The North Recommends: Northodox Press
Northodox Press is an independent publisher based in Manchester, established during the first lockdown in 2020. We founded the Press as a direct response to the lack of representation from northern voices within the publishing industry. The Northodox team met at the University of Derby studying Creative Writing where we founded a creative writing magazine, The Writer’s Quibble. The magazine was our first true taste of publishing and planted the seeds for what eventually became Northodox Press. After graduation, we found work across the publishing industry, in literary agencies and the big four, as well as becoming authors in our own right.
The London-centric focus of the publishing industry, both geographically and mentally, was always part of the conversation whenever we returned home or suffered through strange editorial practices which eroded any semblance of accent or identity.
Our original focus for the press was Crime Fiction, specifically for the broad appeal and instant recognition of the genre and the avenues to creatively bend the formula. Our first publication partnered with The Liverpool Literary Agency for Jack Byrne’s Under the Bridge, part of The Liverpool Mystery Series, currently spanning three novels. The absolute veracity of northern readers and especially in the city of Liverpool has been nothing but heart-warming. The support of The Liverpool Literary Agency, with special thanks to Clare Coombes and the team, has been astounding, building a real community of writers in an otherwise unrepresented, but a quintessentially northern city.
Though our editorial tastes are incredibly varied and we’ve always pushed the definition of crime fiction within our brand. To date we’ve published a fusion of crime fiction and fantasy (Clockwork Magpies by Emma Whitehall), science fiction (Airedale by Dylan Byford), historical fiction (Out of Human Sight by Sophie Parkes); and horror (Hyenas by Michael Sellars).
Starting during the first lockdown set us up well to be digitally facing. We’re a digital-first publisher, which means that all our paperbacks are print-on-demand, which hasn’t stopped our books being stocked in Waterstones and a host of award-winning indie bookstores.
The team currently work remotely from Manchester, Yorkshire, and Cumbria, and despite weekly Zoom meetings, we’re still enjoying the experience of working for an indie publisher without the crushing realities of a long commute.
Our submissions window is currently closed but will re-open at the start of 2023. If you’re an author originally from the north or currently living there, with a taste for “crime fiction”, we would love to hear from you.
Visit Northodox Press’ website, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.