Today marks the launch of Factorial Books, a London-based digital publisher designed to radically streamline the path from manuscript to market, offering hard-working authors a fairer, faster route to publication.

Founded by Chris Larmour, Martin Coates and John May – entrepreneurs who helped aerospace company Orbex grow from concept all the way through to a private space technology venture valued at more than £220 million – Factorial Books is bringing startup speed and engineering precision to the world of publishing. From its base in Covent Garden, the company aims to be a launchpad for the next generation of sci-fi authors, combining cutting-edge production processes, a 50/50 net revenue share, and a guaranteed five-day turnaround on submission decisions.

“Space technology has often taken its cues from science fiction. With Factorial, we want to return the favour,” said Factorial Books CEO, Chris Larmour. “Our goal is to remove the unnecessary friction that has held back too many great manuscripts – long wait times, outdated processes, poor communication – and replace it with speed, clarity, and genuine partnership.”

Factorial has already secured initial funding to support its first publishing slate, encompassing e-books, paperbacks and audiobooks, with an initial title list scheduled to be revealed already in 2025. The company has also assembled a team of experienced sci-fi editors and cover designers, and is building a proprietary digital-first production workflow aimed at cutting time-to-market while maintaining editorial excellence.

“At Factorial Books we’re not just publishing stories – we’re building the launchpad for the commercial success of the next generation of sci-fi authors,” said John May, Board Director. “With a fair, 50/50 revenue-sharing model, a team of experienced sci-fi editors already signed up and waiting, a unique approach to marketing, and the financial resources already in place to deliver strong, innovative promotional campaigns, we’re creating a new publishing platform that empowers authors and shares success equally.”

A fairer deal for authors

Factorial’s commercial model is built on a simple premise: authors deserve better. There are no fees at any stage of the process – no “contributions” or hidden costs – and authors receive an equal share of net revenues, making it one of the most generous publishing models in the market.

“We’re all sci-fi fans and we have nothing but respect and admiration for sci-fi authors,” Larmour continued. “No writer should have to wait for months on end for a decision on the manuscript they’ve worked so hard to bring to life. We’re doing away with the publishing concept of a ‘slush pile’, instead redefining the process so that acquisition decisions on new submissions can be made in less than a week. We’ll also focus very strongly on the marketing of each book and, most importantly, share success equally with the authors who bring amazing worlds, characters and stories to life.”

Factorial’s review team includes experienced editors with deep expertise in speculative fiction, supported by internal processes to accelerate evaluation and streamline production. The company’s goal is to match editorial quality with startup responsiveness.

Open call for submissions

Submissions are open now. Factorial is seeking full-length science fiction novels across all subgenres, from hard sci-fi to space opera, cyberpunk to climate fiction. Both represented and unrepresented authors are welcome, and there are no formatting requirements, no synopses needed, and no metadata hurdles to clear.

“We want to modernise the submissions process and remove the barriers typically associated with getting work published,” said Martin Coates, Chairman. “Authors or agents simply have to click the submission email address, attach a complete novel – in any format, font, or layout – and hit send. It’s that easy. No cover letters, no hoops. If you’ve written a page-turning story with vision, originality, and commercial promise, we want to read it.”

"Somewhere out there, in files hidden on laptop hard drives, are the next great sci-fi novels waiting to be discovered,” said Larmour. “We want to shine spotlights on those hidden gems and turn them into global bestsellers. We welcome bold ideas, imaginative premises, strong plots, and outstanding characters that can captivate science fiction readers worldwide, from new or established authors, with or without representation. Our online door is always open, and we’re eager to read new manuscripts.”