Hub City Press, the publishing arm of the Hub City Writers Project, publishes books of literary fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, regional nonfiction, nature, and art. We are seeking new and extraordinary voices from the American South who have written well-crafted, high-quality works. We are committed to spotlighting lesser-heard Southern voices including: people of color, members of LGBTQ and gender diverse communities, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, as well as ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. Hub City is a small press, publishing eight to ten titles per year. In general, our publication schedule operates at least 12-18 months in advance of release.
Hub City publishes writers living in or from the South. What's the South? A complicated issue, to say the least, but the short answer for our purposes: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
SUBMISSION SCHEDULE FOR 2025
March 14-16: Novels
July 11-13: Single-narrative nonfiction books
October 17-19: Debut and second novels
What to know
Writers without agent representation may send to our open submission calls. Please refer to the schedule above.
For all our open calls, Hub City Press is eager to engage with work by writers from historically underrepresented communities, including—but not limited to—those who are Black; Indigenous; Latino, Asian, and Arab American; from immigrant backgrounds; disabled; neurodivergent; trans and LGBTQ+; debuting after 40; and without an MFA.
Please review our guidelines before submitting. We ask that writers provide their full manuscript and a brief query letter. Because of the small size of our staff and the volume of queries we receive, you might not hear back from us directly. Timeline for query response is usually within six months of the close of the submission period.
We recommend that you familiarize yourself with our catalog before submitting. We cannot accept unagented queries via email, calls, or snail mail. Please do not call regarding submissions or submission status. Voicemails will not be returned.
Dos and don'ts
In your query, please tell us all standard info about your manuscript (title, word count, genre specifics) and a brief synopsis. If you have specific expertise on your subject, please let us know. If you are simultaneously submitting to other presses or querying agents, indicate this in your letter.
Please do not submit more than one manuscript. Please do not submit books that have already been self-published. Manuscripts that do not comply with the submission period guidelines will be removed unread.
What to expect from us once you have submitted
Due to the size of our staff and the volume of queries we receive, you might not hear back from us directly. We will be in touch with you if we have interest in your work. If you have not heard back within six months of your query or your manuscript submission if we have asked for it, assume your manuscript was not a good fit for us.
All open submission opportunities are below
The C. Michael Curtis Short Story Book Prize includes $5,000 and book publication. The prize is open to emerging writers in thirteen Southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia or West Virginia) and must have no more than one previously published book. Your entry must be for a debut book of short fiction.
The prize is named in honor of C. Michael Curtis, who has served as an editor of The Atlantic since 1963 and as fiction editor since 1982. Curtis has discovered or edited some of the finest short story writers of the modern era, including Tobias Wolff, Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike, and Anne Beattie. He has edited several acclaimed anthologies, including Contemporary New England Stories, God: Stories, and Faith: Stories. Curtis moved to Spartanburg, S.C. in 2006 and has taught as a professor at both Wofford and Converse Colleges, in addition to serving on the editorial board of Hub City Press.
This prize is made possible by a generous contribution from Michel and Eliot Stone of Spartanburg.
Manuscripts will be taken through online submission only. All manuscripts will be read anonymously by paid screeners. This contest is guided by the CLMP Code of Ethics.
Please read the full guidelines before submitting.
About the Series
The South Carolina Novel Series seeks to find novels by South Carolina writers for publication at Hub City Press on a roughly biennial schedule. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Writers selected for publication in this series are awarded $1,500 and book publication, including marketing and tour support from Hub City Press and the series partners, as well as placement in all South Carolina state libraries.
The series is open to writers of all levels who have lived in South Carolina for at least one year prior to submission of their manuscript. Submissions will require no submission fee. This series is made possible by a partnership with South Carolina Arts Commission, who generously funds this one-of-a-kind opportunity and helps us support our local SC novelists.
Previous series books: Junah at the End of the World by Dan Leach, The Big Game is Every Night by Robert Maynor, The Blue Line Down by Maris Lawyer, A Wild Eden by Scott Sharpe, Ember by Brock Adams
Selection Process
Manuscripts will be taken through online submission only on a rolling basis. Final selection will be made by Hub City Press editors. While the novel does not need to be set in South Carolina, the writer must have been based in the state for at least one year.
Literary agents are eligible to submit on behalf of South Carolina-based clients, and can contact Kate McMullen for more information or to submit directly through her inbox.
Eligibility
- The series is open to writers of all levels who have lived in South Carolina for at least one year prior to submission of their manuscript. (Residency will be verified before the winner is announced.)
- Submitters must not be affiliated with Hub City Press or Hub City Writers Project as a staff member or volunteer.
Submission Guidelines
- Hub City Press will accept typed submissions of full manuscripts on a rolling basis. We will contact you if we are interested in further consideration of your manuscript. If you have not heard from us within 6 months, assume your submission was not right for us.
- There are no content requirements for the novel series, but manuscripts should fit our mission. We are looking for literary work about the South. This excludes books for young people (YA, middle grade, or children's), romance, science fiction, mystery, how-to books, horror/paranormal or specific-religion inspirational books. Please do not send us a query if your book has already been self-published, even only as an eBook.
- Only manuscripts between 150 and 350 (single-sided) pages are eligible (or no more than 90,000 words) Submission must be an original work of which the applicant is the sole author.
- We ask that writers submit only one (1) book during the submission period. Second submissions of additional books will not be read.
- We cannot accept manuscripts that have been previously published, including DIY or self-published titles.
- Simultaneous submissions of the same manuscript to other publishers or contests are acceptable but please notify us through withdrawal of your submission if your manuscript has been accepted elsewhere.
- No revisions of submitted manuscripts will be allowed during the contest.
- Manuscripts will only be taken during the open reading period and must be submitted through the online submission portal. Paper submissions will be destroyed.
FAQ
I have never published a novel before. Am I eligible?
Yes! The South Carolina Novel Series is looking for emerging writers in the region.
I have published more than one novel/book before. Am I eligible?
Yes! The series is open to writers of all levels who have lived in South Carolina for at least one year prior to submission of their manuscript.
I was born in / grew up in / attended school in South Carolina, but have since moved away. Am I eligible?
Unfortunately, no. The contest is open only to writers currently living in South Carolina. If you don't currently live in South Carolina, you are ineligible for the prize. You must currently live in South Carolina for a year to the date of your submission.
I have lived at two different addresses in South Carolina in the last 12 months. Am I eligible?
Yes! As long as you've stayed in the state, you are eligible.
I am an agent representing a South Carolina writer. Can I submit my author to the series?
Yes, but please note that the contract for publication will be written between Hub City and the author.
Questions?
If your question is not answered above, email kate@hubcity.org.