As a writer, Minnesota could be the perfect place to work and get published.
Over the years, strong entrepreneurial spirit has helped develop the publishing industry.
Publishers work in tandem with local libraries and schools to establish reading as a habit from early age.
There are all kinds of publishers in Minnesota that makes it easier for writers of all genres to choose and collaborate with.
Before making your choice, it is always helpful to know what lies ahead of you and there’s something for every kind of writer out there.
So, we have compiled a list of 21 top book publishing companies in Minnesota.
1. Liturgical Press
A press with a religious and spiritual mission, Liturgical Press was established in 1926. They have managed to spread the Christian faith and community beliefs for nearly 92 years. Annually the Press publishes journals, multimedia series, journals, academic textbooks, and books about scripture, faith and spirituality and reference works. Situated in Collegeville, the Catholic publishing company prints books in English and Spanish. Interested writers need to read submission guidelines and proposal details carefully on this page.
2. Llewellyn Worldwide
Llewellyn George formed Llewellyn Worldwide in 1901 in Portland as an exclusive publisher of astrological books. Eventually they started printing books about mind, spirit, New Age wellness and development. In 1961, Carl L. Weschcke bought the company and relocated it to Minnesota. It is one of the largest and oldest publishers of wellness, health and living, spirit, mind and faith books. They started two imprints in 2006, Midnight Ink- for mystery fiction and Flux– for young adult fiction. Flux was later sold to North Star Editions, Inc. in 2016. Based in Woodbury, Llewellyn is looking for books with a practical approach to topics like meditation, astrology, healing, tarot, yoga, enlightenment, Reiki and ghost hunting. Note that they do not publish poetry books, children’s books, spiritual fiction, new age fiction, cookbooks or picture books. Writers can find submission guidelines and more submission topics here.
3. Shipwreckt Books
An independent publisher in Rushford, Shipwreckt Books has been printing books in genres like fiction, memoirs, poetry and their indie magazine Lost Lake Folk Opera. The company has multiple imprints that accept different genres and sub-genres. Their Rocket Science Press imprint is tailored for fiction, literary fiction, genre novels, and short stories. Lost Lake Art, on the other hand, is entirely focused on memoirs, family tales, biographies, essays, and every other type of non-fiction. Their third imprint, Up On Big Rock Poetry Series is open to full-length poetry submissions. Check their submission guidelines before sending in your works.
4. Wise Ink Creative Publishing
A boutique publishing agency providing all printing, publishing and editorial services to authors, Wise Ink Creative Publishing is based in Minneapolis. Having published almost 400 authors, they understand what it is to work creatively in sync with a first time author and bring their dream to fruition. No genre is too small or niche for them but some of their previously published books have been about food, romance, thriller, action, mystery, fiction, cooking and non-fiction. Fill this form to get in touch with them and discuss your book proposal. Since Wise Ink Creative Publishing is a boutique publisher, you might have to pay a small fee to get your work published.
5. Minnesota Historical Society Press
Formed in 1859, Minnesota Historical Society Press (MNHS Press) is the largest historical society press and based in St. Paul. They print books about local culture, history, and region and use books to promote Minnesota. They have three imprints- Minnesota Historical Society Press, Borealis Books and MNHS Express. Minnesota History Magazine true to its name prints books about history with illustrations and high-quality designed books. Preferred topics include Scandinavian studies, Native American Studies, history, politics, gender studies, food, travel, war, crime and nature. You can also send your works that deal with the culture and history of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. Writers should read the submission guidelines and details carefully before submitting their manuscript proposal.
6. University of Minnesota Press
Founded in 1925, University of Minnesota Press is a pillar in the publishing industry in Minnesota. They are a founding member of the Association of American University Presses (AAUP) and situated in Minneapolis. As a publishing arm of the University, they print books in different genres, choosing to provide critique and perspective in topics such as history, political science, literature, environment, art, and literature. Before sending a manuscript, you need to send a prospectus to them with all details. Find more about instructions on this page.
7. ABDO Publishing
Having been in the publishing business for nearly 3 decades, ABDO Publishing is located in Minneapolis and North Mankato. ABDO has divisions and imprints such as ABDO Kids, ABDO Zoom, ABDO Publishing, ABDO Magic Oven, Spotlight, EPIC Press and ABDO Digital. They are one of the biggest publishers in Minnesota and one of their aims is to make reading cool for kids. To meet that goal, they are working on re-imagining old content in new formats such as graphic novels and interactive experiences. They only accept fiction so find out contact details and information here before submitting your manuscript. As of now, you can send them a concept or manuscript sample for their fiction series. They will only accept four titles for each series.
8. Minnesota Heritage Publishing
This Manakota based business is a small family owned publisher offering self-publishing opportunities to authors. It is a perfect publisher to choose if you are just starting out and do not want to work with a big corporation. Minnesota Heritage Publishing treats each book as an individual project, instead of a number and give personalized attention and customization to the author. Printing, editing, consulting and design are some of the services you can choose from should you opt for Minnesota Heritage Publishing. Contact them for further details and to receive a quote about services offered.
9. Graywolf Press
Graywolf Press is a small Minneapolis based publishing house that publishes poetry, fiction, essays, non-fiction, and translated works. The company was established in 1974 by Scott Walker. A few decades later, in 2002, they collaborated with Farrar, Straus & Giroux for distribution. Almost seven years down the line, the company moved from their original office in Port Townsend, Washington, to their current office in Minneapolis. Over the years, Graywolf Press has worked with hundreds of authors throughout the different stages of their writing career. They are still driven by this goal and are looking to publish bold, unique, and diverse voices that usually go unnoticed in the competitive publishing industry. While Graywolf Press accepts both fiction and non-fiction, they won’t consider your work outside their open submission period. The press will be open for non-fiction submissions from January 1, 2020 to January 31, 2020. For more details about other open submission periods, check this page. Here, you will also find the detailed submission guidelines for their various contests.
10. Paragon House
A publisher with a mission, Paragon House chooses to educate readers around the world about global issues using books. They publish non-fiction with the intention of creating awareness amongst people and helping them shape opinions. Based in St. Paul, Paragon House only prints serious non-fiction and scholarly works in political science, reference, biography, history, philosophy, psychology, economics, international affairs, religion, and health. Interested writers should read the submission guidelines on this page.
11. Capstone Press
A famous publisher in Mankato, Capstone Press has 25 years of experience in the industry. Children’s books, educational materials, fiction for children, illustrated books and reading materials are some things they publish. They also provide digital products and interactive experiences for students and learners. While Capstone Press is not currently open for unsolicited submissions, they are seeking new authors and illustrators for their work-for-hire assignments. You can read submission guidelines and details here.
12. Jolly Fish Press
A newer entry in the Minnesota publishing market, Jolly Fish Press was launched in 2011. But since then, it has quickly managed to become a disruptive, fresh voice in the industry by promoting unique and edgy talent. They only publish Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction books in print and digital formats. They were acquired by North Star Editions, Inc. in 2016 but continue to operate in Mendota Heights in Minnesota. Jolly Fish Press works closely with writers to create, edit and promote their books so writers looking for a personalized and customized experience should consider approaching them. You can read submission details and guidelines on this page. The company is currently accepting young adult fiction and middle grade fiction with bold narrative voices and unique characters. They are also seeking authors for work-for-hire assignments.
13. Riverfeet Press
Daniel J. Rice formed Riverfeet Press in 2013 to bridge the gap between publishers and authors. It is based in Livingston and wishes to be in a creative partnership with authors instead of just taking over the process. Fiction, non-fiction and poetry are the genres they accept. They are currently accepting only full-length manuscripts. Read submission details here before sending your proposal. Note that the company is currently closed for anthology submissions.
14. Tristan Publishing
Located in Golden Valley, Tristan Publishing prints books with messages and spirit. Believing in spreading positivity through books, Tristan Publishing is owned by Brett and Sheila Waldman. They currently have three imprints- Tristan Outdoors, Tristan Publishing and Waldman House Press. While they are not limited to fiction or non-fiction, they want stories that are uplifting, about faith, about Jesus Christ and the power of human kindness. Writers can find contact details and instructions on this page.
15. North Star Press
With nearly 50 years of publishing experience, North Star Press is situated in St. Cloud. They focus exclusively on books about the region and quality stories about the local area and culture. Corinne Dwyer, the current owner is also a writer and uses that perspective to seek out regional talent. Publishing houses such as North Star Press can be of great help to first time local authors because they are relentless in the pursuit of pushing forward regional and resident writers. , Midwest Regional Fiction, Midwest Regional Outdoors, sustainable agriculture, young farmers, environmental issues, indigenous topics, immigration and immigrant stories, and GLGBTQ issues. You can also send in your poetry, memoirs, science fiction, speculative fiction, mysteries, cozies, or any other work in literature. If you are interested in submitting a manuscript, visit this page.
16. New Rivers Press
C.W. Truesdale formed New Rivers Press in 1968. This publishing house has a long tradition of seeking new talent with the intent of sharing stories from a fresh and unique angle. Located in Moorhead, they accept varied genres and forms such as fiction, short stories, anthologies, poetry, novellas and memoirs. They have different competitions and submissions periods through the year. Read more about the instructions on this page. Currently, they are only accepting submissions for their Many Voices Project that is open from September 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. You can send any fiction, non-fiction, or poetry manuscript during this period.
17. Kar-Ben Publishing
A part of the publishing giant Lerner Publishing Group, Kar-Ben was established in 1974. The Minneapolis based company has over 300 titles in print and looks out for children’s titles, middle school fiction, folk tales, activity books and non-fiction with an emphasis on Jewish culture and heritage. Kar-Ben believes in quality over quantity and only prints 15-20 titles annually. While they are currently open to submissions for middle grade fiction, you can also send your manuscripts about life-cycle stories, Bible tales, folktales, Israel-centric tales, Jewish history, Jewish heroes, or any other similar topic. Aspiring authors can find submission guidelines here.
18. Redleaf Press
St. Paul, one of the twin cities of Minnesota (other being Minneapolis) is home to Redleaf Press, a non-profit publisher of resources for professionals in the field of education. Started in 1973, they have been a pioneer in developing materials and books for education, childhood learning and family. Redleaf Press wishes to publish books that will help teachers, family and educators in child care, learning and development. Authors can find more details on this page.
19. Mighty Media Press
If you love churning out fun, quirky, and engaging titles for little ones, Mighty Media Press maybe just the right company for you. Established almost three decades back, the company is driven by the mission to publish engaging content for kids and young adults. While Mighty Media Press only accepts new titles during their open submission period, you can enter your email address on this page for more details about their submission policies. The company will revert you with a mail featuring these policies.
20. Fortress Press
Being in the publishing business since 1962, Fortress Press has committed over 50 years to publishing books about faith, scripture, Christian studies, theology and history. They published 112 titles in 2017 in print and digital format. Their readership is wide and aimed at students, teachers, readers and professionals all looking to converse and be educated about Christian beliefs and faith. The company is currently accepting non-fiction, theological, and academic submissions. Read the submission guidelines carefully before submitting your manuscript.
21. Beaver’s Pond Press
Milt Adams started Beaver’s Pond Press to mentor authors and writers struggling to get their first break. A self-publishing company located in Edina, Beaver’s Pond Press is always on the lookout for new authors and stories. They offer editing, review, designing, printing, marketing and distribution services. They customize packages and services depending on your needs. Writers can fill this form to receive further details and information.
That’s our list of 21 top book publishing companies in Minnesota. Minneapolis has been known as the publishing capital of the Midwest so a lot of publishers chose to have their offices there but St. Paul is rising slowly and steadily to compete with Minneapolis.
The publishing industry in Minnesota is close knit, supportive and encouraging of new talent. But there is also intense competition and if you want to get noticed, you have to choose the right publisher.
Hence, we suggest you take your time and decide carefully who you choose to work with because your publisher can determine the success or the failure of your book.
Have you had a book published by one of the above top book publishing houses in Minnesota? Please share your experiences in the comments box below!
21 Top Book Publishing Companies in Minnesota is an article from Writing Tips Oasis.
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Shikha Pandey is a creative, content and script writer based in Mumbai, India.