For Authors and Estates

Translation and Estate Partnerships

Through the Mesagjeritë Shqiptare imprint, Albanika Press publishes English-language translations of historically significant Albanian literary works. The press’s translation program includes works such as Old Neno’s Stories by Musine Kokalari, developed in collaboration with rights holders and translators. The imprint revives the name of the press founded in 1943 by Musine Kokalari and her brothers — a press silenced under Albania's communist regime.

For translated works and historical texts, Albanika Press works closely with estates and rights holders to ensure that editions are prepared with care. This may involve consultation around translation approach, introductory materials, and presentation decisions that support accuracy and accessibility. The goal is not rapid dissemination, but durable publication that allows a work to be read and understood over time.

We work directly with:

• Literary estates

• Foundations

• Rights holders and cultural institutions

Projects considered under this imprint typically involve:

• Estate-managed or historically important works

• Ethical translation with attention to original voice and context

• Editions that may include introductions, translator’s notes, or scholarly framing

Rights agreements are tailored to the specific work and are designed to support clarity, stewardship, and long-term accessibility.

Original Illustrated Works

Through the Slim Shady imprint, Albanika Press publishes original illustrated books and series for children. For these original projects, authors and illustrators are encouraged to consider whether their work aligns with the press’s focus on restraint, emotional intelligence, and editorial selectivity. Albanika Press does not operate on open submission cycles or broad calls for manuscripts. Instead, projects are developed through direct inquiry and mutual evaluation, allowing both the press and prospective collaborators to determine fit before proceeding.

We consider projects that:

• Center emotionally intelligent storytelling

• Demonstrate narrative restraint and clarity of intent

• Are suitable for families, classrooms, and libraries

• Align with the imprint’s gentle, reflective tone

Original works are developed collaboratively and deliberately, with attention to language, visual storytelling, and long-term coherence.

What We Consider

By maintaining a small and focused publishing program, Albanika Press is able to build long-term relationships with authors and estates. This approach supports sustained attention to each title and ensures that publishing decisions are guided by editorial judgment rather than production volume or market pressure.

Albanika Press considers projects that:

• Align clearly with our stated publishing programs and values

• Demonstrate depth of voice and purpose

• Benefit from careful, small-scale development

• Are suited to long-term stewardship rather than rapid release

What Falls Outside Our Scope

To maintain focus and integrity, Albanika Press does not consider:

• Unsolicited manuscripts outside our defined programs

• High-volume genre fiction or trend-driven nonfiction

• Projects seeking rapid commercialization or mass-market rollout

• Works that require extensive marketing or promotional campaigns

How to Inquire

Inquiries from authors, estates, and institutions are welcome when aligned with the scope outlined above.

Please include:

• A brief description of the work and its significance

• Rights status and representation (if applicable)

• Relevant background or contextual information

General submissions are not accepted.

Albanika Press is committed to editorial integrity, clear rights structures, respectful collaboration, and long-term care for the works it publishes. We look forward to hearing from authors, estates, and institutions whose projects align with this scope.

Working With Us

Albanika Press approaches publishing for authors and estates as a collaborative process, grounded in shared responsibility, mutual trust, and respect for the work's origins. This includes attention to editorial integrity, contextual framing, and the practical considerations involved in bringing a book to publication in a thoughtful and sustainable way.

We value partnerships grounded in:

• Mutual trust and transparency

• Respect for authorial voice and legacy

• Long-term availability and institutional relevance

Publication is treated as the beginning of stewardship, not the end of a transaction.