Big 5 publishing house
Simon & Schuster
Children's, Diverse and BIPOC voices, Fiction
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster does not accept unsolicited or unagented submissions, with one standing exception: Salaam Reads, its children's imprint, reads manuscripts by email. Its other imprints work through literary agents.
Simon & Schuster was founded in 1924 and is based in New York. It has been owned by KKR since 2023. It publishes adult, children’s and audio books through imprints such as Scribner, Atria, Gallery, Avid Reader Press, Saga Press and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Simon & Schuster reads agented work only. The open door is Salaam Reads, a children’s imprint that considers unagented manuscripts by email. Avid Reader Press has also run a first novel contest, which last closed in July 2025.
What Simon & Schuster is looking for
- Adult fiction and nonfiction
- Poetry (Scribner)
- Science fiction and fantasy (Saga Press)
- Children's books from preschool to teen
- Children's books through Salaam Reads
Publishes
- Children's
- Diverse and BIPOC voices
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Poetry
Readers
- Adult
- Middle grade
- Picture book
- Young adult
How to submit to Simon & Schuster
From its own guidelines- For most books, find a literary agent, who submits to the right editor.
- For Salaam Reads, email a complete, polished manuscript with the title and age group in the subject line.
- In the email give the format, word count, a one-paragraph synopsis and your credits. Attach the manuscript as a Word file.
- Salaam Reads replies within six months if interested.
Is Simon & Schuster right for your book?
A good fit if
You have a literary agent, or you have a finished children's manuscript that suits Salaam Reads.
Look elsewhere if
You want to send an adult manuscript yourself. Outside its named programs, Simon & Schuster does not read unagented work.
Simon & Schuster imprints
Which take submissions| Imprint | Direct submissions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salaam Reads | Yes | Children's books; unagented manuscripts by email; reply within six months if interested |
| Scribner | Agent only | House policy |
| Atria | Agent only | House policy |
| Gallery | Agent only | House policy |
| Avid Reader Press | Agent only | Also runs a first novel contest; last window closed July 2025 |
| Saga Press | Agent only | House policy |
Questions about Simon & Schuster
Does Simon & Schuster accept unsolicited manuscripts?
No, except through Salaam Reads. Simon & Schuster does not accept unsolicited or unagented submissions for its adult and most children's imprints. Salaam Reads, a children's imprint, considers unagented manuscripts by email and replies within six months if it is interested.
What does Salaam Reads want?
Salaam Reads wants complete, polished children's manuscripts. It does not consider short stories, memoirs or books about Islamic theology or history. Email the manuscript as a Word file with the format, word count, a short synopsis and your credits. No agent is needed.
Who owns Simon & Schuster?
Simon & Schuster has been owned by KKR since 2023. It was founded in 1924 and is based in New York. It has three divisions: adult publishing, children's publishing and audio. Its imprints include Scribner, Atria, Gallery and Avid Reader Press, and all but Salaam Reads work through agents.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
