Submission Guidelines and Waiver — Strathdon Press

Last updated: July 2026 — Strathdon Manor Media (Pty) Ltd

Strathdon Press considers unsolicited manuscript submissions in history, memoir, literary fiction, and regional reference. Please read these guidelines carefully before submitting — submitting a manuscript to us constitutes your acceptance of the terms below.

1. What to Send

• A one-page synopsis — what the book is, and who it’s for.
• The first three chapters, or up to 10,000 words for non-fiction.
• A short author biography, including any previous publications, if any (not required).
• Confirmation of whether this is a simultaneous submission to other publishers or agents (this is permitted — we simply ask you to tell us).

We aim to respond to every submission within 12 (twelve) weeks. If you haven’t heard from us after 16 weeks, you’re welcome to follow up.

2. Your Warranties

By submitting a manuscript, you warrant that:

• The work is your own original creation, and does not infringe the copyright, trademark, or other rights of any third party.
• You hold the rights necessary to submit the work for consideration, and, if applicable, to grant publishing rights should we make an offer.
• The work does not contain anything defamatory or unlawful.

3. No Obligation, and Independent Development

Submitting a manuscript does not obligate Strathdon Press to publish it, to provide detailed feedback, or to treat it as confidential beyond ordinary reasonable care. Strathdon Press receives many submissions, and may already be developing, publishing, or considering material that is similar in subject, theme, or approach to your submission. Submitting your manuscript does not grant you any exclusive claim over a subject, theme, or genre, and does not entitle you to compensation or credit merely because we later publish something addressing similar subject matter that was independently developed or received from another source.

4. Retention and Deletion

We retain your submission and related personal information for up to 12 months following our response, for internal review purposes, after which it is deleted unless you ask us to delete it sooner, or a longer period is separately agreed (for example, if we’re providing detailed developmental feedback over several rounds). See our Privacy Policy at strathdonpress.com/privacy-policy for further detail.

5. Withdrawing a Submission

You may withdraw your submission from consideration at any time by emailing us with your original submission details.

6. If We Make an Offer

Should we wish to proceed with publication, we will provide a separate, formal publishing agreement setting out rights granted, royalties, editorial process, and all other commercial terms. Nothing in these guidelines constitutes an offer to publish or a commitment to any commercial terms.

7. Governing Law

These guidelines are governed by the laws of South Africa.

8. Contact Us

Email: submissions@strathdonpress.com