Turning young writers into published authors,and students into publishers.

Saint Gertrude House is a publishing house run by students. Each school that joins opens its own press — an imprint of the house — and its students take young writers’ manuscripts through a real editorial process, from first reading to a printed book.

It is for middle and high schools. Writers can be any age the school chooses; the publishing team is usually a group of older students working as publishers, editors, designers and publicists.

1. 1Submitted. A young writer sends in a manuscript, with a parent’s agreement.
2. 2Editorial review. Student editors read it closely and recommend whether to take it on.
3. 3Editing. Editors work through the text, recording a reason for every change they make.
4. 4Design. Student designers plan the pages, the type and the cover.
5. 5Publication. The book is made ready for print, and publicists tell the school about it.
6. 6Published. The finished book is printed. Families order copies through a private link.

At every step the student publisher makes a decision and the house confirms it, so each book has a full record of who decided what. Not every manuscript is accepted — a press is only worth something if it chooses — and every writer is told kindly either way.

Run by your students. Your school forms a publishing team, usually as a club or class, and does the editorial work itself. This is the heart of it: students learn publishing by doing it.

Run by the house. If you would like your students’ writing published but cannot run a team, share a submission link and the house produces the books for you. Places are limited.

Nothing for schools. Families who want copies order them through a private link; each copy is priced at its printing cost plus a small amount that keeps the house running.

• Nothing is published without a parent or guardian’s consent, confirmed by the school.
• Books are never listed publicly. They can only be ordered through a link the school shares.
• Writers appear by first name or a pen name. No surname, school, grade or photograph appears anywhere public.
• Families follow a manuscript with a tracking code; they need no account.

We are preparing an open press for young writers whose school does not have one, with a parent submitting on their behalf. It is not open yet.

Write to us and tell us about your school and which way you would like to run your press. We will set it up with you, name your imprint, and give your librarian everything they need to open for submissions.

Write to start a press

hello@saintgertrudepublishing.com