Big 5 publishing house
Hachette Australia
Children's, Fantasy and Sci-Fi, Fiction
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Hachette Australia
Hachette Australia is open to unsolicited manuscripts from writers living in Australia or New Zealand, with no agent needed. Adult writers email manuscript.submission@hachette.com.au and children's and YA writers email Childrens.Submissions@hachette.com.au. It contacts you within six weeks only if it is interested.
Hachette Australia is the Sydney arm of Hachette Livre, based at 207 Kent St. It publishes everything from children’s picture books to memoirs and history. Its children’s hub is Hachette Children’s Books ANZ. The adult list covers fiction and narrative nonfiction, with strong interest in fantasy, romance, romcom, historical, new adult, speculative and sci-fi for readers aged 18 to 30. The children’s list covers picture books, junior and middle grade fiction, YA and children’s nonfiction.
Submissions are open all year by email to residents of Australia or New Zealand. You put a cover letter in the email body and attach a synopsis with your word count plus the manuscript as Word or PDF, keeping the email under 15MB. You get an automated receipt. If Hachette is interested it contacts you within six weeks; otherwise the submission is not taken further and no feedback is given. Hachette says it never asks authors for payment.
What Hachette Australia is looking for
- Writers living in Australia or New Zealand
- Adult fiction in all categories, especially fantasy, romance (including spicy), romcom, historical, new adult, speculative and sci-fi for readers 18 to 30
- Adult narrative nonfiction
- Picture books, junior and middle grade fiction and YA
- Children's nonfiction, sent with a chapter outline
Publishes
- Children's
- Fantasy and Sci-Fi
- Fiction
- History
- Memoir
- Middle grade
- Nonfiction
- Picture book
- Romance
- Young adult
Readers
- Adult
- Middle grade
- Picture book
- Young adult
How to submit to Hachette Australia
From its own guidelines- Email adult fiction and nonfiction to manuscript.submission@hachette.com.au, or children's and YA to Childrens.Submissions@hachette.com.au.
- Put the title and genre in the subject line.
- Write a cover letter in the email body with your contact details, summary, intended audience, comparable titles, short bio and whether you are out with agents or publishers (children's: add the target age range).
- Attach a synopsis with word count and the manuscript as Word or PDF, under 15MB in total.
- Watch for an automated receipt; if Hachette is interested it contacts you within six weeks.
Is Hachette Australia right for your book?
A good fit if
Hachette Australia suits Australian and New Zealand writers with a finished adult novel, narrative nonfiction or a children's or YA manuscript who want to submit without an agent.
Look elsewhere if
Look elsewhere if you write illustrated books, cookbooks, poetry, screenplays or academic works, or if you live outside Australia and New Zealand. Hardcopy submissions are not accepted, considered or returned.
Hachette Australia imprints
Which take submissions| Imprint | Direct submissions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lothian Children's Books | Not stated | Not mentioned on the pages opened; children's submissions go to Childrens.Submissions@hachette.com.au |
| Hachette Children's Books ANZ | Yes | Children's hub named on About page; children's/YA submissions open by email |
Questions about Hachette Australia
Does Hachette Australia accept unsolicited manuscripts?
Yes. Hachette Australia accepts unsolicited manuscripts by email from writers living in Australia or New Zealand. You do not need an agent. Adult fiction, adult narrative nonfiction and children's and YA books are all considered. It does not consider illustrated books, cookbooks, poetry, screenplays or academic works. It says it never asks authors for payment.
How do I submit to Hachette Australia?
Email your submission with the title and genre in the subject line. Adult work goes to manuscript.submission@hachette.com.au and children's or YA work goes to Childrens.Submissions@hachette.com.au. Put your cover letter in the email body, then attach a synopsis with your word count and the full manuscript as Word or PDF. Narrative nonfiction writers may send a chapter outline and the first 3,000 words instead.
How long does Hachette Australia take to reply?
Hachette Australia contacts you within six weeks if it is interested in your manuscript. You receive an automated receipt when you submit, but after that you only hear back if the team wants to take things further. If six weeks pass with no contact, treat the answer as no. Hachette does not give feedback on unsuccessful submissions.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
