Foundlings Press

Manuscript submissions

Foundlings Press accepts submissions of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid work during periodic reading windows, typically announced via its newsletter and social media. Before submitting, familiarize yourself with the press’s catalog to understand its aesthetic range—work that is formally adventurous, emotionally resonant, and unafraid of vulnerability tends to fare best. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify immediately if your work is placed elsewhere. Include a brief cover letter that situates your work without over-explaining it; the editors value concision and sincerity. For visual art and cross-disciplinary proposals, query first with a project description and relevant documentation. Response times vary, often extending to several months due to the volunteer-led review process; patience is appreciated. Above all, approach the press as a collaborator, not a gatekeeper—Foundlings is invested in long-term relationships with its authors and artists.

Foundlings Press is a literary publisher based in Buffalo, New York. While the core of the Foundlings catalog will always be devoted to contemporary poetry, the press also seeks nonfiction, journalism, memoir, art and literary criticism, visual art and photography, lyrics, and hybrid works that defy categorization. The press has also sought works in translation and has republished exceptional books that have fallen out of print. Since its beginnings as a staple-bound zine, Foundlings has been characterized by found or stolen text and images, heteroglossia, and an effort to place design in dialogue with the writer and the reader.