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Write for Chalice Press

About Chalice Media Group
Chalice Media Group supports a diverse base of authors and customers as the go-to publisher for books and materials on social justice, inclusive community, spirituality, and leadership development. Founded in 1911, Chalice Media Group is legally known as the Christian Board of Publication and is a registered nonprofit, 501(c)3 corporation.

A Key Part of a Chalice Press contract
Every Chalice contract begins with an "Affirmation of Diversity."

The Christian Board of Publication and its imprints affirm the faith and gifts of persons regardless of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or gender expression and will not publish material that opposes this affirmation.

If you have questions about what that means, be sure to let us know early in the process.

Writing for Chalice

Each year we get hundreds of wonderful submissions, but our limited resources mean we can publish only about a dozen annually. We get so many outstanding ideas that are solid matches for our audience and our catalog, but we can’t afford to publish them all. We also make a concerted effort to have an author base that reflects all kinds of diversity.

What We Publish

Our multiple divisions offer unique product offerings such as nonfiction books about faith and contemporary life, novels, church camp curriculum, and church resources. Our primary audience is based in North America, though our books are available worldwide.

The strongest fiction submissions are set in the 19th, 20th, and 21st Centuries and address contemporary faith issues.

What We Don't Publish

At present, we are not acquiring children’s books, fiction set prior to 1800, poetry, dissertations, cookbooks, festschrifts, newsletter columns, plays, or manifestos.

Submitting your proposal

Chalice Press uses a quartet of promos to help us understand your project more accurately, which in turn helps us promote it better. To submit your proposal, either nonfiction or fiction, please:
1) Reply to these four prompts in the body of an email: 
  • Hook of the book. Provide an attention-grabbing sentence or phrase to show how you can attract reader interest about your book. For example, start your hook with this question, “What if I told you _______?” (Feel free to provide several.) For fiction proposals, include the copy you would put on the back cover of your book to engage readers.
  • Challenge assumptions. Thinking about your project, create a list of a dozen provocative, contrarian statements that would catch somebody’s attention. For example, “you have heard it said X, but I say Y.” The stronger, the better. This helps us determine how your book provides a new view on an old question.
  • Takeaways. Provide at least three concise, concrete lessons that readers will gain from reading your book. How will you improve the reader’s condition or create a positive result in their lives? The more, the better.
  • You. Please provide a brief biography, tell us why you’re the perfect person to write this book, and describe your vision of how you would share word of a Chalice book with your network, whether that’s in-person classes, social media, networks, etc. 

2) Do not send a writing sample, your manuscript, a resume, or any other attachments.

3) Include your working title in the subject line. 

4) Send your email to submissions@chalicepress.com.

5) Chalice allows simultaneous submissions. However, submissions emailed to multiple publishers in the same email (like spam) are categorically discarded.

Thank you for your interest in writing for Chalice!

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