At Wayfarer Books, we believe poetry is the language of the earth. We think words—like rivers through wild places—can change the shape of the world. We publish poets and writers and renegades who stand outside of mainstream culture—poets, essayists, and storytellers whose work might withstand the scrutiny of crows and coyotes, those who are cryptic and floral, the crepuscular, and the queer-at-heart. We are more than just a publisher but a community of writers. Our mission is to produce books that can serve as a compass and map to all wayfarers through wild terrain.

Re-imagining Our Role as Publishers > Understanding the Structure of Our Company

Wayfarer Books (Traditional Independent Publisher) recently announced that it has expanded its ecosystem by acquiring the long-standing independent publisher Homebound Publications. All titles from Homebound Publications will now be transferred to Wayfarer Books, which is distributed by Ingram and offers titles on a print-to-order model with standard trade terms and full returnability. Homebound Publications and Wayfarer Books have historically operated as sibling presses. This merger, initiated by Founder Connor Wolfe, aims to bolster the author communities of both imprints as they navigate the challenges ahead together.

Wayfarer Books follows a traditional publishing model with the following key features:

• Royalty Rates: We pay authors anywhere from 8-12% of the list price on print; 25% on eBook; 25% on Audiobook.
• Formats: We release our titles in various formats, including paperback, ebook, audiobook, and hardcover.
• Global Reach: Our titles have a global distribution network through Ingram, ensuring widespread availability.

Outpost Press (A Publishing House/Imprint Working Off a Hybrid-model). Outpost Press is our latest imprint, offering a hybrid publishing route for authors who are willing to share the financial investment in their projects.  |. Learn More About Hybrid Publishing >>

Wayfarer Magazine is our magazine that offers serialized and short content. | Read the Magazine >>

Note on Diversity

Wayfarer Books and its imprints are firmly rooted in our vision of a compassionate, inclusive, and educated society, which we strive to promote through our publications. We are committed to progressive values, including support for LGBTQIA+ rights, trans rights, decolonization, women’s rights, reproductive rights, non-violence, climate change science, freedom of speech, and the affirmation that Black Lives Matter. .

Editor’s Note on Tone and Direction: We are seeking titles with a special focus on the intersection of the natural landscape and the interior landscape. Authors representative of the work we seek would be: Barry Lopez, Black Elk, Red Pine, Joanna Macy, Gary Snyder, David Abram, Mary Oliver, Annie Dillard, Joy Harjo, Jack Kerouac, Walt Whitman, John Muir, Terry Tempest Williams, Jim Harrison, John O’Donohue, Bell Hooks, Joan Didion, Dianne D. Glave, Adrienne Rich, Allen Ginsberg, June Jordan, Patti Smith, Wendell Berry . . . 

General Submissions

Putting Together Your Proposal | How Do I Submit?

Although we appreciate hearing from our readers and prospective authors, postal mail requires a lot of packaging, paper mailing materials, and fossil fuel to ship. To cut down on paper usage/waste, at present, we prefer electronic submissions sent to us via our secure platform with Submittable.

A Few Things to Know

If you wish to submit to Homebound Publications, please be aware of the following:

• We are an independent publisher releasing avant-garde work during a volatile time in the market. On average, we receive 4000+ submissions a year. With our present budget, we can only publish 15-20 titles annually. This translates into literally thousands of quality projects being rejected simply due to budgetary restrictions.
• We expect our authors to be active participants in marketing their titles. You should be prepared to assist in a wide range of marketing practices, including a presence on at least one social networking site; actively seeking interviews; actively seeking virtual events; networking with fellow poets; relationship building with indie booksellers and local libraries…etc.
• We are happy to receive submissions that have been sent simultaneously to other publishers. 
• If you send us a submission in the mail, please do so knowing that no materials will be returned to you. Please do not send precious or irreplaceable materials.

Response Time

We are currently backlogged and closed to unsolicited submissions. The next open reading period is January 2025.

We look forward to reading your work!

Homebound Publications Poetry Prize 

The deadline for entries is May 31st, 2024. On August 15, 2024, we will announce one winner from the entries, a finalist, and honorable mentions. Homebound Publications will publish the winning manuscript in April 2025. The winning author will be offered a royalty contract and publication in ebook, paperback, and audiobook. 

Entry Guidelines & Eligibility 

• To enter, the poetry collection must be previously unpublished.
• The entry fee is $25.00.*
• A limited number of individual poems may have appeared in print or online but the poet must hold sole rights to the work.
• Manuscripts must be in English and adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style 
• Multiple entries by a single author are wel­come but a sep­a­rate entry forms and fees must be paid for each entry.
• The manuscript must be no less than 48 and no more than 75 pages in length.
• Employees and authors of Homebound Publications and its divisions are not eligible.

• The editorial staff at Homebound Publications will judge the contest. The contest is not judged blind.

• All entries will be considered for publication. We routinely publish manuscripts chosen for honorable mentions when our annual budget allows.

• *Fee Waivers available for limited-income individuals. Write us at orders@homeboundpublications.com. 

Entry by Post Mail

(Editor’s Note: While we are aware of the extra packaging required when sending via post, at this time we prefer entrants to send their submissions to us via USPS. When we complete our review of your materials, all packaging materials and paper are recycled.)

For those of you entering by post mail please include the following in your entry:

• The full man­u­script
• A brief biographical state­ment
• Check made payable to: Homebound Publications
• Self-address stamped post­card (Should you desire con­fir­ma­tion of receipt of your entry.)

Post entries should be sent to:

Homebound Publications

Attn: Poetry Prize

PO Box 1601 Northampton, MA 01060

[Please note:] Manuscripts sub­mitted to the con­test via post mail will not be returned. Please do not send us the original copy of your man­u­script.

Entering Online

To enter online, you may submit your manuscript and payment via our secure submission platform here: Submit

• Please send us the full man­u­script
• Brief biographical statement
• You can pay the $25.00 entry fee via Submittable’s platform.

Radically Authentic Prize for Trans & Non-binary Writers 

The Radically Authentic Prize for Trans & Non-binary Writers is published by Wayfarer Books, an imprint of Homebound Publications.

At Wayfarer Books, we believe poetry is the language of the earth. We believe words, shaped like rivers through wild places, can change the shape of the world. We publish poets and writers and renegades who stand outside of mainstream culture—poets, essayists, and storytellers whose work might withstand the scrutiny of crows and coyotes, those who are cryptic and floral, the crepuscular, and the queer-at-heart. We are more than just a publisher but a community of writers. Our mission is to produce books that can serve as a compass and map to all wayfarers through wild terrain.

Eligibility & Guidelines

• This prize is open to those who identify within the Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender non-conforming spectrum.*
• There is a reading fee of $15 for our volunteer editorial staff.**
• This prize is open to works of poetry, creative nonfiction, memoirs, and essay collections. (No fiction, please.)
• Poetry manuscripts should be no more than 90 pages.
• Prose manuscripts should be no more than 50,000 words.
• A single author may submit multiple entries but each entry must be separate. 
• To submit, the manuscript must be previously unpublished.
• A limited number of individual poems/excerpts may have appeared in print or online, but the author must hold sole rights to the work.
• Manuscripts must be in English and follow the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines.
• Please see our website for current deadlines.
• **Reading fee waivers are available for those with limited income. Write wayfarer@homeboundpublications.com

How are we defining “Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender non-conforming?”

We currently use the definitions as set forth by the HRC but are active participants in the evolution of language and identity. If you identify beyond the binary and do not see yourself represented below, please submit your work.

Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.

Non-binary is an identity embraced by some people who do not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between or as falling completely outside of these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer, or gender fluid.

Gender non-conforming is an umbrella term referring to people who do not identify in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit neatly into a category. Some gender non-conforming people identify as non-binary, genderqueer, trans masculine, trans feminine, agender, bigender or other identities that reflect their personal experience. Some, but not all, gender non-conforming people identify as transgender.

Does the manuscript have to be about trans or/non-binary issues to qualify?

While we welcome all themes—especially those that highlight the experiences of marginalized communities—the material/themes of your entry do not need to be about the transgender/non-binary experience to be eligible.

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The namesake of the Radical Authenticity Prize is rooted in the work of our Founder, Connor Wolfe (they/them). To learn more about Connor, follow them on Instagram @the_wild_wolfe