Every Voice Deserves
to Be Heard

Anyone who is currently incarcerated in a federal, state, or local facility in the United States can submit a manuscript. Family members, friends, attorneys, and advocates can also submit on behalf of an incarcerated writer with the writer's authorization. We do not discriminate based on the nature of conviction, sentence length, or facility type.

No. Iron Pen Press never charges submission fees, reading fees, editing fees, or any other cost to the author. We cover all production costs — editing, design, printing, and distribution. If anyone contacts you claiming to represent Iron Pen Press and asks for money, please report it to us immediately.

Mail your manuscript to our mailing address listed in the Submit section. Include a title page with your name, the title of your work, genre, estimated word or page count, a brief description, and your return address. Send photocopies rather than originals when possible. We respond to every submission we receive by mail.

Yes. A family member, friend, or advocate can submit your manuscript on your behalf by mail or email. Please include a brief letter of authorization from the writer — even a handwritten note confirming permission is sufficient. The outside contact will serve as the primary point of communication throughout the publishing process.

We publish memoir, fiction, poetry, short story collections, children's books, nonfiction, graphic novels, and anthologies. Our "Letters to My Children" imprint specifically publishes picture books, chapter books, and personal letters from incarcerated parents to their children. If your work falls outside these categories, submit it anyway — we are always open to compelling writing that stretches boundaries.

From accepted manuscript to published book, the process typically takes six to twelve months. This includes transcription of handwritten manuscripts, two to three rounds of editing, cover and interior design, proofing, printing, and distribution setup. We keep authors and their representatives informed at every stage, and we work to move as efficiently as possible without compromising quality.

Authors receive royalties on every copy sold. Royalties are calculated quarterly and can be paid to the author's commissary or trust account, held in escrow, or paid to a designated representative (such as a family member). All royalty terms are clearly outlined in our author agreement before publication. We believe authors should be fairly compensated for their work — period.

Yes. You retain full copyright ownership of your work. Iron Pen Press licenses the right to publish, distribute, and market your book for a defined term. You can terminate the agreement after the initial period. We do not acquire your copyright, and we do not restrict your ability to create derivative works or pursue other publishing opportunities with the same intellectual property after the license term ends.

Absolutely. Many of the manuscripts we receive are handwritten, and we welcome them. Our professional transcription team carefully digitizes every page, preserving your voice, style, and intent. We work with you to verify that the transcription is accurate before editing begins. Write on whatever paper you have access to — lined, unlined, notebook, legal pad — we will handle the rest.

Not every manuscript will be a fit for our catalog, and that is not a reflection of your talent or your story's worth. If we are unable to publish your work, we will let you know by mail and, when possible, provide brief feedback on why and what you might consider revising. You are welcome to resubmit revised work at any time. We also maintain a list of other organizations and programs that support incarcerated writers, and we are happy to share those resources.