11 Top Christian Publishers Accepting Unsolicited Manuscripts - Writing Tips Oasis - A website dedicated to helping writers to write and publish books.

Are you an author in the United States who has written a Christian book?

The next step is to get your book published.

In order to do so, you could find a literary agent to represent you and find a publisher who might be interested in publishing your book.

The other alternative is to approach a publisher directly with your manuscript.

The great news is that there are a number of Christian publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts, such as the 11 top ones featured in this post.

Continue reading to learn more about these American Christian publishing houses that are accepting submissions.

1. Abingdon Press

A Christian publisher in Nashville, Tennessee, Abingdon Press has been involved in the publishing of religious works that cross denominations for more than 200 years. It is an imprint of The United Methodist Publishing House, and publishes nonfiction works such as academic books, professional books, inspirational texts and spiritually uplifting books. Not only does it publish books, Abingdon Press also publishes digital media and others forms of print media. Courage: Jesus and the Call to Brave Faith by Tom Berlin, How Women Transform Preaching by Leonora Tubbs Tisdale, and Scripture and the Skeptic by Eric Huffman are examples of books published by this Christian publishing house.

If you’ve written a book that could be of use in ministry, or for individuals who want to develop their faith, and would like to make a submission, you can send a proposal online to this publisher. Areas of interest include Christian living, leadership, academia, and similar other topics. Your proposal needs to include a brief summary about your book, details of the target readers, an outline of the chapters, your biography as an author, details about your author platform, your plan for marketing your book, along with up to 2 sample chapters: one of these needs to the first chapter of your book. Manuscripts can be sent via Submittable. For more details about the submissions policy, check out their submissions page.

2. Dove Christian Publishers

An evangelical Christian publisher based close by to Washington, D.C., Dove Christian Publishers has been publishing and distributing Christian books and digital books of different genres throughout the world. Founded in 1998, The fiction works it publishes are diverse and include historical fiction, urban fiction and Amish fiction. Nonfiction topics include Christian ministry and works that assist readers to live their lives through their faith more expansively. Notable books from the publishing house include Moments Remembered: A 30-Day Devotional Anthology for Families by Douglas Lim, Timmy’s Spiritual Christmas by Tom Beaudin, Lord, Teach Us To Live: Lessons on Daily Living from The Lord’s Prayer by Jennifer Chamberlain.

If you’re interested in making a submission to Dove Christian Publishers, it has a strict criterion and it’s important you follow it carefully. Its requirements include your having a strong presence on social media, your ability to send in a statement of faith if requested. Your submission should not be for a biography, memoir, poetry, Bible, horror of autobiography. Unless you are submitting a children’s book, your book needs to be longer that 32,000 words in length, needs to be copy edited by a professional editor, and not have been published before.

Dove Christian Publishers offers authors a royalty rate of 15% of the list price if sold through its website, or 10% of the list price if sold through a distributor. For eBooks, it offers 25% of the list price. If your book doesn’t fit the required criteria, Dove Christian Publishes also offers paid self-publishing services through its imprint called Inscript Books. To submit your manuscript for traditional publishing, fill out this form. For more details about the submissions policy, check this link.

3. Crossway Books

Crossway Books is a leading publisher of evangelical Christian books. An imprint of Good News Publishers that is based in Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books publishes books that are Bible and gospel focused and which honor Jesus Christ and the church. If you’re interested in making a submission to Crossway Books, you need to submit an email query first and if this publisher is interested in your idea, it will request a full proposal.

Nonfiction books of interest to Crossway Books include those about key issues facing Christians in their lives, books that aim to provide a broader understanding of the Christian faith and how it can be applied by people daily, books about how Christianity has an impact on the wider world, and academic and professional books such as those for pastors, college students and those being educated in seminary. Popular works include What the Bible Says about Divorce and Remarriage by Wayne Grudem, The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World by Brett McCracken, The Person of Christ: An Introduction by Stephen J. Wellum.

Your proposal should include a brief summary of the manuscript, a short blurb explaining what motivated you to write the book, a brief chapter outline, at least one/two sample chapters, estimated word count, estimated book completion time, a list of similar/competing titles, and your resume. Manuscript queries can be sent here. Be sure to take a look at this page for full details on the submission process used by Crossway Books.

4. CrossLink Publishing

Another Christian publisher accepting unsolicited manuscripts is CrossLink Publishing, a family owned publishing house that is also a part of the CrossLink family of ministries. CrossLink Publishing works primarily with authors in North America and is also a member of the Christian Small Publishers Association. It has a strong distribution network and has active partnerships with the Bowker Database, Baker & Noble, Noble Marketing and Ingram Distribution. Bestsellers from the company includes Pregnant and Praying by Elaine Tomski, Hidden Within: The 40 Day Scripture Memory Project by Jason S. Lancaster, and Visible Jesus: Living every Day to Make Him Known by Brain Edwards. CrossLink Publishing is accepting manuscripts in Christian themes including spirituality, Christian fiction, meditation, children’s books, and Bible studies to name a few. Desired word count is between 12,000 and 60,000 words. Also note that, CrossLink Publishing does not accept poetry, autobiographies, and children’s books. For publishing FAQ, check out this page. To submit your work, fill out the form on this page. You will also find the submission guidelines here.

5. Paraclete Press

Based in Brewster, Massachusetts, Paraclete Press is the publisher of the nondenominational monastic community called the Community of Jesus and was formed in 1983. In addition to books about Christian worldview and beliefs, Paraclete Press also publishes sheet music and educational videos. The publishing house specializes in all things and themes, Catholic. Their titles reflect the richness of Christian belief and culture, spanning across generations, cultures, and ages. Notable books include Echoes of Eternity: Listening to the Father by Hal M. Helms, There is a Future by Amy Bornman, and When it Feels Impossible to Pray: Prayers for the Grieving by Thomas McPherson.

If you would like them to review your manuscript, first submit a book proposal via email. Your proposal needs to include a short summary, your author bio, the expected completion date for your manuscript, a table of contents, potential people who might endorse you book, the introduction, a sample chapter, the readers your book is targeted to you, why your book is different compared to others, and a marketing plan for it. The proposal needs to be contained in a Microsoft Word document attached to your email. Do note that Paraclete Press does not publish poetry, political titles, religious sermons, cookbooks, psychology titles, and commentaries on the Bible. Check this page for a more detailed insight into the submission guidelines.

6. CKN Christian Publishing

An imprint of Wolfpack Publishing in Nevada, CKN Christian Publishing is a publisher of books that create inspiration in God. The company publishes books across varying themes like Christian romance, Christian contemporary, mystery and suspense, Christian science fiction, Christian Westerns, and books for teens and young adults. They also publish non-fiction titles on Christian themes. Popular books include, Be Brave: Saving Lives with Your Problems by Zack Quilici, Angels of Imperfection by Dan Arnold, and Out of the Rough: Meditation for Golfers by James Dyet. If you have written a book in one of these genres, CKN Christian Publishing is currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts. To submit your works to them, fill out the form on this page. You will also find the submission guidelines at the bottom of the page.

7. Paulist Press

Based in Mahwah, New Jersey, Paulist Press is a part of the society of missionary priests known as Paulist Fathers. Paulist Fathers was started in 1858 by Fr. Isaac Hecker who wanted to create a way of sharing Jesus’s gospel and American Catholicism. Paulist Press publishes academic books, popular books, books for clergy, and children’s books. Over the years, they have published several best-selling titles, notably Gazing on His Face A Christ-Centered Spirituality by Robin Ryan, CP, Someone Beautiful to God: Finding the Light of Faith in a Wounded World by Stan Chu Ilo, and A Christian Response to COVID-19 edited by Walter Kasper and George Augustin, foreword by Pope Francis. The publishing house is currently welcoming submissions in academic titles, children’s books, popular books, and books for professionals or clergymen. Manuscripts can be emailed here and for detailed submission guidelines, check out this page.

8. The Crossroad Publishing Company

An independent publishing house in New York City founded in 1980, The Crossroad Publishing Company publishes books based upon Judeo-Christian values and aims to share the experiences of Catholic people across the world, both present and past. The books published by The Crossroad Publishing Company include those about family life, spiritual tradition, community building, discipline, personal development, professional development and academic works. Popular books include The Last Christian Village in Palestine by Kassam Maadi and Falk van Gaver, Contemplation and Community: A Gathering of Fresh Voices for a Living Tradition by Jessica Smith, Stuart Higginbotham, and Jesus: An Historical Approximation by Jose. A. Pagola.

This publisher is happy to receive unsolicited book proposals. However, it requests you to have a proper understanding of the publishing process and to have carried out market research into the profile(s) of the target reader(s) of your book, to have reviewed similar books already available and have created a plan for the marketing of your book. Book proposals should have a working title, an almost finished manuscript, expected format, approximate word count, table of contents, a sales pitch, a brief project description, your CV, and a few other details. Take a look at the submission guidelines on this page to learn what you need to include in your book proposal if you would like to make a submission to The Crossroad Publishing Company.

9. Dancing With Bear Publishing

Dancing with Bear Publishing is a leading Christian publisher, that publishes books for the entire family. Established in 2011, the company publishes devotionals, books for bible studies, fiction for kids and adults, and illustrated picture books for kids. Popular books the publisher has published include It’s Not You, It’s Them: Six Choices to Healing and Thriving After Abuse by Victoria Roder, Salt & Light: Being The Hands & Feet of Christ (in a cruel and dangerous world) by M.D Poole, and Lollipops by Andrew L. Lankford.

The company is currently open to Christian book submissions for both adults and kids. For adult manuscripts direct your email here. Alternatively, children’s book proposals can be emailed here. For additional details about their submission policies, check this page.

10. Wipf and Stock Publishers

With its headquarters in Eugene, Oregon, Wipf and Stock Publishers publishes religious books across numerous subjects like Christianity, Christian Ministry, Biblical Studies, Christian theology, and Comparative Religion to name a few. It is well worth taking a look at the categories of books it publishes to get a full idea of the scope of Wipf and Stock Publishers. This publisher produces in excess of five hundred new works annually through its six imprints.

These imprints are Slant (literary fiction), Pickwick Publications (scholarly works), Wipf & Stock (books about the church), Cascade Books (books that are academic yet are for a broad readership), Resource Publications (academic and non-academic works), and Front Porch Republic Books (books about locality, community and decentralization).

Popular works from the publishing house include The Fruit of Our Lips: The Transformation of God’s Word into the Speech of Mankind by Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy, Sacred Storytelling: The Autobiography of Johannes Strieter (1829–1920) and Related Sources by Johannes Strieter, and Living Parables: Today’s Versions by Mark G. Boyer and Corbin S. Cole. The company is currently accepting proposals for all their imprints except Front Porch Republic Books. For more details about their submission policies, check this page.

11. Zondervan

In operation for more than eight decades, Zondervan is a globally leading Bible publisher and of other Christian resources such as books, academic materials, curriculum and digital products. A part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Zondervan is based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and its products are available in almost 200 languages. Notable works published by Zondervan include A Guide To Biblical Commentaries And Reference Works By John F. Evans, The New Testament You Never Knew Study Guide With DVD by N. T. Wright, and Hagar by Jada Edwards.

If you’re interested in making a submission to Zondervan, this publisher is currently accepting unsolicited book proposals for academic books (seminary and college textbooks covering topics including biblical studies, church history and theology), reference books (including handbooks, encyclopaedias and commentaries) ministry resources (such as books and materials for professionals working in ministries and for pastors), and reflective books that not only focuses on reflection but also motivates action.

Your proposal needs to be submitted in Microsoft Word format, unless it is in a language other than English, in which case you need to submit your proposal as a PDF document. In your proposal, include the title of your book, a table of contents (with a few sentences about each of the chapters), a short description of your book, along with an explanation about how it is unique, your target readership, and your biography. Submissions can be emailed here. You can take a look at this page for further details on submitting a book proposal to Zondervan.

Do you run a Christian publishing house that accepts unsolicited manuscripts? If so, please introduce your organization in the comments box below.

Are you an author who knows any other Christian book publishers? Please tell us about them in the comments section!

Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of Writing Tips Oasis.