We publish the small and the precise. If your manuscript could fit in a back pocket and keep us on our toes, we want to read it.
How We Publish
Lucky Jefferson is primarily a poetry press, also publishing micro nonfiction, photography, zines, experimental forms, and photo flip books. We accept interest letters three times a year.
Interest Letters
Writers submit an interest letter and a one-page sample three times a year. Our take on the query letter, without the gatekeeping.
Targeted Calls
Grant-funded manuscript calls for specific communities. Strategic, responsive, mission-driven.
Partnerships
Organizations we believe in collaborate with us to reach readers where they are.
Direct Commission
Our research identifies gaps in publishing. We reach out to specific writers to fill them. Our debut book In My Time by Victor Chunga is a direct commission.
Books
In My Time
A micro memoir by Victor Chunga, a currently incarcerated artist whose writing is full of humor, grief, and sharp exposition. This is what Lucky Jefferson as a press looks like.
Learn More →Why Publish with Us
We publish social change.
We publish writers and artists who never thought they could, whose perspectives have been excluded, and those who pursued writing later in life. Your work belongs here because it has something to say.
Professional Production
ISBNs, professional design, editing support, digital and print publication. We handle the technical details so you can focus on your craft.
Student Editorial Team
Your work is handled by a student editorial cohort guided by our EIC Fellow. Emerging editors who care deeply about the work and bring fresh eyes to every manuscript.
Rights Reversion
If your work ever goes out of print and you request rights reversion in writing, we have 12 months to reissue before rights return to you. We believe in fair publishing.
FAQ
Can I submit my work?
+Yes. Lucky Jefferson accepts interest letters three times a year. Cycle 1 opens January 1, Cycle 2 opens April 1, and Cycle 3 opens August 1. Submit an interest letter and one page featuring a sample of your strongest work via Submittable. Visit our submissions page for full guidelines.
What kind of books do you publish?
+We are primarily a poetry press, also publishing micro nonfiction, photography, zines, experimental forms, and photo flip books. We are drawn to the small and the precise. Tiny books. Work where every word earns its place and the form itself is part of the meaning.
Do you pay writers?
+Compensation varies by project and available funding. If Lucky Jefferson offers to publish your work, you will receive a formal publishing agreement with full terms before any commitment is made.
How to Work with Us
Lucky Jefferson accepts interest letters three times a year. We are a Midwest press investing in the communities closest to us, while remaining open to writers and artists nationally.
Visit Our Submissions Page