Submission Guidelines

We’re looking for books from 5,000–100,000 words. We will consider other submissions at our discretion. We would like to read fiction (both poetry and prose), and nonfiction. Please read these guidelines carefully. We do not consider any submissions that do not conform to these guidelines.

Please email your submission to submissions@bombaykala.com. We take approximately 10-12 weeks to get back to you about your submission. If we do not respond until then, please email us to enquire about the status of your submission, mentioning the date you submitted your work. We are not a vanity publisher, so do not approach us with proposals of that nature.

Feel free to contact us for more details, or any help. Before you write to us, please read our FAQs carefully, here.

Prose

The subject line for your submission email must follow the following format: PROSE: Title of Work (Author Name)

Your prose submission should contain word and PDF versions of the following:

  1. A detailed synopsis that clearly explains the plot and describes the characters.
  2. A detailed biographical note that includes any prior books published.
  3. A manuscript, if available, else, the first 6000 words, minimum.
Formatting your prose submission

All prose submissions sent to us must be formatted in the following way:

  • Author details: Name, Address, Phone Number, E-Mail, and Word Count in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of your manuscript.
  • Page Size: A4.
  • Page Numbers: Centre of the footer.
  • Line Spacing: Double.
  • Font: Garamond, Baskerville, or similar serif font.

Poetry

The subject line for your submission email must follow the following format: POETRY: Title of Work (Author Name)

Your poetry submission should contain word and PDF versions of the following:

  • A detailed concept note.
  • A detailed biographical note that includes any prior books published.
  • A complete manuscript, if available, else, 30 poems from the manuscript in progress.
Formatting your poetry submission

All poetry submissions sent to us must be formatted in the following way:

  • Author details: Name, Address, Phone Number, E-Mail, and Word Count in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of your manuscript.
  • Page Size: A4.
  • Page Numbers: Centre of the footer.
  • Line Spacing: Your choice.
  • Font: Garamond, Baskerville, or similar serif font.

Nonfiction

The subject line for your submission email must follow the following format: NONFICTION: Title of Work (Author Name)

Your submission should contain word and PDF versions of the following:

  • A detailed proposal that describes the core arguments and main topics of exploration, the rationale behind the work, and the approach taken.
  • A detailed biographical note that includes any books published, journal and newspaper articles, and an academic biography. You should attempt to answer why you would the right person to write the book you have written or want to write.
  • A manuscript, if available, else, the first 6000 words, minimum.
Formatting your nonfiction submission

All nonfiction submissions sent to us must be formatted in the following way:

  • Author details: Name, Address, Phone Number, E-Mail, and Word Count in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of your manuscript.
  • Page Size: A4.
  • Page Numbers: Centre of the footer.
  • Line Spacing: Double.
  • Font: Garamond, Baskerville, or similar serif font.

Academic Writing

Please check the page dedicated to academic writing for more details. This can be found here.