She Writes Press Offers Publishing Packages to Support Women Writers
Applications are open for the She Writes Press Toward Equality in Publishing (STEP) 2026, offering two authors publishing packages to promote inclusivity in the publishing industry.
She Writes Press has announced the opening of applications for the She Writes Press Toward Equality in Publishing (STEP) 2026. The STEP contest aims to support inclusivity across the She Writes Press publishing program by offering two authors publishing packages, one for each season, to publish on She Writes Press.
The purpose of this contest is to give voice to women writers and fortify She Writes Press's mission. She Writes Press is an independent publisher that occupies a unique position in the publishing landscape, neither traditional nor self-publishing. They bill themselves as a "third way" for authors, offering an alternative in a rapidly changing publishing industry.
## Benefits of the Publishing Packages
Both packages include the full services of the She Writes Press Publishing Package, valued at $12,000 plus a 500-copy print run. The services include:
| Service | Description | | --- | --- | | Custom interior design | Up to 100,000 words | | Custom cover design | | | E-book file conversion and upload | 130+ distribution partners | | Traditional distribution | Simon & Schuster | | Proofreading of the final manuscript | | | Copyright filing and obtaining Library of Congress control number | | | Warehousing of short-run printed books | | | Preordering and fulfillment of all orders | | | Support through the production schedule and post-publication | Assigned editorial manager | | Complimentary Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) | | | Initial print run of 500 copies | Simon & Schuster warehouse |
## Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the STEP contest, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be over the age of eighteen - Identify as female, woman, trans, non-binary, or genderqueer - Be a woman of color, including people of African, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian/Pacific Islander, Arab, or mixed racial heritage - Have agented or unagented work
## Application Process
Applicants can submit their application via Word or PDF attachment, including a chapter-by-chapter summary and either the first 50 pages of their manuscript or a full nonfiction book proposal with sample chapters. For more information, visit the She Writes Press Toward Equality in Publishing website. The deadline for applications is September 10, 2026.
