The Book of Valletta: Call for Stories

Are you an author with a strong personal connection to Valletta, writing in Maltese or English? Submit your work for consideration for an upcoming collection of Maltese fiction published in the UK by Comma Press in collaboration with the National Book Council – Malta (NBC).

We Want:

Stories that could not be set anywhere else – that live and breathe Valletta! Maybe your story is set against an event in the city’s past, or perhaps explores a street, neighbourhood or landmark en route to telling a compelling tale. The story should touch on things that Valletta’s people would be very familiar with, but that readers outside of Malta might not be. We want our readers to feel like they’ve been here, after reading your story.

Besides spotlighting Valletta, your submission must be a compelling, well-written short story in its own right. Remember, we’re looking for stories set in Valletta, not a travel guide!

Submission Guidelines

Submissions Close: 30 June 2025.

Submit via email as a Word Document or PDF to George at commapublishing@yahoo.com.

Your email title must contain the phrase ‘Book of Valletta Submission’, or it may be missed. Please note the rules of entry outlined below. Submissions:

• Must be your own original work of fiction
• Must not have been published in English elsewhere
• Must be 2000 – 6000 words
• May be of any genre
• Must not contain any libellous, blasphemous or copyrighted material
• Must not contain symbols, emojis or other unconventional text formatting
• May be written in Maltese or English

We Are Not Looking For:

• ‘Slice-of-life’ stories
• Autobiography or meditations
• Poetry
• Reportage or non-fiction
• Chapters or excerpts from a longer piece
• Stories that could take place in any other city

We encourage you to look at other Comma Press ‘Reading the City’ anthologies for an idea of what we’re after.

Translation

We invite writers to submit the names of up to three preferred translators (if writing in Maltese). We cannot guarantee that you will be granted your chosen translator if selected for publication, but your preferences will be taken into consideration.

Payment & Rights

If selected for publication you will receive a one-time payment of £100. The rights to your story will remain with you and the rights to the specific English translation will remain with the translator, with all other rights belonging to Comma Press. 

About the ‘Reading the City’ Series

Travelling is great, but what happens when your experience of new cities becomes confined by your status as just a tourist? The guidebooks only tell you what tourists want to know. 

Comma's 'Reading the City' offers a completely new way in. Ten stories, by ten different authors from the city in question, specially commissioned or never previously translated into English – they each offer diverse and conflicting impressions of the city, exploring its many distinct boroughs and neighbourhoods as well as uncovering its different historical layers, unlocking the subcultures and secrets that ultimately make it the city it is.

About the National Book Council of Malta

The National Book Council of Malta is an independent public entity operating under the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation dedicated to serving the Maltese book industry and providing essential services for authors, publishers, editors, translators, illustrators and booksellers. 

The National Book Council is actively involved in multiple activities, ranging from large-scale international and national events to smaller-scale initiatives. Its flagship events include the Malta Book Festival, usually held in November, and the National Book Prize as well as other literary contests. Additionally, the NBC administers Public Lending Rights payments (in close collaboration with Malta Libraries) and is the ISBN & ISMN agency for Malta. It promotes the interests of the book industry’s stakeholders and acts as a mediator for authors and publishers at foreign book fairs, both directly and through a growing advisory board, while also facilitating translations and export projects via the Malta Book Fund.