Clear Message Press is pleased to announce our latest title,
See the World Through Patterns, is now available
for purchase!
Clear Message Media was founded in 2012 as a way to help small businesses and associations specialize their communication strategies for their audiences. We have grown our company organically based on the needs we felt were under-addressed in the market. In 2016, we launched our publishing arm, Clear Message Press, to better serve our clients and to offer select authors a new avenue for publishing.
Mission Statement
We are a small boutique publisher specializing in nonfiction, such as niche histories, how-to books, memoirs, case studies, and guides. We believe in giving a voice to new authors and providing a hands-on experience throughout the entire publishing process. Our team works closely with our authors. Once a manuscript is submitted (see our Submission Guidelines below), we offer developmental editing services, designer consultation, marketing content, in-person events, and distribution through Amazon or other distributor of your choice. Because of our hands-on approach, we are very selective of the works we publish and take on a limited number per year in order to provide the quality service each book deserves.
Submission Guidelines
As a small publisher, we limit the types of books that we publish. If your manuscript does not fit our Mission, please see our Additional Services below to see how we can help you achieve your goals for your work.
We specialize in these forms of nonfiction:
- Niche Histories: Thin Mint Memories, is a great example of this genre. It focuses on the centennial of the Girl Scout Cookie, and the author’s personal experiences.
- How-to Books: Our upcoming book, Writes of Passage, is an example of a how-to book, guiding the reader through the steps they need to complete their task or accomplish their goal.
- Memoirs: Did you have a fascinating career? Did your life’s work take you to interesting places that others would want to read about?
- Case Studies: Have you studied the development of a unique person, group, or situation over a period of time? Have you interviewed several people about a singular topic?
- Guides: Are you an expert on a certain place? Can you guide others so they feel like they are there or can navigate it on their own when they visit?
We do not publish:
- Novels
- Poetry
- Short Stories
- Children’s Literature
- Textbooks
- Plays
Submitting a proposal
Email press@clearmessagemedia.org with your proposal including all of these items in a single document:
- A cover letter summarizing the book
- A preliminary table of contents
- An expanded table of contents with one- or two-paragraph summaries of each chapter
- Marketing research such as:
- Descriptions of other books on the same or similar topic, and an explanation of why your book is different
- Any special sales potential (organizations that may want to buy large numbers of your book; specialty catalogs or stores that don’t usually sell books but might be interested in yours; events where attendees will be interested in your book)
- Events where attendees will be interested in you as a speaker
- Other countries where demand for your book might be high
- Your target audience
- Who they are—be specific
- Why they will be interested in your book
- Biographical material about you
- Two sample chapters
- Details on your art program, if you plan to have one—including types of images (photos, line illustrations, charts, graphs, or other); an estimate of how many of each type; and whether you envision the art program in color or black and white. If your book features photographs or illustrations, please attach samples of these separately. Do not embed them in your Word document.
Do not send files greater than 8MB.
Please include the word “proposal,” your last name, and the book title in the subject line (e.g., Proposal—Carey—Thin Mint Memories.)
Response Time
We will get back to you in 30 days. Thank you for your interest in Clear Message Press.
Additional Services
If your manuscript does not fit the type of work Clear Message Press publishes, but you wish to advance your work with us, please see our list of additional services below and contact us at press@clearmessagemedia.org. Additionally, if you are seeking to self-publish your book, but need assistance with the steps leading to publishing, we’ll be happy to work with you.
Publishing Services
- Developmental Editing: This form of writing support comes into play before or during the production of a publishable manuscript, especially in the area of nonfiction writing.
- Copyediting: This is the process of revising written material to improve readability and fitness for its purpose, as well as ensuring that it is free of grammatical and factual errors.
- Proofreading: This is the reading of a galley proof or an electronic copy of a publication to find and correct production errors of text or art. Proofreading is the final step in the editorial cycle.
- Publishing Consultation: Self-publishing involves many steps, including those listed above, graphic development, distribution decisions, ebook development, and author web pages, and marketing plans.