Independent stories. Independently published.
Scratch Writing began with books. Before there was a Magazine or a Studio, there was the basic idea behind the name itself: start with a blank page, build something from scratch, and find a way to put it into the world.
Scratch Writing Press is the independent publishing imprint of Scratch Writing, Inc. and the publisher of my books, including The Midas Files series.
Today, the catalog is centered on my own work. But my longer-term vision for Scratch Writing Press is broader: to selectively work with other independent writers whose books feel like a natural fit for what we're building here.
I'm not interested in pretending Scratch Writing Press is something it isn't. We're not a large traditional publisher with an acquisitions department, an army of editors, and manuscripts stacked to the ceiling.
We're an independent press built from firsthand experience doing exactly what indie authors have to do:
Take a story from manuscript to published book.
The Indie Path
I'm an indie author by choice.
There's something I genuinely enjoy about the independence that comes with publishing my own books. I can make decisions about the story, editing, cover, interior design, release schedule, marketing, and the larger world I want to build around the work.
Of course, independence also means somebody has to figure out how to do all those things.
Writing the manuscript is only the beginning.
There are editors to work with, revisions to make, covers to develop, interiors to format, ISBNs and metadata to manage, distribution decisions to make, websites and promotional materials to build—and inevitably some problem you didn't know existed until approximately five minutes before you needed to solve it.
I've learned a great deal by taking my own books through that process.
Scratch Writing Press is where that experience becomes something more deliberate: a professional independent publishing effort with room to grow.
What We Publish
Right now, Scratch Writing Press is primarily home to my fiction and The Midas Files, a Pittsburgh-rooted series that mixes science fiction, conspiracy, history, mystery, technology, and thriller elements.
That work provides a pretty good clue about the kinds of books that interest me.
I'm drawn to science fiction, thrillers, speculative fiction, history, technology, humor, and smart nonfiction. I like unusual ideas, strange questions, compelling mysteries, interesting worlds, and books that give readers something to think about after they've turned the final page.
If you've spent any time wandering around Scratch Magazine, you've probably already developed a pretty good sense of our tastes.
Not every genre is going to be a natural fit. Romance, for example, isn't an area where I have much publishing expertise or where I see Scratch Writing Press developing a meaningful editorial identity.
I'd rather be honest about what interests us than pretend we're the right publisher for every book.
We're not.
And that's probably a good thing.
Looking for an Indie Publishing Partner?
Scratch Writing Press is not currently operating a formal open-submissions program.
But we are open to conversations.
If you're an indie author—or you're sitting on a manuscript and thinking seriously about becoming one—and you've written something that sounds like it might belong in the Scratch Writing world, I'd be interested in hearing about it.
You can use our contact form to introduce yourself and your project.
Tell us what you've written. Tell us where you are in the process. Tell us what you're hoping to accomplish and what kind of publishing help or partnership you're looking for.
You don't need to send a complete manuscript. In fact, please don't send one unsolicited at this stage.
This isn't a formal submission.
It's a conversation.
Start by telling us about the story.
If it sounds like something Scratch Writing Press might be able to help with, we can figure out what the next step should be.
What Could a Partnership Look Like?
That's something we're intentionally leaving room to develop.
Every independent writer arrives at a different place. One author may have a finished manuscript but no idea what comes next. Another may need editorial help. Someone else may understand publishing but need assistance building the website, imagery, promotional material, or digital presence surrounding the book.
As Scratch Writing Press grows, I'm interested in exploring where my own experience with writing, editing, publishing, web development, visual storytelling, and digital content creation can be useful to other writers.
That doesn't necessarily mean every project becomes a Scratch Writing Press title.
Sometimes the right role might simply be helping another indie author figure out how to publish successfully under their own name or imprint.
Other times, perhaps we'll discover a book that really does belong here.
That's part of what I want to find out.
Small by Design
I don't envision Scratch Writing Press becoming a manuscript factory.
If this grows beyond my own books, I'd rather work with a small number of writers and projects I genuinely believe in than measure success by how many titles we can push through a production pipeline.
I want the name on the spine to mean something.
Ideally, as the catalog grows, readers should begin to recognize a certain Scratch Writing sensibility: smart stories, interesting ideas, curiosity, imagination, and perhaps a willingness to wander a little outside the expected.
That seems like a much more interesting independent press to build.
Building Something From Scratch
Scratch Writing Press now has a particular place within the larger Scratch Writing world.
Books is where readers discover the stories.
Magazine is where ideas are explored.
Studio is where stories and ideas take new forms.
And Press is where manuscripts become books.
Today, most of those manuscripts happen to be mine.
Tomorrow?
I'd like to leave some room on the shelf.
If you've written something interesting and think Scratch Writing Press might be the right partner for your publishing journey, tell us about your story.