Are you an author in the United States or Canada looking for publishing house? Below we’ve featured 19 top book publishers in North America.
1. Chicago Review Press
Established in 1973, Chicago Review Press is an Illinois-based independent publishing company which has produced over 900 print titles so far. At present, they publish around 50 new titles per year.
Given the fact that they have 6 different imprints, their range of interests varies widely. Chicago Review Press publishes works of general nonfiction, which also includes history, popular science, and film, while Amberjack Publishing, for instance, publishes award-winning fiction.
In terms of submissions, they recommend that you first send a brief query to one of their acquiring editors before sending a proposal. To read the full guidelines, click here.
2. Sasquatch Books
With an experience of over 30 years in the field, Sasquatch Books is a leading independent press based in Seattle, Washington. As their publications are distributed through their parent company, Penguin Random House, they manage to reach readers from all around the world.
Although they’re mainly interested in nonfiction, they also publish children’s books under the Little Bigfoot imprint. Some of the subjects featured on the website are arts & literature, home & family, and gardening.
If you fit their West Coast regional publishing program, feel free to send them a proposal or a complete manuscript using the information displayed here.
3. Shambhala Publications
Located in Boulder, Colorado, Shambhala Publications is a family-owned company founded in 1969 which currently publishes under four different imprints.
In terms of genres, their interests are yoga, mindful living, parenting, Buddhism, cooking, and children’s fiction, as well as a few others. They do not accept proposals for poetry, martial arts manuals, quotation books, end-time prophecies, exposés, channeled works, or audio/video.
The average response time for submissions is four months. Self-published books can be submitted for consideration as well. Before sending your work, make sure to read the complete submission guidelines.
4. Graywolf Press
Graywolf Press is a nonprofit literary publisher founded by Scott Walker in 1974. Currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, it has a $4 million annual budget which enables the team to publish around 30-35 new titles every year.
Although their main interest lies in poetry, they have also worked on numerous projects of both fiction and nonfiction. To become familiar with their backlist, you can check out Little Constructions, by Anna Burns, Later, by Paul Lisicky, and Homie, by Danez Smith.
If you are interested in collaborating with them, make sure to read their submission guidelines before sending a manuscript – their most popular choices are poetry, novels, memoirs, short stories, translations, and essays.
5. Coffee House Press
Established in 1972, Coffee House Press is an internationally renowned nonprofit publisher currently located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The team’s goals involve the creation of new spaces in which artists can interact with their audiences, thus enriching communities and challenging the limits of literature.
Some of their interests are poetry, essays, and literary fiction, while their backlist also includes titles which cannot be categorized according to a particular genre. If you want to learn more about their preferences, make sure to check out The Book of Anna, by Carmen Boullosa, and Social Poetics, by Mark Nowak.
Although their open reading period has come to an end, they advise writers to check for future updates. Meanwhile, you can become accustomed to their submission guidelines.
6. Counterpoint LLC
Based in Berkeley, California, Counterpoint Press was established in 2007 through the acquisition of three independent presses, respectively of Soft Skull Press, Shoemaker & Hoard, and of Counterpoint.
With a vast backlist of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry titles, the company takes interest in genres such as philosophy, memoir, literary biography, or history. However, they do not publish how-to books, genre fiction, cookbooks, and a few others.
If you’re interested in working with them, you have to mail them a query letter, a detailed proposal, and two sample chapters. Since they already receive a high number of submissions, they only respond to writers they want to collaborate with, so don’t try to reach them for any updates. Their address can be found here, along with the guidelines.
7. Bellevue Literary Press
Founded in 2007, Bellevue is a nonprofit literary press which distributes its titles all over the world. It is currently located in New York, where it collaborates with academic and community organizations.
In terms of genres, their backlist includes countless genres of both fiction and nonfiction, among which we can name astronomy, evolution, literature in translation, psychiatry/psychology, anthology, history, and human rights.
Unfortunately, Bellevue Literary Press is now closed to submissions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they advise writers who want to work with them to check their website for future updates.
8. Two Dollar Radio
Two Dollar Radio is a family-run book publisher currently located in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 2005 by Eliza Wood-Obenauf and Eric Obenauf, who aim at reaffirming the artistic and cultural spirit of the industry.
Their range of interest varies widely, as their backlist includes genres like drama, fiction, history, horror, novel, sci-fi, satire, humor, history, thriller/suspense, and cult classic.
Luckily, their open reading period is going to end on September 1st, 2020, so that means you still have plenty of time to submit your complete manuscript. No proposals, samples, or excerpts will be taken into consideration. According to their guidelines, the average response time is 12 months, so don’t panic if you won’t reply a response right away.
9. University of Oklahoma Press
Based in Norman, Oklahoma, the University of Oklahoma Press was founded more than 80 years ago by William Bennett Bizzell, and it has since become an internationally-recognized publisher of scholarly literature.
When it comes to genres, their list includes art, architecture, humor, law, music, poetry, social science, self-help, and many others. In case you’re interested in their most successful releases, they also have an Award Winners section online.
Before sending a proposal, make sure to choose the right acquisitions editor – you can find more information on the submission guidelines and the publishing process here.
10. Ohio State University Press
Currently located in Columbus, the Ohio State University Press was established in 1957.
In terms of subjects, the press is interested in comics studies, disability studies, fiction, film & media, linguistics, poetry, political science, rhetoric, and in many others which are listed here. In order to publish regional books, the press founded the Trillium imprint. Besides books, they also publish several journals, among which we can name Adoption & Culture and American Periodicals.
All scholars and writers who wish to collaborate with them are free to send whatever materials they regard as relevant and representative of the project. Even so, the typical structure of a submission is described in the guidelines.
11. Black Rose Books
Black Rose Books is a publisher with headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. Established in 1969, the team has managed to release over 500 titles so far.
With a vast range of interests, art, biography, ecology, history, humor, music, philosophy, and politics are just a few of the genres you will find on their website. To become familiar with their backlist, you should check out The Great French Revolution, by Peter Kropotkin, and Balance: Art and Nature, by John Grande.
When you submit a proposal, make sure to include a letter explaining the subject and the intended audience of your project, one sample chapter, an outline of the text, and a CV.
12. Brick Books
Established in London, Ontario in 1975 by Stan Dragland and Don McKay, Brick Books is now located in Toronto and it publishes an average of 7 new books and 9 reprints per year. By publishing works of Canadian poets and translators of poetry, Brick Books aims to create exceptional editorial standards.
In order to get accustomed to their preferences, you might want to check out Adult Language Warning, by William Robertson, ad The Artemesia Book – Poems Selected and New, by Colleen Thibaudeau.
Unfortunately, the open reading period of 2020 has just come to an end. However, you can still get your project ready for the next one, and, while you’re waiting, you can check their guidelines.
13. Insomniac Press
Founded by Mike O’Connor in 1992, Insomniac Press is currently based in London, Ontario. Their titles are distributed in 40 different countries, which is a great opportunity for the new authors they work with to reach a wide audience.
In terms of preferences, they mainly produce titles of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They do not accept cookbooks, romance, science fiction, and children’s books. At the same time, their poetry list has already been completed for the next few years, so don’t bother sending a manuscript.
To collaborate with them, you first have to send a brief query – this will allow you to get a faster response. Established authors have a greater chance of getting published, but, if your manuscript is exceptional, you can definitely try your luck as an unpublished writer too. The full guidelines are available here.
14. NeWest Press
Located in Edmonton, Alberta, NeWest Press was founded in 1977 and is one of the first independent literary publishing houses in Canada. They normally publish 10-12 new titles every year.
Their preferences range widely between Asian Canadian literature and women’s literature, and they also include nonfiction, drama, poetry, fantasy, military, immigration, and LGBTQ, among many others. They are especially interested in Western Canadian themes and authors.
YA, children’s books, science fiction, high fantasy, inspirational memoir, and self-help submissions are not accepted. Writers which are part of underrepresented social categories are particularly welcome to send their work. The full guidelines can be found here.
15. Ronsdale Press
Founded in 1988, Ronsdale Press has its headquarters in Vancouver, Canada. With over 250 titles in print, the literary publishing house aims to produce books that give Canadians new insights into themselves and their roots.
Their interests lie in children’s books, books about Canada, poetry, fiction, autobiography, biography, and in regional history. The team is particularly looking for multicultural authors to work with, as they want to publish books written in two languages.
Unfortunately, Ronsdale Press is only willing to collaborate with Canadian citizens or landed immigrants to Canada. You can send a query or a proposal, but complete manuscripts are also welcome, as long as you are sure that Ronsdale Press is a good fit for your project.
16. Turnstone Press
Turnstone Press is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Although they encourage writers from underrepresented communities (such as LGBTQ writers or writers of color) to submit their works, they only collaborate with Canadian authors and with landed immigrants.
Their genres of choice are fiction, nonfiction, and poetry – these include speculative fiction, thriller, noir, mystery, and urban fantasy, which are all published under their Ravenstone imprint. However, they aren’t interested in romance, cookbooks, children’s books, business, and a few more.
Each genre has its own submission guidelines, so make sure to meet the correct requirements.
17. Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Currently based in Waterloo, Ontario, the Wilfrid Laurier University Press was founded in 1974.
Although they specialize in scholarly books, they also accept textbooks, trade books based on exceptional scholarship, and a few more. Their subjects of interest are cultural studies, Eastern religions, law, religion, travel, performing arts, as well as many others.
Unless your project involves fiction, poetry, an unrevised thesis, conference proceedings, a festschrift, or a children’s book, feel free to send them a proposal according to the submission guidelines displayed here.
18. Wolsak & Wynn
Located in Hamilton, Ontario, Wolsak & Wynn is a literary press which was founded by Heather Cadsby and Marja Jacobs in 1982.
Even though it was started as a business meant to provide poets with the proper amount of visibility, the press now publishes fiction and nonfiction as well – Falling for Myself, by Dorothy Ellen Palmer, and Little Fortress, by Laisha Rosnau are just two of the titles included in their backlist.
They are mostly interested in working with Canadian authors. If you fit this criterion, feel free to send them your work – their open reading period is between January 1st and March 31st every year. To learn more, make sure to read their submission guidelines.
19. Annick Press
Based in Toronto, Canada, Annick Press is an independent children’s publisher founded by Rick Wilks and Anne Millyard in 1975.
In terms of genres, they are interested in middle grade fiction, young adult fiction, picture books, and in nonfiction for children of all ages. The website also features a section for early readers, which includes titles such as Brothers, written by Debbie Bailey and illustrated by Susan Huszar, and The Mole Sisters and the Question, by Roslyn Schwartz.
Each genre involves different requirements, so make sure to read the submission guidelines carefully before sending them your work. However, keep in mind that they don’t usually have the time to respond to all submissions.
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