How to Submit
Please do not send us query letters or emails. You must submit using our online form when the submission date is open. Do not submit outside of the submission months.
Turn around time for manuscripts can be up to 6 months. We will respond; please do not contact us about your submission. All submission contacts will be automatically added to our mailing list to keep up to date with Wombat news.
Manuscript Formatting Guidelines
Please follow our guidelines carefully in order for us to be able to assess your manuscript if we request the full manuscripts. Your manuscript must be:
- Typed (we recommend a word document)
- 12 size font
- Times New Roman
- 1.5 to double-spaced
- Pages should be numbered
- Include your name and address
Please note: all other formatting is at the discretion of the author and should be formatted for ease of reading.
Cover Letter
Please demonstrate your understanding of the industry, including any achievements or awards you have received, and any events you have presented at. If you have specific ideas on marketing for your book, you may include some of your plans in your submission.
Please investigate other titles similar to your own in the market to ensure your book is unique.
We are happy for you to include editor or assessor comments in the submission.
Please note that Wombat Books only accepts manuscripts submitted digitally. We no longer accept submissions through email and mail channels. The Cover letter might be copied into the description box.
Description/Synopsis Box
Your submission's description box on our website is the most important spot of all to get your pitch past the unsolicited submissions. Put your best pitch in that description box. If you do not, it is unlikely to get through the slush-pile. Pitch should be about 100 words but a max of 300 words if you have more to say.
Picture Book Submission Information
Wombat Books accepts unsolicited manuscripts for review to be considered for traditional publishing at specific times through the year.
We have limited spaces for publication. We are looking for entertaining, original manuscripts that leave a lasting impression. We strongly recommend you have a read of our recent releases before submitting a manuscript to us. It is important to demonstrate in your cover letter an understanding of the type of manuscripts we are interested in.
Before any submission, please ensure you have looked at our other Wombat titles to see the style of books we publish. In your submission form you will be asked for the Wombat titles you have read. You can get a peek into the sorts of stories and characters we look for at Wombat Books with our suggestions at the bottom of the page.
Things to keep in mind to improve your chances:
We take very little rhyming books.
We are looking for picture books that are 4-7 year old, not 3-6 year old. Not pre-school specific nor counting or alphabets. Though they are great things in books, it is not our speciality.
Submission form for January 1st to 31st 2026 is here.
Note: Do not submit before the 1st of January as submissions will be deleted. Other information included in the link. A maximum of two submissions per person. If exceeded all by that author will be deleted. Do not resubmit if you make a mistake as it may trigger all deleted so check your work carefully before submitting.
Need Some Inspiration for Picture books?
To read some of our bestselling titles, purchase some of our much loved picture books!
There are a range of sets here.
Children's Fiction Submission Information
Wombat Books accepts unsolicited manuscripts for review to be considered for traditional publishing at certain opening periods. When referring to children's fiction, we are specifically looking for books aimed at 6-12 year olds, in either junior or middle fiction categories.
Before any submission, please ensure you have looked at our other Wombat titles to see the style of books we publish. In your submission form you will be asked for the Wombat titles you have read.
Early reader and middle fiction submissions are only open certain months per year, but check out our current titles to find out about what we like and follow our Facebook page for updated information. However, any submissions that arrive outside of our submission window will be deleted.
Early reader style books might be anything from 1000 words to 7000 words and could be aimed at 5-8 year olds. Generally the longer fiction is for the older of this age group but we consider these length ranges across all of the age group as we are primarily looking for a good story.
How to Submit
Please read this carefully as each submission requirements varies.
Only two submissions in any category per submission period. If more than two submissions are entered all submissions by that author will be deleted.
Our word counts are fairly flexible depending on the age group of your story. Ensure you include that in your cover letter.
Picture book lengths:
100 - 600 words
Early reader word lengths:
1000-6000
Junior fiction word lengths:
800 - 25000 words
Middle fiction word length:
20000-50000 words
You will only need to submit your cover letter, synopsis and first three to five chapters through our google forms.
Format and cover letter should follow the same protocols as our general submissions, as outlined above under "Formatting Guidelines" and copied into the google form.
To help know you are on track, it is vital you have read our other titles. As Wombat Books in an independent publisher, we are unlikely to publish books exactly the same as we have before, and if you don't know our style of books you run the risk of not pitching us the best work.
Read other Wombat titles to know what we like.