If you’re an American author who wants to publish a book, below we’ve featured 21 top book publishing companies in the United States.
1. Chicago Review Press
Established in 1973, Chicago Review Press is an independent publishing house that specializes in quality non-fiction written by experts. They currently have more than 900 titles in print, and approximately 60 new titles are added to their list each year. Their areas of interest include popular culture, history, parenting, popular science, film, music, travel, women’s issues, biographies, and more. If you would like to pitch your non-fiction manuscript to Chicago Review Press, you can send a proposal to the appropriate acquisitions editor. Get more information about submitting a proposal here. For general inquiries and other concerns, you can reach Chicago Review Press through their online contact form.
2. McSweeney’s
Founded by Dave Eggers in 1998, McSweeney’s is known for publishing ambitious writing that challenges literary expectations. This San-Francisco based publisher originally had just one publication, Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, but they have since expanded their scope and now publish novels, children’s books, poetry collections, and other periodicals. Some of the authors they have worked with include Stephen King, George Saunders, Nick Hornby, and David Foster Wallace, among others. They are currently closed for submissions, but in the meantime, you can check out their submission guidelines here. Should you have any additional questions, you can contact McSweeney’s via email.
3. Arte Publico Press
Arte Publico Press is a Houston-based publisher that was founded during the Hispanic Civil Rights Movement of the 1970s. Since then, they have been championing the works of Hispanic writers. Some of the award-winning titles they have published over the years include Desert Blood: The Juarez Murders by Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Desperado: A Mile-High Noir by Manuel Ramos, and The Case Runner by Carlos Cisneros, among others. Arte Publico mainly publishes novels, contemporary poetry, short stories, and non-fiction books about Hispanic history, culture, and rights. They welcome submissions in both English and Spanish. If you are interested in submitting your work to Arte Publico Press, you can fill out their manuscript submission form. For any other questions, you can reach them via email.
4. Penny Candy Press
Founded in Oklahoma City in 2015, Penny Candy Press is a relatively young publisher, but they have been doing amazing work in the publishing industry. Penny Candy specializes in producing children’s books that promote diversity and inclusiveness. They are looking for books with diverse stories and characters, highlighting voices that are often unheard or underrepresented. Some of the titles on their list include BE/HOLD by Shira Erlichman, Henry the Boy by Molly Felder, and Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy by Tony Medina. Their submissions are open from February to March of each year. Check out their Submittable page for updates. You can also reach them via email for any other inquiries.
5. Turner Publishing
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Turner Publishing is an award-winning publisher that has been operating since 1984. They publish both fiction and non-fiction on a variety of subjects and genres, including general fiction, science fiction, young adult fiction, true crime, children’s books, cookbooks, self-help, and more. Turner Publishing accepts submissions from agents and authors, and all submissions must be sent via email. Should you have any other questions, you can get in touch with them here.
6. Persea Books
Founded by Michael and Karen Braziller in 1975, Persea Books is an independent publishing company based in New York. Over the decades, they have published the works of Carl Friedman, Christine de Pizan, Paul Celan, Randall Mann, Anzia Yezierska, Oscar Hijuelos, Laura Riding, and more. Persea Books is currently open for submissions, and they are interested in literary fiction, creative non-fiction, short story collections, memoirs, essays, young adult fiction, and books on contemporary issues. Should you be interested in submitting, you can check out their submission guidelines and contact information here.
7. Chronicle Books
Founded in 1967, Chronicle Books is a San Francisco-based publisher that publishes both fiction and non-fiction. Their books span a range of subjects and genres, including food and drink, popular culture, humor, children’s books, parenting, health and wellness, music, and more. They also create games, journals, stationery, and other gift items. Chronicle Books is always open for submissions, and they welcome proposals for both children’s books and adult trade books. You can find more information about submitting a proposal by checking out the submission guidelines on their website. For general inquiries, you can reach Chronicle Books via email.
8. Coffee House Press
Located in Minneapolis, Coffee House Press is an independent publisher that was established in 1972. It first started out as a small letterpress operation, but it has since grown into an internationally recognized publisher of literary fiction, essay collections, and poetry collections. Coffee House Press has annual reading periods during which interested authors can submit their work, but they do put a cap on the number of submissions they accept. They publish around 16 to 18 new titles each year. For more information, check out their Submittable page. You can also contact them via email if you have any additional questions.
9. Sourcebooks
Sourcebooks is an Illinois-based publisher that specializes in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Established by Dominique Raccah in 1987, Sourcebooks is considered one of the largest woman-owned publishers of trade books in North America. They are open for submissions in all the areas they publish in, but at the moment, they only welcome unagented submissions of adult non-fiction and romance. For more information, you can check out their submission guidelines here. You can also reach them through the contact form on their website.
10. Quirk Books
Based in Philadelphia, Quirk Books is an independent publishing house that primarily publishes books that tell bold and unconventional stories. To give you an idea of the kind of work they usually publish, some of the titles on their list include Geekerella by Ashley Poston, The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. In addition to fiction, Quirk Books also publishes children’s books, cookbooks, art books, pop culture titles, and more. You can submit your work to Quirk Books by submitting a proposal to the appropriate editor. Check out their submission guidelines for more information.
11. DAW Books
Founded by Donald A. Wollheim in 1971, DAW Books was the first publishing company to specialize exclusively in fantasy and science fiction. Since then, they have published more than 2000 titles, including the works of Tad Williams, Mercedes Lackey, Patrick Rothfuss, Tanith Lee, and Kristen Britain, among others. Although now an imprint of Penguin Books and headquartered in Penguin’s offices in New York City, DAW Books remains editorially independent. They welcome submissions directly from authors, and they are currently interested in fantasy and science fiction novels. All submissions must be sent via their Submittable page. For other inquiries, contact DAW Books via email.
12. Seven Stories Press
Also based in New York City, Seven Stories Press is an independent publishing company founded in 1995. They publish fiction, non-fiction, poetry collection, and translated works. Founder Dan Simon chose the name Seven Stories in honor of the seven authors who joined him when he launched the press: Gary Null, Octavia E. Butler, Charley Rosen, Project Censored, Annie Ernaux, Vassilis Vassilikos, and the estate of Nelson Algren. Authors who are interested in getting published by Seven Stories Press can submit a cover letter and two sample chapters by mail. Find more information here. You can send Seven Stories Press an email should you have any additional questions.
13. Rowman & Littlefield
Headquartered just outside Washington DC, Rowman & Littlefield is an independent publishing company that was established in 1949. They have several imprints, specializing in both academic books and trade books. Their areas of interest include history, geography, business and economics, women’s studies, literature, art and architecture, humor, travel and tourism, cultural studies, and more. Interested in getting published by Rowman & Littlefield? Prepare a proposal and send it to the appropriate editor. Make sure your proposal meets their submission guidelines.
14. Wiley
John Wiley & Sons, more commonly known as Wiley, is an international publishing company that has been producing academic books and educational resources for more than 200 years. Headquartered in Hoboken, Wiley also has offices in San Francisco, Indianapolis, Denver, and other cities across the United States. Their areas of interest include business and management, education, engineering, medicine, law and criminology, life sciences, art and architecture, humanities, and more. To submit your work for Wiley’s consideration, you can check out their proposal submission guidelines here. For general inquiries, you can find their contact information here.
15. Graywolf Press
Founded in Washington in 1974, Graywolf Press is a literary publisher currently headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They started out as a publisher of limited-edition poetry chapbooks, but they now publish fiction and non-fiction as well. Many of the books they have published have won major literary awards, including the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Man Booker Prize, the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and the National Book Award. Graywolf Press publishes an average of 30 books each year, and they welcome unsolicited submissions during their reading periods. You can check out their submission guidelines for more information. You can also get in touch with them via email.
16. Workman Publishing
Headquartered in Greenwich Village, New York, Workman Publishing is an independent publisher established in 1968. Under several imprints, Workman publishes adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s books, and non-fiction on a wide range of subjects. Several of Workman’s imprints are currently open for submission. Guidelines vary for each imprint, so make sure you check out the guidelines posted here before sending a proposal. If you need any further assistance, you can find Workman Publishing’s contact information here.
17. Candlewick Press
Founded in 1992, Candlewick Press is an award-winning book publisher based in Somerville, Massachusetts. Although they are most known for high-quality books for children, they also publish novelty books, board books, young adult and middle grade fiction, and non-fiction. Some of their most notable titles include Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, the Judy Moody franchise by Megan McDonald, the Where’s Waldo? books by Martin Hanford, and the Maisy Mouse books by Lucy Cousins. Candlewick Press is currently closed for submissions, but you can reach them via email for any inquiries.
18. Sterling Publishing
Established in 1949, Sterling Publishing is one of the leading publishing companies in the United States. They have several imprints with different publishing scopes, but they primarily publish fiction and non-fiction for adults, young adults, and children. Some of the authors on their list include Paul McKenna, Barton Seaver, Colleen Houck, Peter Yarrow, and Richard Scarry. If you would like to submit your work to Sterling Publishing, you can take a look at their submission guidelines here. For general inquiries, you can send the Sterling team an email.
19. Red Hen Press
Founded in 1994, Red Hen Press is a Los Angeles-based publisher that specializes in literary fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. In addition to publishing outstanding literary works, Red Hen Press also teaches poetry in local schools as part of their mission to keep literature alive. They accept unsolicited submissions via their Submittable page. Interested authors may also join one of their annual writing contests. Should you wish to get in touch with the Red Hen Press team, you can find their contact information here.
20. Black Lawrence Press
Black Lawrence Press is a small publishing house that was founded in 2004. They specialize in contemporary poetry, creative non-fiction, and fiction. They became an imprint of Dzanc Books in 2008 before becoming an independent company in 2014. They host several writing competitions, including the Big Moose Prize, the Hudson Prize, and the St. Lawrence Book Award. In addition to their annual contests, they also have open reading periods in June and November of each year. To submit your work and read their guidelines, visit their Submittable page.
21. Kensington Publishing
Founded by Walter Zacharius in 1974, Kensington Publishing is a New-York based publishing house that specializes in books across a range of genres, including mystery, romance, true crime, thrillers, and more. They also publish non-fiction. They are home to many bestselling authors, such as Lisa Jackson, Joanne Fluke, Fern Michaels, and more. Interested in getting published by Kensington Publishing? You can submit a query to the appropriate editor. For general inquiries and other concerns, you can reach Kensington Publishing here.
Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of Writing Tips Oasis.