Submissions
Formac Publishing was established in 1977 and purchased by its current owner, James Lorimer, in 1982. Publishing books for avid readers, travelers, and educators, Formac’s backlist spans many categories. Our office is located in the south end of Halifax, where we conceptualize, edit, design, warehouse and ship every book!
Currently, Formac publishes books meant for readers in the Maritimes and beyond. Specializing in regional nonfiction, and children’s fiction, we work to publish meaningful books of social value that represent all of us.
James Lorimer also operates a publishing house in Toronto, James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers, publishing young adult fiction and adult nonfiction.
What we publish
Our region is steeped in rich culture and history. Our backlist features a diverse collection of titles that thoughtfully celebrate and critique our shared regional heritage. When browsing our collection of adult nonfiction you’ll see cookbooks by renowned chef Craig Flinn, Emma FitzGerald’s beautifully illustrated Hand Drawn Halifax, and Janice Middleton’s account of a notoriously brutal murder, Who Killed Richard Oland. For children and young adults, our list includes Pit Pony, the inaugural winner of the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature; Andre Fenton’s award-winning novel The Summer Between Us; and My River, a memoir by young activist Stella Bowles, whose efforts led to a $15.7 million environmental cleanup.
What we’re looking for
We have many authors we already work with, but we’re always interested in working with new writers. Explore our site, and if what you’re working on seems to fit along side what we do… reach out! Specifically, types of books we’re looking for RIGHT NOW are listed below.
We recognize the role we play in amplifying voices of diverse backgrounds, and we are committed to publishing underrepresented stories. We aim to publish books that represent all of us and encourage submissions by racialized and marginalized writers.
Keep in mind, we typically work with Canadian authors. Writers outside Canada should have a strong case for what would make us their appropriate publisher.
Actively accepting:
Formac First Novels (ages 6–10)
Early reader chapters books meant for children who are beginning to read independently.
These books follow a main character and a supporting cast of characters through realistic but funny situations. We pair each writer up with an illustrator to bring the characters and stories to life. These books are designed with dyslexic-friendly fonts and layouts to support emerging readers!
Examples from our current list include L. M. Nicodemo’s Max Todd series, and Ted Staunton’s Be Brave, Morgan series.
Submissions should feature:
• A strong character
• Kid-approved humour
• A cast of supporting characters
• Realistic(ish) situations. This means the story should not contain things like talking animals, aliens, or children with superpowers. But may have kids getting themselves into zany or exaggerated situations.
• A beginning, middle and end. Chapters may be episodic, or may carry a narrative that builds over the novel.
Formac BIG Picture Books (ages 3–9)
Picture books that tell our region’s story
We are actively accepting picture books that recount stories of Maritime people, events, cultural experiences and history through the eyes of a child. Examples from our backlist include: Joyce Barkhouse’s Pit Pony, Jacqueline Halsey’s Explosion Newsie, and Janet Barkhouse’s Keeper of the Light.
Submissions should feature:
• A well-written, compelling child
• A connection to the Maritimes
• A clear event, person, cultural experience, or history that is being explored
• A beginning, middle, and end
• Sound historic/cultural research
We do not publish rhyming, bedtime books, or books that have a strong moral lesson.
Formac Art for Littles (ages 0–3)
Books for littles showcasing regional artists
Babies and toddlers love to look at contrasting colours, and beautiful art depicting things they recognize. We’re actively accepting artist submissions for board books that feature art work by local artists. Examples from our back list include: Mi’kmaw Moons by Loretta Gould, and Animals at Play in Mi’kma’ki by Mel Beaulieu.
Submissions should:
• Be made by an artist
• Include six to twelve pieces of art (either already completed, or proposed for creation)
• Include a short sentence for each page. Sentences can either complete a full story or can describe what the reader is looking at.
Formac Our Love Graphic Novels (ages 13+)
Graphic Novels featuring romance, for everyone.
We are actively accepting submissions for graphic novels that depict romance for 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, immigrant, Indigenous, disabled, and other diverse and equity-seeking communities. We are accepting manuscripts from authors, as well as expressions of interest from illustrators interested in being paired up with an author. Illustrator/authors should of course submit as well!
Lorimer, our sister company, publishes a series of YA romance novels called “Real Love” that are great examples of the types of stories we’re looking for.
Submissions should:
• Feature joy and romance, over struggle and pain.
• Follow a well-written, compelling main character
• Be realistic fiction — we are not currently accepting genre fiction
• Have an immediate hook, a compelling rise in action, and a satisfying end
• Be written by members of the community the book depicts
• Feature romance appropriate for readers as young as age 13
Formac adult nonfiction
We publish a range of adult trade nonfiction. Exploring our website is the best way to know if your idea fits with our mandate. But broadly, we consider manuscripts that have a strong Canadian and Maritime connection in the following categories:
• History
• True Crime (Canadian)
• Cookbooks
• Regional travel and adventure guides
• Regional nature guides
• Regional Nonfiction intended for the general reading public (biography, history, environment,
• Regional photography books
How to submit a book proposal
When submitting a proposal, please include:
• A cover letter containing: a description of your book idea, who you believe would be interested in reading it, a brief bio about yourself, and your email and phone number.
• A brief outline (annotated table of contents or a chapter-by-chapter summary)
• A sample chapter for works longer than 5,000 words, or the entire manuscript for works shorter than 5,000 words.
You email your proposals to:
[email protected]
Or mail to:
Acquisitions Editor
Formac Publishing Company Limited
5502 Atlantic Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H 1G4
Note that material submitted by mail will not be returned unless an addressed and stamped envelope is included with the package.
Illustrators
We are actively seeking illustrators for early reader chapter books, graphic novels, and non-fiction projects.
Interested artists should:
• Prepare a PDF or Word document with 4–10 single works as a sample. These samples should give us a clear idea of your distinctive style or show us the breadth of styles you work within.
• Name the document as such: YOUR NAME_SAMPLE
• Email [email protected] with your sample and CV attached.
FAQs
When will I hear back?
When a project interests us, we will reach out by phone or email. So ensure both ways of contacting you are included in your submission. Please allow several weeks for a response, and please do not follow up on submissions. Submission follow up emails mix up our tracking process, and may result in your submission being skipped or lost!
I’ve never written a book before.
We work with writers at every stage of their career. Many of our authors are subject experts and not previously published. Our titles are intended for the general reading public, the home cook, the come-from-away traveler.
Do I need an agent or representation?
Our submission policy has always been, and remains open — no agent required. We are committed to low-barrier-to-entry publishing and encourage authors to represent themselves when submitting work to us.