Exclusive: Pushkin Press Opens Submissions to SCBWI Members

We are delighted to announce that Sarah Odedina, Editor-at-Large for Pushkin Children’s Books, has offered to be open to submissions from all SCBWI members from 01/12/23 to 01/02/24. This is a fantastic opportunity for your MG or YA manuscript to be considered for publication directly by a prestigious publishing house.

Sarah Odedina has worked in children's publishing for over three decades. She ran the Bloomsbury Children's list for 14 years where she edited and published award-winning best-selling authors including Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Donnelly, Sharon Creech, and Celia Rees and oversaw the publication of the Harry Potter series. Sarah started the innovative and dynamic publishing house Hot Key Books and for the last eight years has been Editor-at-Large for Pushkin Children’s Books. Sarah is looking for author led novels with strong characters at the centre that engage and move the reader.

Find @Sarah Odedina on Instagram and Twitter (X).

Pushkin Children’s Books is the children’s imprint of Pushkin Press, an independent publishing House based in London with a strong list of international award-winning authors. The children's list is 10 years old with several books featuring on the Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlist, winning the Brandford Boase Award, as well as numerous regional prizes.

Authors who are current members of SCBWI anywhere in the world are very welcome to apply.

All applications will receive a reply, but not detailed feedback. There is no guarantee that any one manuscript will be picked for publication. It is possible that more than one manuscript could be chosen for editorial input.

Application guidelines:

Manuscripts may be in any genre, aimed at readers aged 8 to 18.
Applications will be accepted from December 1, 2023 9AM GMT until February 1, 2024 6PM GMT. Sarah will aim to respond to entries by April 1.
All entries must be emailed to: sarahodedina@pushkinpress.com
Please send a cover letter in the body of your email, enclosing the full manuscript and a synopsis as attachments. The header of the email should read SCBWI PUSHKIN OPEN SUBMISSIONS.
The full manuscript should be double spaced, 12 point. Please number pages. Add a header on each page stating your name and the title of the manuscript.
The one-page synopsis should be single spaced, 12 point. Please include spoilers as the plot should be laid out in full.
The cover letter should include a small amount about yourself, a pitch for the manuscript and any other information you may feel would be relevant to your manuscript, e.g. awards, qualifications, special interests, life experience, etc.
All applicants must be current premium members of SCBWI, in any region. Membership status will be verified.
All manuscripts must be written in English.
All works must be fiction, and not previously published by traditional publishing houses. Self-published novels will be considered. No non-fiction manuscripts will be considered.
Only one manuscript per person will be accepted.
Authors do not need to have an agent to apply.

Submitting authors may be offered the chance of publication as per previous open submissions to Pushkin Press. Authors are not required to accept a publishing contract if offered.