We're open to submissions.

We publish fiction and nonfiction across a range of genres — and we take on a small number of projects each year. If your book belongs in the world, we want to hear about it.

What we publish

  • Memoir

  • Narrative nonfiction

  • Self-help

  • Personal development

  • Business & leadership

  • Wellness

  • Literary fiction

  • Genre fiction

  • Short stories and essay collections

What we look for

  • A complete or nearly complete manuscript

  • A clear, specific audience

  • A voice and perspective only you could bring

  • A story worth telling

We do not accept

  • Poetry collections

  • Children's or middle grade

  • Academic or scholarly texts

First Page Feedback

Every week, we read one anonymous first-page submission the way an acquiring editor actually reads it — and mark it up in full.

Most writers never learn why an opening didn't earn a request. The rejection is silent, and the lesson is lost. This series exists to change that: to show, line by line, where a reader becomes curious, where attention drifts, and what decides whether we turn the page.

We approach every page assuming the writer wants to get better. The feedback is honest, but never harsh — the same editorial standard we hold every manuscript to at The Swyer Agency, made visible so any writer can learn from it.

How it works

Submit your first page (up to 250 words) using the form above. Each week we select one submission, mark it up as we would a manuscript on our desk, and share the critique across our channels — always anonymously. Your name never appears.

By submitting, you agree that we may feature your first page anonymously as part of this series. If your opening isn't converting, the fix is often smaller and more specific than you'd expect. We'd love to show you where it is.

Submit