Website
Type Of Publisher
Press
Genres Published
Essays, Fiction, Poetry, Visual Art
Year Established
2003
Address
Johnston, IA
Mission Statement / Editorial Focus
Middle West Press LLC is a Johnston, Iowa-based editor and publisher of non-fiction, fiction, journalism, and poetry. As an independent micro-press, we publish from one to four titles annually. In its publishing operations, Middle West Press LLC specializes in book-length projects, such as themed literary and non-fiction anthologies, as well as single-author poetry collections. We are particularly interested in telling stories rooted in the American Midwest (which we define as “the geographic area acquired through the Louisiana Purchase”), although we are not limited to arbitrary boundaries. Regarding our business model: We are a traditional press. We are not a “hybrid,” “vanity,” or “subsidized” press. We pay our authors—even if its just a token advance, or a small royalty; they do not pay us. We do not require authors to guarantee a given number of pre-sales, although we are motivated to work with authors who have established relationships with readers via blogs, social media, and other platforms. As a secondary mission—beyond the American Midwest—we are also motivated to illuminate and complicate modern stereotypes related to military service and veterancy. We want to challenge readers to go beyond Hollywood’s “American Snipers and Navy SEALs” and “TYFYS.” Past and present military service members, family members, and others are invited to submit work. We also think that “everyone has an experience with the military, even if only as taxpayer and voter.” More generally, we are interested in celebrating and featuring voices such as those of women, writers of color, writers who identify as LGBTQ+, and other historically marginalized populations.
Accepts Unsolicited Submissions
No
Author Payments
royalties, cash, copies
Do You Have Any Cover Letter Advice?
We prefer to see business-like cover letters with queries & submissions.
- Who you are
- Why you're contacting us
- What you're sending us
- Where we can contact you We give bonus-points for including a 50-word "bio-blurb" written in third-person.
Press