Brick Books publishes full-length poetry collections of the highest quality by both new and established writers. While our definition of poetry is expansive and encompasses many aesthetic modes, we do not publish chapbooks (i.e., books fewer than 48 pages), fiction, or conventional prose nonfiction.

Our editors are interested in seeing work from as broad a range of aesthetics and experiences as possible. We encourage submissions from Indigenous poets, racialized poets, poets from LGBTQ+ communities, and poets with disabilities. We recognize that many Indigenous writers do not identify as citizens and that the concept is problematic as well for refugees and others living in diaspora; please note, however, that although we are investigating alternatives, our current funding model limits us to publishing writers who are deemed by the government to be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants.

We receive two to three hundred manuscripts for consideration every year. We publish seven or eight books a year. Our publishing schedule is filled two years in advance to allow time for rigorous editing. Please note that we only accept submissions between February 1 and May 31. Submissions received outside of this period will go unread. No more than one manuscript per author will be considered in a given reading period.

How to Submit

We are no longer accepting submissions by post. Please send your publication queries and manuscript as a Word or PDF attachment to our acquisitions email account: acquisitions@brickbooks.ca. Please do not send publication queries, art/design queries, or manuscripts to any other Brick Books email address. These emails will not be responded to.

Please send your full manuscript (about 48 to 120 pages of poetry).

In the body of your email, make sure to include your current mailing address.

You may also include a brief note outlining any relevant information about yourself and your writing. If you have an interest in working with a particular editor on our collective (should your manuscript be accepted for publication), please note this.

We strongly prefer that you refrain from submitting your manuscript to other presses while it is under consideration at Brick Books. However, if you do decide to do this, it is very important to us that you say so in your initial email and keep us updated on the status of your manuscript throughout our process.

We will acknowledge receipt of your manuscript within 2-3 weeks. Please allow 3-4 months from the time of submitting your work for further updates on the progress of your manuscript in our selection process.

The Selection Process at Brick Books

The present procedure of selecting the final manuscripts for publication, evolved over a number of years, involves a 3-phase sorting:

—first reading by an acquisitions editor, occasionally in consultation with another acquisitions editor or editors

—compiling a list of about 15 finalists to be read in depth by a committee of 3-5 editors and an in-person meeting by the committee to compare and discuss shortlists and to choose the year’s publications.

The majority of our titles are selected through this yearly contest process, though we do reserve occasional spots for solicited manuscripts.