Our shared values
Our editorial
ethics policy.
Éditions du Cabinet Noir champions creative freedom, consideration for others and honesty with readers. These principles guide our editorial choices and our relationships with authors.
1. Responsible freedom
We welcome distinctive voices and imaginative worlds. Depicting violence or prejudice is not the same as endorsing it. Editorial work should clarify a story’s intentions and avoid unlawful content, without forcing fiction to conform to received ideas.
2. Respect for people
Our relationships with authors and readers are grounded in dignity, courtesy and equal consideration, regardless of origin, disability, beliefs or life experience. Stories inspired by real people require particular care with privacy and the risk of identification.
3. Judging each manuscript on its merits
Selection is based on the quality and coherence of the text and its fit with our publishing vision. A rejection is not a judgement of an author’s personal worth. Identified conflicts of interest must be disclosed and addressed to preserve independent assessment.
4. Rights and trust
Plagiarism and unauthorised use of third-party content have no place in our catalogue. Rights entrusted to us must be defined in a written agreement. The confidentiality of submissions, their withdrawal and retention of files are governed by our submission and privacy documents. Extracts, covers and trailers released to announce a book must be covered by agreements with its author and the relevant rights holders.
5. Standards suited to each genre
In historical fiction, key facts should be checked and the distinction between historical research and creative licence made clear. In speculative fiction, the world and the story should be internally consistent. Fiction must not present invention as historical or scientific evidence. Significant errors brought to our attention should be examined and, where necessary, corrected.
6. Creative tools and transparency
Digital tools, including artificial intelligence, may assist us with editorial analysis, research or book preparation. They do not make selection decisions: their outputs are checked and responsibility remains human. Before submitting work, authors will be informed of intended uses, providers, data involved and safeguards. Only necessary information will be used. We do not intend manuscripts to be used for model training; before any external analysis, we must verify the provider’s terms on non-reuse, confidentiality and retention. Significant use in creating text or images will be explained to the parties concerned and governed by the applicable agreements.
7. Clear commercial relationships
Editorial assessment of a manuscript is separate from a commissioned writing service. The terms for manuscript assessment, publication and payment are clearly explained. Paying for a service guarantees neither a place in our catalogue nor book sales. Any commitment to publish or create a work is set out in a separate contract specifying rights, deliverables, price, schedule and approvals.
8. Accessibility and thoughtful production
We aim for clear, legible design and formats that suit different ways of reading. We seek to avoid waste through our choice of materials, print quantities and efforts to limit unsold stock, within the possibilities of each project. We do not claim certifications we have not obtained.
9. Dialogue and improvement
Requests for corrections and reports concerning content, rights or editorial practices can be sent through Contact us. They are considered discreetly. This policy evolves with our publishing practices; its commitments must remain consistent with the resources actually in place.
Scope of this policy
This policy sets out the publisher’s editorial commitments in its relationships with authors and readers, regardless of their language. It does not replace applicable law or the contracts for individual projects.