Publishing with Swan & Horn
​​​​What topics are Swan & Horn interested in?
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Primarily adult non-fiction books that aim to inform professionals in health-related and education fields, or that help raise awareness among members of the public, especially issues where there is an unavoidable crossover between medical, biological, psychological and societal factors. ​​​
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​Our illustrated children's books complement the adult range, with their focus on child health and well-being, and seek to tackle issues not widely covered in the community.
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NOTE: We are unable to accept further submissions in 2024.
How Swan & Horn differs from other publishers - in a good way
​​​Senior Editor and Publisher, Maria Carter, insists on being the first point of contact with her authors. She undertakes every aspect of editorial content management (apart from proofreading, which needs a fresh pair of eyes), and typesetting and design, which means that she knows the text inside out, and gets to understands the author's needs and objectives just as well! Contact is frequent and all issues are agreed between the Author and the Publisher. Taken together, this makes a very powerful working relationship.
Publishing with Swan & Horn is a uniquely rewarding experience - you won't find anything like it in mainstream publishing. Having worked on both sides of the publishing fence, Maria knows how authors (and books) are best handled; she also know what authors in terms of connection and flexibility. Some of our authors have also been published by mainstream publishing houses, and are quick to point out the enormous difference between us and them, where they feel like a small cog in a large wheel, like their work is on a conveyor belt passing from one anonymous person to another - always having to explain things afresh.
Getting a publishing deal
It is essential, for a good long-term working relationship, that the publisher and author are a "good fit". Maria always meets potential authors informally before discussing and signing a publishing contract. The contract outlines the key features of responsibilities on each side, the aims of the project, and the timeline. We regret that Swan & Horn is too small to pay advances, but our royalty rates are very good. Before submitting your manuscript (which should be "complete "and written to a good standard) you will receive guidance about our housestyle and the editorial best-practice rules and guidance that ensure consistent quality across our books.
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Maria can also advise you on your project with no obligation through her Consultancy Service.