mocha Memoirs is a publishing company devoted to publishing bold, invigorating, and fearless fiction stories across all genres, including science-fiction, romance, horror, and fantasy. They publish stories that intensify diverse experiences with powerful storytelling and fearless voices. Allowed Limit: 30,000 – 80,000 words. Click here to see Mocha Memoirs’ submission guidelines.

Final Thoughts

Novellas are a kind of middle-ground between a short story and a novel. Most writers see them as shortened novels instead of elongated short stories. Novellas can be an ideal form of writing for aspiring wordsmiths who would like to publish science fiction stories or contemporary adult literary fiction. Although a tough commercial sell in print, novellas have been quite popular in the digital publishing world. Finding a home for a short work of fiction may be tough, but, if you’ve got a great novella, you’ll fight for it to the end until you see it published. I hope this list helps your work to find its home. Next up, you may want to check a list of the top flash fiction publishers and magazines and websites that accept personal essays.