Submissions

We are excited to read your book! The Buckeye Book Fair is one of Ohio’s foremost literary showcase events and offers extensive statewide publicity and a proven audience of book buyers. This annual author and illustrator signing event helps the Buckeye Book Fair charity and our organization’s literacy outreach.

Authors, Illustrators, and Publishers are welcome to submit new works by Ohio Authors, Illustrators, and Photographers, or books that are on Ohio topics. Our 23-member Steering Committee reviews all books on a monthly basis. Submissions are accepted January through July. Author & Illustrators can participate in the Fair by invitation only. There is no fee for authors to participate; nor does the Buckeye Book Fair provide honoraria or cover travel expenses.

1. To participate in the November 2-4, 2023 Buckeye Book Fair, the author, illustrator, or publisher is required to meet the following criteria: The author must be an Ohio native, resident, or have a significant tie to Ohio, or have a book on an Ohio topic.
2. The author’s book(s) must be readily available from the publisher(s) for sale at the November book fair with privileges that include terms of a 40%+ discount off the list price and 60+ days for return credit and payment. Authors and Illustrators providing their own titles must ship or deliver books before October 25th.
3. In lieu of a table fee our charity requests five complimentary copies of the book to share for promotion of the author and/or sell at our Fair. We are a 501(c)3 charity organization and the Book Fair helps our organization’s non-profit literacy programs.
4. We prefer working with traditional publishers. Our review committee hesitates to include self-published or on-demand titles. Authors, Illustrators, and Indie-Press owners must agree to the Book Fair’s terms to participate. If indie-press or print-on-demand books are not available when our purchase order is received, the author will be cancelled. Please check with your publisher before applying. Small press or indie-authors need to provide required book industry trade terms; which are 1) Ready-to-ship availability; 2) Retail discounting of at least 40%; and 3) Open lines of full credit and return. It is a burden to our charity when these terms are not respected. In order to organize and present our event, trade terms and other conventions of traditional publishing—including professional editing and design—are of utmost priority. If you are submitting a book for consideration in the Buckeye Book Fair, please communicate with your small press, or if you are self-published, have your own books on hand.
5. The Author/Illustrator must have a new book published after the previous book fair’s deadline of August 2022; or past book fair Authors/Illustrators must have a new book published since their last BBF appearance.

How to Submit

The Buckeye Book Fair Steering Committee has determined that eBook titles cannot be included at this time. We will continue to evolve with our authors and readers.

Print-on-Demand Titles

Submitted titles MUST be readily available for immediate shipment from the publishers when orders are placed—we cannot stress how important this is. All books with a barcode on the very last page (facing the back cover) are printed on-demand and some publishers maintain an on-hand supply and some do not. Please understand, unsold books must be returned for credit. Please do not submit your book if your publisher will not agree to the terms.

How Do I Know If I Can Submit My Book?

The Buckeye Book Fair will not refuse any submissions, but we cannot return review copies. Please make sure that your publisher guarantees ready-to-ship availability before you submit your work. If your submission is determined not to meet the book fair qualifications, we will notify you.

Submission specifications:

We are happy to review submitted works for possible inclusion, but because the Steering Committee must familiarize themselves with many books, this review process may take some time to complete. Most invitations are issued to authors who are sought out by the Buckeye Book Fair organizers.

To be considered, mail a review copy of the final book to: Buckeye Book Fair, 304 N Market St, Wooster, OH 44691. Make sure to provide us with author (or publicist) contact information, including email address, and the author’s Ohio connection, if not an Ohio resident. The Buckeye Book Fair will not refuse any submissions, but we cannot return review copies.

• A Letter or Note introducing the Author and/or Illustrator.
• The Contact Information (email is fine) for inviting the Author or Illustrator.
• Tell us what the Author, Illustrator, or Book’s OHIO connection is!

The absolute deadline for book submission is now August 1st.

The Review Process

If you and your book meets the OHIO connection qualification, the Buckeye Book Fair Steering Committee will review your book for possible inclusion in the book fair. The Steering Committee uses a number of criteria to evaluate books for inclusion. Some of the qualities the Committee looks for in books include the quality of the work, its printing and design, broad interest appeal, the list price and overall salability of the book.

Since the fair can accommodate fewer authors than requests received for attendance, entrance is competitive and most invitations are issued to authors who are sought out by the book fair organizers. Because we have an exact number of seats to fill, decisions are often delayed while we determine the number of seats available.

If your book was not selected, please try again with your next book. A different year, reviewer, or table availability may provide you with the opportunity you’re seeking.

Invitations

Our goal is to provide an excellent and diverse product mix of books so that the event is successful and enjoyable for the visitors and the participating authors.

If your book is selected for inclusion, you will be invited to attend the book fair. Invitations are issued on a rolling basis and all invitations will be issued by the end of September.

The Buckeye Book Fair makes every effort to include quality works by Ohio authors, but we receive an overwhelming number of submissions. Each year, the Buckeye Book Fair’s Steering Committee reviews more than 200 submitted titles but can only accommodate fewer authors than requests received for attendance. Most invitations are issued to authors who are sought out by the book fair’s organizers.