TGEP Submission Guidelines

Who may submit?

We welcome submissions from new and established authors, subject specialists, academics, professionals, poets, memoirists and young writers whose work fits our editorial interests.

Authors may submit directly. Literary agents and authorised representatives may also submit on behalf of an author where their authority is clearly stated.

Before you submit

Genres and categories considered

What we do not accept

• Plagiarised or unlawfully copied work.
• Material submitted under a false identity.
• Manuscripts containing undisclosed third-party copyright material.
• Work that promotes unlawful activity, targeted hatred or deliberate factual fraud.
• Machine-generated or heavily automated manuscripts presented as wholly original human work without disclosure.
• Incomplete fragments presented as finished books.
• Submissions sent without the minimum required author information.

Required submission materials

Manuscript formatting

Manuscripts should be easy to read and edit. Decorative formatting is unnecessary.

• Use a standard readable font such as Times New Roman, Georgia or Arial.
• Use 11-point or 12-point text.
• Use consistent paragraph spacing and indentation.
• Use clear chapter headings.
• Insert page breaks between chapters where practical.
• Number pages where the file format permits.
• Remove track changes, comments and hidden notes unless specifically required.
• Do not submit print-designed interiors as a substitute for an editable manuscript.

Accepted file formats

The submission form generally accepts:

• DOC
• DOCX
• PDF

Editable DOC or DOCX files are preferred for manuscripts. PDF may be suitable for reference, illustrated material or fixed-layout projects.

File naming convention

Use clear file names that identify the author, title and document type.

Synopsis requirements

The synopsis should explain the complete work, including the ending where relevant. It should not function only as promotional copy.

For non-fiction and academic proposals, provide a structured overview, target audience, chapter outline, author authority and sample material where appropriate.

Author biography requirements

The biography should be concise, accurate and relevant to the manuscript. First-time authors are welcome and do not need previous publication credits.

Include professional background, subject expertise, previous publications and other relevant information only where useful.

Government-issued identity proof

TGEP may require a clear copy of a valid government-issued identity document, such as a passport, national identity card, driving licence or Aadhaar card where applicable.

Identity verification helps protect the publisher, authors and rights holders from fraudulent submissions, impersonation and disputed ownership.

Author declaration

Authors must confirm that:

• The work is original except for properly credited or licensed material.
• The author has the right to submit and publish the work.
• The work does not knowingly infringe copyright, privacy, confidentiality or other legal rights.
• Material requiring permission, verification, anonymisation or legal review has been disclosed.
• No conflicting publishing rights have been granted elsewhere.
• Any material use of artificial intelligence has been disclosed where relevant.

Artificial intelligence disclosure

The use of digital tools does not automatically disqualify a manuscript. However, material use of artificial intelligence or automated content-generation systems should be disclosed where it affects authorship, originality, research, translation, illustration, factual reliability or rights.

The author remains responsible for originality, accuracy, legality, permissions and source verification.

Copyright and third-party material

Authors should identify any material they do not wholly own, including quotations, song lyrics, photographs, illustrations, maps, tables, letters, diary extracts, archival material and adapted text.

Permission may be required before publication. Submission does not transfer copyright to TGEP and does not itself create a publishing contract.

Previously published work

Disclose whether the manuscript, substantial extracts or an earlier edition has been published, self-published, posted online or distributed through another service.

Previously published work may still be considered, but rights status, edition history, sales records and existing files must be clear.

Simultaneous submissions

Authors may submit elsewhere unless an exclusive review has been expressly agreed. Please notify TGEP promptly if the manuscript is accepted by another publisher or is withdrawn from consideration.

Submission process

Possible editorial decisions

Response times

Review times vary according to manuscript length, genre, submission volume and editorial complexity. Authors should allow a reasonable review period before following up.

Acknowledgement of receipt is not an acceptance and does not indicate that publication has been approved.

Reasons a manuscript may be declined

• The project does not fit the current list.
• The manuscript requires more development than the programme can support.
• The writing, structure or research is not yet ready.
• The target readership is unclear or commercially impractical.
• The rights position is uncertain.
• The project duplicates existing or planned TGEP titles.
• The author has not provided required information.
• The publisher does not have current production capacity.

What happens after a positive decision?

A positive editorial response may lead to further manuscript review, programme discussion, rights clarification, contract negotiation, editorial planning and production scheduling.

No publishing relationship exists until both parties enter into a written agreement.

Publishing routes

Depending on the manuscript and programme availability, TGEP may discuss:

• Publisher-funded selection under an appropriate programme.
• Author-supported or hybrid publishing arrangements.
• Editorial development before publication reconsideration.
• Specialist, academic, children’s or regional-language production pathways.

Any commercial terms, author contribution, royalties, rights and services must be stated in the relevant written proposal or agreement.

Submission etiquette

• Submit through the official form unless instructed otherwise.
• Do not send repeated copies of the same manuscript.
• Do not demand immediate review or acceptance.
• Keep correspondence professional and concise.
• Notify TGEP if your email address or contact details change.
• Retain your original manuscript and all submission files.

Final submission checklist

Frequently asked questions