All books published through Whale Review are jointly published with Xi Nan & Fish Lu STUDIO, London.

Founded in London in 2022 by Xi Nan and Fish Lu, the studio is a registered trademark and has published over ten books across various genres.

Book Manuscript Submissions

We welcome manuscripts that reflect original voices and creative thinking. Please read our guidelines before submitting.

Please email your manuscript and a short author biography to: xifish.studio@gmail.com

1. Originality and AI Use

All works must be independently created by their authors. We do not accept entirely AI-generated works. Please disclose any AI assistance and ensure you have the necessary rights and permissions to publish your work.

2. Previous Publication

We welcome manuscripts intended for their first complete publication as a book. Previously published books must have been substantially revised, with more than 70% new or revised content. Works published in parts in journals, online publications or personal social media are still welcome.

3. Length

We generally prefer poetry collections of up to 9,000 lines and 300 poems in total, or manuscripts of up to 40,000 words in other genres.

4. Copyright and Publishing Rights

Authors retain copyright and grant us exclusive publishing rights while their books remain in publication. During this time, authors may share excerpts elsewhere, up to a cumulative total of 20% of the complete work. Once the book is withdrawn from sale and the publishing agreement has ended, authors are free to publish it elsewhere in full.

5. Review Time

We aim to respond within three months, depending on manuscript length.

6. What We Publish

We currently welcome poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction, but not academic papers.