Thank you for your interest in publishing with Deseret Book.

Deseret Book is a publisher and retailer that publishes and distributes books that reflect the values held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We welcome unsolicited manuscripts that meet the following criteria:

• Relevant: The topic is specific and applicable to a broad demographic of Latter-day Saints.
• Clear premise: The manuscript has a well-defined central idea or thesis that a reader can easily grasp.
• Logical structure: The content is organized in a way that is easy to follow and understand, with ideas that flow from one point to the next.
• Uplifting: The manuscript has a positive and inspirational tone that encourages and strengthens readers.

DESERET BOOK GENRES:

Our Deseret Book imprint primarily publishes nonfiction work for a Latter-day Saint audience in the following genres:

• Gospel teaching: Helps readers learn more about a gospel topic like prayer, repentance, faith, etc.
• Inspiration: Aims to encourage and inspire readers in their efforts to live the restored gospel.
• Scripture reference: Offers readers insights into the meaning and application of scripture.
• Help and hope: Provides readers with practical help and hope for navigating life's challenges, through the lens of the gospel.

We occasionally publish history, biographies, and family or parenting books that are unique and specific to a Latter-day Saint audience.

COVENANT GENRES:

Our Covenant imprint publishes work for a Latter-day Saint audience in the following genres:

• Fiction: Suspense, Romance, and Historical fiction books with uplifting and inspiring content tailored for members of the Church.
• Family/Parenting: Books tailored to guide and support members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in raising families according to their faith.
• Children’s/Illustrated Books: Faith-filled books designed for families, featuring engaging stories that teach children about the gospel, scripture stories, and Christ-centered values.
• Cookbooks: Delightful, inspired cookbooks offering recipes for holiday treats, family gatherings, youth camps and ministering gifts, infused with the spirit of community and service.

Our Deseret Book and Covenant imprints are NOT interested in the following genres:

• Family histories, memoirs, autobiographies
• Journals, workbooks, daily devotionals, poetry
• Health and wellness, financial advice
• Fantasy and science fiction

SHADOW MOUNTAIN

In addition to our Deseret Book and Covenant Communications imprints, we publish values-based, general-market books through our national imprint, Shadow Mountain. Please visit the Shadow Mountain Submission Guidelines for more information.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

For your manuscript to be considered, please submit to our online portal a query letter, author information, and a full manuscript. The portal says to submit the first 50 pages but the entire manuscript should be submitted.

Query letters should include:

• Information about your manuscript, including the title, genre, intended audience, total word count, synopsis, and a compelling two–three sentence elevator pitch.
• A brief explanation about why this book is different from others in its genre.
• An outline of the contents.

The author section should include:

• A concise author bio (one short paragraph).
• Your contact information.
• An overview of your background in relation to your manuscript.

Manuscripts should be:

• Typed and saved in a single Word document.
• Single or double spaced, in 12-point font.
• Spell-checked and proofread.

Your submission should represent your best work, not a first draft. For nonfiction books, include complete documentation for your sources and a bibliography.

REVIEW PROCESS

After our acquisitions and editorial teams review your manuscript, they may (1) accept it for publication, (2) invite you to revise and resubmit it, or (3) reject it.

Please note that a rejection does not necessarily mean that your manuscript is unpublishable—only that it is not right for Deseret Book or Covenant Communications. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide detailed critiques or evaluations of manuscripts or explanations of how we came to our decision.

POLICIES

• We will only review manuscripts submitted through our online portal. Hard-copy and emailed manuscripts will be discarded.
• We are unable to meet with prospective authors in person or over the phone.
• We are unable to dispense advice or guidance about writing a book—including via email.
• We are unable to accept works that have been previously published or self-published.
• Author rights and royalties are not discussed or granted until a manuscript has been accepted for publication.
• Please do not send duplicate manuscripts to Deseret Book, Covenant Communications, and Shadow Mountain. All online manuscript submissions go through the same channels, and duplicates will be discarded.
• We are unable to provide status updates on submissions until we have completed our review. Please allow up to sixteen weeks for us to review and respond.

SUBMISSIONS PORTAL

Only submit your manuscript to one of the following imprints based on your genre. You will specify which imprint you are submitting to on the query form.

DESERET BOOK

• Gospel teaching
• Inspiration
• Scripture reference
• Help and hope

COVENANT COMMUNICATIONS

• Fiction
• Family/Parenting
• Children’s/Illustrated Books
• Cookbooks

QUESTIONS

If you have a specific question that is not answered here, or if you would like to withdraw your submission, please email submissions@deseretbook.com.

Please submit your manuscript here: Deseret Book Submissions