Question 1

Who are you?

Accepted Answer

Sword and Silk, officially, is a small traditional publisher of a variety of genres focused on uplifting and supporting womxn everywhere.   For information about each staff member, please visit our About page.

Question 2

So is this a "man haters" club?"

Accepted Answer

Sword and Silk is company born out of love and light, out of a desire to lift other womxn up. It does not mean that doing so has to put others down and, in fact, we are strongly against hate in all forms.

Question 3

I heard about a possible online writing conference, can you tell me more?"

Accepted Answer

Details about this are being hammered out. Join our mailing list to stay up to date!

Question 4

I just want to buy swag, not submit, am I on the wrong page?"

Accepted Answer

You're in exactly the right place! You can shop our swag by visiting our Shop page in the top menu.

Question 5

I thought you guys were a podcast, not a publisher..."

Accepted Answer

We're both! We publish books AND talk about books. What can we say? We love books.

Question 6

I heard about your street team. How can I be a part of that?

Accepted Answer

Please fill out our application form here and we will let you know more as soon as possible.

Question 7

If I am a man, can I still submit to you?"

Accepted Answer

Of course! We just ask that your novel be able to pass the Bechdel test and have strong women written well.

Question 8

What about non-binary, trans, or genderfluid people?"

Accepted Answer

As both a company and the individuals on our team, inclusion is incredibly important to us. We recognize terms such as "woman" and "female" do not only include cis-women. The goal of this company is to highlight those that may have been previously disadvantaged in the publishing industry, including those with a non-binary, trans, or fluid gender identity.

Question 9

I'm under 18. Can I still submit to you?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately minors (people under the age of 18) cannot sign into a binding legal contact, something that's pretty necessary for publication. We encourage you to stick with it though, and would love to see your work when you turn 18!

Question 10

I previously put a rough draft of my work on a website for readers. Can I still submit to you?

Accepted Answer

Short answer, yes.   Long answer, as long as you still have all of your rights (i.e. you didn't sign any contracts or exclusivity deals) and you are willing to take it down once an offer is made, then we will be happy to accept your submission.   If you have any questions about whether or not you may be eligible, reach out to us and we will be happy to talk with you.

Question 11

Do I have to have an agent?

Accepted Answer

Nope! But if you do, we'd love to talk to them!   (Agents, please put AGENT at the beginning of your subject line.)

Question 12

Does my book HAVE to have strong women?

Accepted Answer

Yes. End of story.   There can be strength in softness, though. For example, give us a heroine that loves hard despite the world falling down around her, and we will see her strength.

Question 13

What do I need to do before I submit my work to you?

Accepted Answer

Please only send work that is complete.   Once you think your manuscript is complete, look over it again.
Then revise it once more. Then send it out to some beta readers or critique partners.   THEN it's ready for our eyes.

Question 14

I hate querying. Is there another way?

Accepted Answer

Our submissions process, including both the query letter and sample pages, help us keep things in order.    Don't worry though, even if you aren't good at short pitches, we read every page sent. So even if you're not confident with your query letter, your manuscript itself might still blow us away!

Question 15

Do I have to pay for anything?

Accepted Answer

No. Sword and Silk is a traditional publisher. Which means, you never have to pay for any part of the publishing process—from editing to cover design.

Question 16

Do you pay an advance?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Although currently our advance rates are not quite as large as some other publishers, at this stage we are able to offer a small advance on manuscripts we sign.

Question 17

What is your distribution service?

Accepted Answer

We currently use Ingram* for distribution, which means your book will be available at all online retailers as well as available to order for bookstores and libraries all over the world.   *Some shorter length works such as novellas may be distributed with Amazon only (and enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited program) in order to give them their best chance at gaining readership.

Question 18

What is your royalty rate?

Accepted Answer

​Our legal guys told us not to list that sort of thing on the website, but it is industry standard.   (:whispers where the legal guys can't hear: It's actually better than industry standard)

Question 19

So, once you sign me I don't have to do anymore work, right? I mean, I wrote the book. That's the hard part."

Accepted Answer

In our experience, an author's work doesn't end when they finish their manuscript.   We aim for our authors and our staff to be a team, working together for the same goal.    From revisions to marketing, our staff will help guide you through the process and provide you with every tool in their arsenal.   The editing process timeline and a marketing plan unique to you and your book will be presented at the same time as the contract. This ensures that you know exactly what to expect from us and exactly what is expected of you.

Question 20

What sets you apart from other small publishers? What can you offer authors?

Accepted Answer

Thanks to our Kickstarter campaign, we are proud to offer authors a small advance at the time of signing, a stellar marketing campaign for their release, professional editing and cover design, and a street team ready to spread the news of your release to as many people as possible.

Question 21

I backed your Kickstarter and I am excited about the rewards. Where can I get updates?

Accepted Answer

First off, THANK YOU! We're excited too! We will continue to use our Kickstarter page to send surveys to collect more information (such as mailing addresses for physical rewards) and provide updates as we continue along the process. It's all very new at this moment, but we're working hard to form relationships with vendors and authors in order to produce the best rewards possible.

Question 22

I am a woman-owned small business! Can I be a vendor in your book box?

Accepted Answer

Let's talk! Please send an email with your business information and a link to your website/Etsy shop/etc. to admin@swordandsilkbooks.com

Question 23

Do you have a timeline for releases yet?

Accepted Answer

The first Kickstarter-backed book released in June 2021. They will release every other month until the fifth and final reward book, Unravel, comes out in February 2022.    If you'd like to get updates about our future releases, make sure that you sign up to receive our newsletter and that you follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Find out more about our company and our mission.