to download the Submission Guidelines PDF - Ignatius Press

The Ignatius Press Publishing Process
Ignatius Press both publishes and distributes books.
Publication involves an author exchanging his rights to his work for royalties (a
percentage of sales).
o The author submits a complete manuscript to our acquisitions department.
Please refer to our submission guidelines before you send your work! Our
acquisitions committee reviews the manuscript for suitability for our publishing
priorities, quality, content, marketability, feasibility of production, and other
relevant factors. This normally takes a minimum of three months.
o Once we have reviewed a manuscript, we decide either to accept or decline to
publish it.
o If we decide to decline the submission, we will notify the author. For a variety of
reasons, we do not give specific feedback, recommendations, or referrals.
Manuscripts are not returned; do not send your only copy!
o If we decide to accept the submission, we will notify the author and propose
terms. After negotiations, a contract is drawn up, an advance (a portion of the
royalties anticipated) sent, and production begins. Once this stage is reached, it
is typically published at the earliest possible date that can be incorporated into
our existing publication schedule. All manuscripts undergo some revisions
before the final version is reached.
o Once the book is published, the author will receive a royalty check annually.
Distribution of a pre‐existing book (usually published by another publisher) involves
Ignatius Press marketing a particular work and making it available for sale through our
catalogue and website.
o We do not produce or own the rights to these works.
o If you have already produced a work that you would like us to consider for
distribution, please send it to our Marketing department.
Self‐publication involves the author paying a company to typeset, print, and sometimes
market a book.
o The author retains his rights and is responsible for all editing. The author is the
publisher.
o Ignatius Press does not provide this service.
Ignatius Press has a very well‐defined publishing program. Please make yourself familiar
with the types of books we publish. In a given year, we publish around 50 new titles. Of
the approximately 400 unsolicited manuscript submissions we receive annually, we
accept about 20 for publication.
Ignatius Press understands that authors invest their time and resources in the
preparation of a manuscript. As a publisher, it is our role both to maintain the highest
standards for our readers and to give our authors the broadest market available for
their book. We sometimes decline to publish even well‐written and timely manuscripts
for a variety of reasons.
Continue Reading for Submission Guidelines

Ignatius Press:
Manuscript Submission Guidelines
1) Rarely publishes fiction and children's books. These genres are not among our main
focuses.
2) Does not have a market for poetry, collections of articles or essays which have already
been published, or prayer books.
3) Does not publish dissertations, theses, or pamphlets.
4) Does not accept manuscripts on electronic storage media, by e-mail, or by fax.
If the manuscript is accepted for publication, it will be copy-edited according to our house
style (a modification of that in The Chicago Manual of Style - 16th Edition).
Manuscripts should be double-spaced. Only completed, hard-copy manuscripts are
accepted for review; do not send proposals.
Manuscripts should be fully and carefully documented, proofread, and publishable at the
time of submission.
Send the package to:
Acquisitions
Ignatius Press
1348 10 th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
Please note that no manuscripts are returned.
Due to the high volume of unsolicited manuscripts received, the review period can take
from one month to several. We unfortunately cannot confirm receipt of manuscripts.
You will be notified regardless of our decision; do not write to check on the status of your
manuscript.
No phone calls or emails, please.