Lifestyle Guidelines

Penguin Random House South Africa will consider submissions in the following categories:

• General and literary fiction (Penguin Random House South Africa is not currently accepting any unsolicited fiction proposals, manuscripts or submissions.
• General non-fiction (sport, environmental issues, business, politics, African interest, current affairs, history, military history, etc.)
• Illustrated non-fiction – nature guides and general books pertaining to nature and environment; children’s nature; travel and heritage; cookery, health, gardening, etc.)
• Narrative non-fiction (memoir, biography, autobiography, travel writing, etc.)
• Children’s books
• Young Adult books

Penguin Random House South Africa will not usually consider the following submissions:

• Poetry
• Short stories
• Educational/academic
• Scripts for plays, television or film

Penguin Random House South Africa will not usually consider the following submissions:

• Poetry
• Short stories
• Educational/academic
• Scripts for plays, television or film

is format will not be considered.

If you have already sent your book proposal and first chapter in the format requested, we will give it thorough consideration. If we are interested in seeing the full manuscript based on your proposal, we will request your manuscript. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of book submissions we receive, we cannot respond to each one individually. If you have not heard from us after six weeks, please accept that your proposal was unsuccessful.

A book proposal consists of the following: 

Title (What is your book called?) 
Example: The Milk Tart Murders 

Genre (Is your book a thriller, a love story, historical fiction, literary fiction or something else?) 
Example: Cosy crime with a love drama. 

Target market (Who will buy this book?) 
Example: Women who enjoy local fiction, crime fiction, love stories and cooking. 

Similar books on the market (Which book/s can your book be compared to? In which section of the bookshop would your book be placed?) 
Example: The Thursday Murder Club / Crime fiction. 

Mini-biography of the author (How would you summarize yourself in a paragraph on the back cover of the book? Please mention if you are a debut author.) 
Example: Sally Andrew is the author of the bestselling Tannie Maria mysteries, books that have been translated into fourteen languages across five continents. She lives in a mud-brick house on a nature reserve in the Klein Karoo with her artist partner, a giant eland and a secretive leopard. Sally also spends time in the wilderness of southern Africa and the seaside suburb of Muizenberg. She holds a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Cape Town. Before settling down to write full time, she was a social and environmental activist. 

Tag line (What sentence could you see on the cover of your book, summing it up in one striking sentence?) 
Example: Tannie Maria ditches her veldskoene for a date at Oupa Frik’s vintage bioscope, but things take a dark turn … 

Blurb (How would you summarize your story in a few paragraphs on the back cover of the book to encourage the reader to buy the book?) 
Example:

Who knew a Marilyn Monroe movie could kill you? When Oom Frik of Oom Frik’s Fantastiques dies during a vintage movie screening in Ladismith, Tannie Maria and her policeman boyfriend Henk are on the scene. 

Ja, the old thrift-shop owner had a heart condition, but was there more to his demise? It’s rumoured that among Frik’s junk are valuable treasures, and the grumpy, paranoid old guy frequently altered his will. 

When a second body turns up, there’s a clue: a letter addressed to Tannie Maria asking for advice – and a milk tart recipe. Fifty-plus agony aunt Maria and feisty young journalist Jessie conduct their own treasure hunt and murder investigation. The police are looking for the perpetrator too, but the amateur detectives have unique skills, and Tannie Maria’s food is a powerful incentive to get people to talk. 

Maria and Jessie step into deep danger, but all is not doom and gloom. Spring has arrived in the Karoo, and Henk and Maria discuss moving in together, even though his home is full of his late wife’s stuff. Maria knows food has a way of filling the dark spaces, for better or for worse. Perhaps, once the Klein Karoo crime-buster’s work is done, she might follow her own advice and try a healing recipe. 

Synopsis (How would you summarize your entire story in less than one page? Please include all spoilers: the main twists, denouements and the conclusion.) 

An unsolicited manuscript is one which is sent to a publisher without the publisher requesting/ commissioning it. 

You can contact the Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA) on (021) 425-2721 who will be able to answer most questions on publishing and publishers in the country. The book, How To Get Your Book Published in 30 (relatively) Easy Steps by Basil van Rooyen (Penguin Books South Africa) is also a valuable source for South African authors.

You do not need to be represented by a literary agent to have your work considered by Penguin Books South Africa.

Most South African publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts, but if you would like to find a literary agent (particularly if you would like your work considered by overseas publishers), you can consult The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. 

No. Your book will only be considered by Penguin Books South Africa. Most overseas publishers, including the Penguin Group companies around the world, do not accept unsolicited material and require submissions to be made through literary agents. Unfortunately, we cannot divulge the details of editors at other Penguin Group companies.

Not necessarily. Penguin Books South Africa may offer rights or copies of our publications to our overseas companies, but the decision to publish/sell the book in their market is entirely at their discretion.

Yes.

Penguin Books South Africa is ultimately looking to publish books that will work within the South African trade book market. Originality, high writing standard and market appeal are therefore essential.

This is entirely up to you. Obviously, the more polished a manuscript is, the more likely it is that it will be accepted. That said, if it is accepted, it will go through an in-house editorial process before it is published. 

If you would like a freelance editor to edit your work, or to give you a reader’s report, which may provide valuable feedback, you should contact The Professional Editors’ Group (www.editors.org.za).

Yes but it is difficult to assess any proposal properly without reading any actual material, and it is unlikely that Penguin Books South Africa would make any commitment to publish your book based only on a proposal. If you would like to assess whether your book idea is viable, it would be useful for you to consider the market potential of the book (who the readership is, how many people will likely buy a book on this topic, how your book will compete with the existing product already on the market, etc.).

No. As we receive so many manuscripts, we are unable to meet with potential authors.  Once you have made a submission according to the guidelines above, and if we are interested in your work, we will be in touch with you to ask for additional material and/or request a meeting.

No, although you will need to have at least three chapters and a full outline completed. We only require the first three chapters and a synopsis of the entire book, so you can submit these to us when they are ready. 

It is important that you send the early chapters so we can read the manuscript properly. However, you can send a later chapter if you would like us to look at that too. Please do not send the entire manuscript.

Unfortunately, Penguin Books South Africa cannot assist with providing ghost writers. We suggest you contact The Professional Editors’ Group (www.editors.org.za) or the South African Freelancers Association (www.safrea.co.za) who should be able to put you in touch with a freelance writer.

Penguin Books South Africa publishes primarily in English and Afrikaans.

No. From both an editorial and production perspective, handwritten manuscripts prove too cumbersome for us to consider them realistically for publication. Not only is the handwriting often difficult to read, but if the manuscript is accepted for publication, it will need to be typed up in order to put it through the production process and this will need to be done by the author, not by Penguin Books South Africa. 

No. Penguin Books South Africa will review the text on its merits. We would commission a suitable illustrator should this be appropriate. 

Before submitting, make sure that Penguin Random House South Africa is a good fit for your work. Look at the types of books they publish and ensure that your style aligns with their brand.

Choose a variety of illustrations that showcase your style, versatility, and ability to appeal to children. Include character designs, different scenes, and perhaps some work that shows your ability to handle sequential art or visual storytelling.

Write a concise and professional cover letter that introduces yourself and your work. Include any relevant experience or previous publications, and explain why you believe your work would be a good fit for their publishing house.

Make sure your submission includes clear contact information. Provide your full name, address, phone number, and email address.

While it’s important to showcase your best work, be mindful of copyright and intellectual property concerns. Only send digital copies, not original artwork, and consider including a copyright notice with your submissions. Ensure your files are in a commonly accepted format (like PDF or JPEG), are not too large, and are clearly labeled with your name and contact information.

The review process can take a long time, and many publishers receive a high volume of submissions. Be patient while waiting for a response, and consider following up if you haven’t heard back in a couple of months.

Illustrators and designers can send their submissions to childrensbooks@penguinrandomhouse.co.za

Unfortunately, as we receive so many manuscripts, we are unable to provide any detailed feedback. Penguin Books South Africa is also not able to enter into written/verbal correspondence if your book is turned down. 

Yes. You are welcome to re-submit according to the standard guidelines in order to increase your chances of publishing a book with us. Please mention that you have previously submitted and why you are re-submitting the manuscript.

Penguin Random House does not accept self-published works. If if you are merely looking for someone to distribute copies of your self-published book, you can contact the Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA) on (021) 425-2721 who will be able to give you details of distribution companies operating in the country. 

You should include any relevant information pertaining to the submitted material, such as: a brief author biography, if you have been previously published, why you wrote the book, etc.). 

The synopsis needs to explain what the entire book is about. It can be as short as a few paragraphs, but preferably not longer than one typed page.

The length of a manuscript depends on the book, but as a rough guideline, full-length adult fiction/non-fiction works should be between 35 000 and 100 000 words. 

We would prefer manuscripts that:

• have 1.5 or double spacing
• use a serif font like Times New Roman, Garamond  or Century, size 12
• have page numbers
• use paragraphing
• are not written completely in CAPS

Manuscripts sent via email should preferably be submitted as an attached Microsoft Word document.

According to South African and UK copyright law, your work is already copyrighted without needing to use the © symbol. Copyright can only be assigned to another party if it is in writing.

If you send your manuscript via email, you will receive an automated response, indicating that your email has been received. If you send your manuscript via post, it is advisable to call our offices a few weeks after posting to confirm that your manuscript has been received and logged.

You are not under any obligation to any publisher until you have been made an offer and signed a publishing contract, so you are welcome to submit to various publishers simultaneously.

The time it takes to evaluate manuscripts often depends on when your manuscript was received (as it goes into a queue), the time of year, and the number of manuscripts we are currently evaluating at any one time. Typically, it takes 4-6 months before we are able to provide any feedback. Manuscripts that show potential may take a little longer as we will need to complete market research and do provisional costings before we decide whether the project is indeed a viable venture. 

Penguin Books South Africa will let you know if your work has been rejected. If you have not heard from us, it means your work is still being evaluated.

Penguin Books South Africa will contact you via email or post if your manuscript is successful or further information is required, so it is essential that you provide your email and/or postal address. We cannot take responsibility for email addresses that have changed during the time it has taken us to evaluate your manuscript, so please make sure you provide us with back-up address information.

Unfortunately, as we receive so many manuscripts and because of the time it takes to evaluate manuscripts (meaning that postage fees are often increased during this period), we are only able to post manuscripts back to authors in exceptional circumstances. 

We plan our publishing schedules a year in advance and ‘pre-sell’ to our customers 4 months in advance of publication. You should assume 9 to 15 months from the time your manuscript is received until the month of publication, depending on the genre and whether your book is illustrated or not.

No. As a publishing company, Penguin Books South Africa pays for and manages the production process (editing, proofreading, typesetting, printing, etc.), as well as distribution and sales. The author will not need to pay for any part of this process.

Royalties are paid to authors as a percentage of the net revenue of the book based on the number of copies sold.

The average royalty percentage offered is 12.5% on net revenue. 

If a decision is made to publish a manuscript, Penguin Books South Africa will make you an offer based on what we believe to be the sales potential of the book in our market. If the offer is accepted, a publishing contract (containing details of royalty payments and the rights and obligations of both parties) will be drawn up. Penguin Books South Africa will then put the manuscript into production.

• Email address for submissions: childrensbooks@penguinrandomhouse.co.za

  Submission guidelines

  Penguin Random House South Africa is currently accepting manuscript submissions for children’s and teen literature – both fiction and non-fiction, in English and Afrikaans. We are not accepting submissions for any picture books or young adult books.

  • Only electronic submissions via e-mail are accepted, in Word or PDF format. Submissions made through sites like WeTransfer or Google Drive are not accepted.
  • As PRHSA receives many manuscripts it could take up to six months for a review to be concluded and a decision made about publication.
  • The publishers are under no obligation to comment on or give feedback about a manuscript or to give reasons for declining to publish a manuscript.
  • Writers should not self-publish or submit their manuscript to another publisher while the manuscript is being reviewed by PRHSA. We also do not accept submissions of books that have already been self-published.
  • PRHSA does not take responsibility for any lost material. It is advisable to not include any original artwork or any original graphic material with a submission.
  • Writers do not have to include illustrations with their submission. The publisher will appoint and pay for an illustrator if the manuscript is accepted for publication.
  • PRHSA is a traditional publisher, which means that, if a manuscript is accepted for publication, the author won’t be responsible for any costs associated with publishing and will receive a royalty payment.

  Guidelines for age groups:

  The categorisation of age groups is not set in stone, but in general we distinguish between the groups below. Word counts are estimated guidelines only and should not be taken as strict prescription.

  • Baby books (0+): Not currently accepting submissions.
  • Picture books (3+): Not currently accepting submissions.
  • First reading books (5+): The books have few words and the language use is simple, usually with full colour illustrations that help to tell the story. The books are aimed at children who are just starting to read. Examples: The Tippie series (José and Reinette Palmer) and the Keegan & Samier series (André Trantraal and Verushka Louw).
  • Beginner reading books (7+): Short stories that are simply written and are accompanied by illustrations. The focus is on fun, exciting and humorous stories. Usually under 8 000 words. Examples: Thabo the space dude series (Lori-Ann Preston), Ouma Mollie series (Fanie Viljoen), and My First Wild Island Adventure / My eerste wilde eiland avontuur (Riaan Manser).
  • Books for intermediary readers (9+): Humorous stories, gross stories and adventure stories are amongst the popular titles for this age group. Books have full colour or black and white illustrations. Usually between 8 000 and 12 000 words. Examples: Die ware avonture van Adelie and Riley series (Felicia Snyman du Toit), Once Upon a Sign series (Nancy Gaylard) and Meatball the ghost dog / Frikkadel die spookhond (Fanie Viljoen). 
  • Books for younger teens (11+): Books for this age group are about topics that are relatable to its readers and fit in with their world view. Also referred to as chapter books, these stories usually don’t contain illustrations and are usually under 30 000 words. Examples: Die verdwyning van Seamus Smit deur Seamus Smit (Nerine Ahlers), Thomas@-reeks (Carina Diedericks-Hugo), Dinge wat ek nie van skape geweet het nie / Taking selfies with a sheep (Jaco Jacobs).
  • Books for older teens (13+ and 15+): Books in this category contain slightly more mature themes that are relevant to the teenage and high school experience. They are usually between 30 000 and 50 000 words. Examples: The Witches of Hogsback (Sally Partridge), Ons laaste legendariese somer (Fanie Viljoen), A Thousand Eyes on You (Mia Ardene) and Vrydag is ek verlief (Cecilia Steyn).
  • Young Adult literature (17+): Not currently accepting submissions.

  Note to illustrators: Illustrators are welcome to submit their portfolio with examples of their work to our email address (only electronic submissions are accepted). Promising portfolios will be kept on file and the publisher will reach out to the illustrator if there is a project that suits their style. Unfortunately, no feedback can be given on illustration submissions.

  No submissions of original art by post or mail will be accepted. Penguin Random House South Africa is not liable for any lost material.

  Information required for submissions

  • Name
  • Surname
  • Email address
  • Cell phone number
  • Title of the manuscript
  • Intended age group/target market
  • Word count
  • Summary of contents or full synopsis
  • A short biography of the writer, including relevant publishing background if applicable
  • Full manuscript or at least the first 3 chapters