Are you an author who lives in New Zealand? Are you searching for publishing houses? In this article, we’ve featured 6 top book publishers in Wellington, NZ. Continue reading to learn who they are and what they do.
1. Awa Press
Founded in 2003, Awa Press is a New Zealand-owned book publishing company currently located in Wellington, NZ. Their publications are distributed by Penguin Random House and by the Independent Publishing Group, Chicago.
You will be pleased to find that their range of interests is rather wide, and it includes nonfiction topics such as history, art, cinema, music, gardening, true crime, and philosophy, to name a few. To get an idea about what they like, you should check out How to Have a Beer, by Alice Galletly, and Dancing with Hollywood, by Lindsay Shelton.
If you want to work with them, you need to know that they do not accept fiction, children’s books, or poetry submissions, so nonfiction manuscripts are the only viable option. Even if they are open to submissions, though, it is best to ask first at editorial@awapress.com. In case they invite you to send a book proposal, make sure to include a book outline, a chapter list, 1 sample chapter (or more), comments on the target audience, and a brief author bio.
2. Gecko Press
Located in Wellington, New Zealand, Gecko Press is an independent children’s books publisher. Their authors benefit from international visibility, while their works are distributed in both print and digital format. Ever since their establishment in 2005, they have been picking only children’s books which can stir their readers’ curiosity and imagination.
Their website features several book categories, among which we can name NZ books, chapter books, and babies & toddlers. To become accustomed with their interests, you might want to look up Harsu and the Werestoat, by Barbara Else, and The House of Madame M, written and illustrated by Clotilde Perrin.
Since they publish a rather small number of original titles per year, you have a higher chance of receiving a response if your submission is recommended by an agent, book industry contact, manuscript assessor, or if you’re a published author. All manuscripts have to be sent via post, and you need to include a cover letter, a detailed author bio, and illustration samples (if appropriate). Click here to learn more about their guidelines.
3. Victoria University Press
Established in 1970, Victoria University Press is a leading new fiction and poetry publisher currently based in Wellington, New Zealand. Furthermore, they also take interest in scholarly publishing, and they specialize in New Zealand history, essays, and biography. They release about 35 new titles every year.
The genre categories featured on their website are fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, but some of the publications are also listed as VUP classics, recent books, or as forthcoming books. To get an idea about what they like, make sure to check out The Burning River, by Lawrence Patchett, All Who Live on Islands, by Rose Lu, and Second Person, by Rata Gordon.
Luckily, they are always open to submissions, even for those who are only emerging authors. If your manuscript fits the standards of poetry, memoir, fiction, or of personal essay collections, your manuscript has to be complete. Submissions can be sent via post or via email, and they have to include a CV, a brief cover letter, and a synopsis. You can find their complete guidelines here.
4. Mākaro Press
Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Mākaro Press is a book publisher founded in 2013, which specializes in New Zealand literary fiction. Their novel Auē, by Becky Manawatu won the both the MitoQ Best First Book of Fiction 2020 and the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction.
Although they have also published works of poetry, children’s books, memoir, fiction, journalism, and biography until 2019, this is no longer the case.
They are currently closed to submissions, and they invite interested authors to check out the submissions status of The Cuba Press in the meantime.
5. Te Papa Press
Te Papa Press is a publisher based in Wellington, NZ. Their backlist includes award-winning books which can be purchased either online, or at every respected bookstore in New Zealand.
Their interest lies in books which tackle the topics of culture, natural world, and art in New Zealand. If you want to become accustomed with what they’re interested in, you should check out titles such as Whiti: Colossal Squid of the Deep, by Victoria Cleal, and Eagle’s Complete Trees and Shrubs of New Zealand, by Audrey Eagle. Other genres mentioned on their website are history, children’s books, and pacific cultures, to name a few.
Luckily, they are currently open to submissions. If you want to send them your project, make sure to include a full manuscript or sample chapters written on A4 paper with double spacing, a cover letter that contains a brief book description, a chapter outline, and your CV, as well as a stamped, self-addressed envelope, so that they can return your submission in case it won’t be accepted.
6. HUIA Publishers
A platform for both young and old Māori and Pacific perspectives, HUIA Publishers is a Wellington-based company which was established in 1991 by Robyn Rangihuia Bargh and Brian Bargh. They produce books in English and Māori, and they distribute them both nationally and internationally.
In terms of genres, they have three main categories featured on their website, respectively fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. The fiction category includes drama, history, poetry, graphic novels, and short story collections, to name a few. If you want to learn more about what they like, you can look up Flashback: Tales and Treasures of Taranaki, by Andrew Moffat, and Island of Shattered Dreams, by Chantal Spitz.
HUIA Publishers are currently open to submissions. As long as your book describes Māori and Pacific experiences, feel free to complete this form and present them your work. Sadly, individual short stories and poetry written by unpublished authors are not of interest. To learn more, read their submission guidelines.
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