Over the past decade, indies have become a watchword for quality. It’s rare to find a major prize list without at least one indie publisher. The Booker, the International Booker, the Nobel, the Goldsmiths, the T. S. Eliot Prize, the Forward Prizes, the Pulitzer – the list of prizes won by indies goes on.
Indies are publishing some of the freshest, most original work in today’s marketplace, which is why we are so excited to hosting an Indie Extravaganza in the Salon!
On 23-24 February we have an incredible roster of independent presses joining us live to read your pitches.
All the editors we’ve invited are actively looking for projects that pique their interest. They're hungry for new authors – could you be one of them?
If a press is interested in seeing more, they'll let you know, so make sure your work is submission ready.
We will be hosting the following presses:
the Emma Press
Prototype
Galley Beggar Press
Bad Betty
Wild Hunt Books
Scratch Books
Seren Books
Luna Press Publishing
Blue Moose Books
Dahlia Books
Linen Press
Hashtag Press
All you need to take part is a short pitch for your work in progress: a 100-word pitch for prose writers; a 50-word pitch, plus 30 lines of poetry for poets. You’re welcome to pitch to any press you feel is a good fit for your work.
To help you get to know them and the work they’re interested in, we’ve asked each press to recommend three titles to us. We’ll be making that information, as well general information about each press, available in the Salon.
You must be a subscriber to access the event. A full yearly package costs just £50 and includes our quarterly print magazine and access to the Mslexia Salon, where you can connect with our vibrant online community, join our weekly write-ins, take part in workshops led by experienced authors and editors, and gain access to a library of writerly resources.
And if that wasn't enough, Mslexia founder and editor Debbie Taylor and poet Kris Johnson are running two Pitch Surgeries in the Salon ahead of the event to help you smarten up your pitch before all those presses cast their eyes over it.
Whether you're working on a novel, novella, short story collection, narrative nonfiction or a poetry collection, they can help you craft an attention-grabbing pitch.
To take part, you simply post your pitch on the Salon. Debbie and Kris will be logged on all day to read your pitches and offer written feedback on up to 20 of them.
There's no Zoom link needed to take part in this event. Just visit the Salon to post your pitch, read and comment on each other's pitches, and see any written feedback you've been given. It's a great chance to immerse yourself in the kind of writing editors read every day and offer like-minded women any useful tips you've gathered along the way.
So sign up for the Mslexia Salon in 2026 to join our community and take the next step on your writing journey.
