Independent publishing company
The Text Publishing Company
Children's, Comics, Fiction
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Text Publishing
Text Publishing is open to unsolicited manuscripts from citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand. You send a complete manuscript and a covering letter through its online form, free of charge, and Text aims to reply in about three months.
The Text Publishing Company is an independent publisher based in Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria. It describes its list as a very broad range of fiction and nonfiction, both literary and commercial, for adults and young adults. It also publishes middle grade and junior fiction and accepts graphic novels, which have no word count requirement. Adult and young adult manuscripts run 40,000 to 120,000 words, and junior and middle grade fiction runs 10,000 to 80,000 words.
General submissions are open through an online form, and you must be a citizen or resident of Australia or New Zealand. The standard route is free. You upload the complete manuscript with a covering letter and mention if the work is also with other publishers, since simultaneous submissions are allowed. Text emails you once it has considered your work, usually after about three months. Its optional Text Prize for children’s and YA manuscripts has charged an AU$25 entry fee, so check the prize page for current dates.
What Text Publishing is looking for
- Fiction and nonfiction, literary and commercial, for adults and young adults
- Middle grade and junior fiction of 10,000 to 80,000 words
- Adult and young adult manuscripts of 40,000 to 120,000 words
- Graphic novels, with no word count requirement
- Work from citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand
Publishes
- Children's
- Comics
- Fiction
- Literary fiction
- Middle grade
- Nonfiction
- Young adult
Specialties
- Literary fiction
How to submit to Text Publishing
From its own guidelines- Confirm you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen or resident.
- Check your manuscript fits the word count for its category.
- Complete the online submission form with your manuscript and a covering letter.
- Say in the letter if the work is also with other publishers.
- Wait about three months for Text to email you.
Is Text Publishing right for your book?
A good fit if
Text suits Australian and New Zealand writers with a finished novel, nonfiction book or graphic novel for adults, young adults or middle grade readers.
Look elsewhere if
Look elsewhere if you write poetry, plays, screenplays, picture books, short stories, cookbooks, how-to guides, travel guides or textbooks. Text also rejects manuscripts with AI-generated content, takes one manuscript per writer at a time and does not give editorial advice.
Questions about Text Publishing
Does Text Publishing accept unsolicited manuscripts?
Yes, Text Publishing accepts unsolicited manuscripts from writers who are citizens or residents of Australia or New Zealand. You do not need an agent and the standard route is free. Text takes fiction, nonfiction, young adult, middle grade and graphic novels, but not poetry, picture books, short stories or cookbooks. It also rejects manuscripts containing AI-generated content and takes only one manuscript per writer at a time.
How do I submit to Text Publishing?
You submit through Text's online form, uploading the complete manuscript with a covering letter. Check first that your work meets the word count for its category, such as 40,000 to 120,000 words for adult and young adult books. Mention in your letter if the manuscript is with other publishers. The optional Text Prize for children's and YA work has charged an AU$25 entry fee, so check its page for current dates.
How long does Text Publishing take to reply?
Text Publishing takes about three months to consider a submission. It emails you once it has made a decision, so you should hear back either way. You can send the same manuscript to other publishers while you wait, as long as you say so in your covering letter. Text does not offer individual editorial advice, so a reply will not include detailed feedback on your manuscript.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
- Checked on the publisher's own site
