Submission Process

If you're interested in writing and submitting a book for Mills & Boon, please consult these steps first to help you on your way.

Step 1: Read loads

This is the best advice we can give for finding your favourite Mills & Boon series and the one you want to write for.

Step 2: Choose the series you want to write for

Read the guidelines for the series to find out exactly what we’re looking for and which one suits your writing style best.

The editors have written guidelines that reflect the key promises of each series but do remember there is no formula for writing a publishable romance!

One more thing… We have three acquiring offices in the company, so do make sure your submission goes to the right place! 

Step 3: Send your fabulous story to us!

We are taking submissions via the online system Submittable. To submit to any of our series go to Submittable where you can view the guidelines and select which series you are aiming for.

Top tips for using Submittable:

  • Your covering letter should outline pertinent facts about yourself as a writer including your familiarity with the romance genre and previous publishing experience.
  • Please upload your synopsis and the first three chapters of your book in two separate Word documents.
  • Your synopsis should give a clear idea of both your plot and characters and be between three and five pages.
  • Please remember to double space your manuscript!  It’s also helpful to number each page sequentially and type your name and title in the upper left-hand corner of each page.
  • If you have any questions regarding your submission to Mills & Boon you can get in touch via email at submissions@harlequin.com.

  

Please note the following information:

  1. Mills & Boon publishes category romance and fiction. Please see the guideline for each series for details.
  2. Please submit via https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit and read the instructions on that page carefully. Please note that any further correspondence will then be sent to you by way of the email address you supply.
  3. All material should be your own original work. Stories that contain scenes or plot lines that bear a striking resemblance to previously published work are in breach of copyright law and are not acceptable.
  4. Do not send any material that is being considered by another publisher. Multiple or duplicated submissions are not acceptable. A literary agent is not required in order to submit.
  5. We enter into discussions about payment only when a contract is offered.
  6. All material will be evaluated in as timely a fashion as volume allows. You will be notified when your submission has been received. We do our best to respond to submissions within 12-14 weeks.
  7. We take every reasonable care of manuscripts while they are with us but we cannot take responsibility for the vagaries of cyberspace, so please be sure to retain a copy of your manuscript.
  8. These guidelines should help you understand our requirements and standards. However, there is no better way to determine what we are looking for than reading our books.