Have you written a liberal book and want to publish it? Below we’ve featured 10 top leftist book publishers for your review.
1. AK Press
Founded in 1990 in Chico, California, AK Press is a book publisher that is a ready outlet for liberal, left-wing literature. As a self-described ‘anarchist’ publisher, the press runs itself with no central leadership and takes a group-based approach to its operations.
In addition to their traditional publishing format, AK Press also produces books as ebooks and also has a periodical publication for short-form material. They publish books including biographies, books on feminism, current events, education, and more. Titles they have published include “Black Blocks, White Squares” by Leonard Williams, “The Nation on No Map” by William C. Anderson, and “Ecology Contested” by Peter Staudenmaier.
For those interested in being published through AK Press, please be careful to go through their submission guidelines in detail. They require written work that aligns with their vision statement and will ask for a cover letter and manuscript for review. For leftist writers of fiction, please note that AK Press does not accept submissions of fiction or poetry.
2. Verso
Verso was founded as the leftist imprint of New Left Books and was founded near the end of the seventies. Based in New York, in the United States, the independent publisher does traditional publishing and ebook production of books in multiple genres.
Led by managing director Jacob Stevens, Verso looks to continue and produce material with a leftist slant, from biographies, and books on international politics, to art, music, and even fiction. Some of their published books include titles like “Daring to Hope” by Sheila Rowbotham, “The Invention of the White Race” by Theodore W. Allen, and “Darkwater” by W.E.B. Du Bois.
As most of Verso’s publications revolve around non-fiction material, they do not look at fiction book submissions. For non-fiction writers interested in submitting to Verso, they will accept completed digital submissions that include an overview of your book, a table of contents, your take on the main markets, and an idea of your time. For a complete look at their expectations and where to send your submission, please check out their website.
3. Haymarket Books
A nonprofit publishing house situated in Chicago, in the United States, Haymarket Books is committed to the production of traditionally published books and ebooks that promote a left-wing position.
Haymarket Books publishes books of all kinds, including books about abolition, black politics, migration, education, socialism, and U.S. history and politics. They even have published books in Spanish, books of poetry, and books for children and young adults. Past published books include “Abolition. Feminism. Now.” by Angela Y. Davis, et al, “RIFQA” by Mohammed El-Kurd, and “There Are Trans People Here” by H. Melt.
Potential book submissions should meet Haymarket Book’s criteria, which includes material that targets a radical and progressive audience. Interested parties should send a cover letter and sample of your work in progress, as well as your own resume, as part of a submission package. You can find the rest of the submission information, as well as their online submission site, on their website.
4. Monthly Review Press
The publishing arm of Monthly Review, a socialist, independent magazine, Monthly Review Press publishes books of the same leftist slant, including books on economics, the situation in Palestine, international affairs, and capitalism.
Located in New York, the Director of Monthly Review Press is Michael D. Yates. Books that Monthly Review Press has published include “Extraordinary Threat” by Joe Emersberger and Justin Podur, “Sensing Injustice” by Michael E. Tigar, and “Capital and Imperialism” by Utsa Patnaik and Prabhat Patnaik.
Book submissions should go through the submission page on their website and will ask for basic information on the author, as well as any files the author would like Monthly Review Press to consider, which could include sample chapters or a cover letter.
5. The Permanent Press
Established in 1978 by Martin and Judith Shepard, the Permanent Press is an American publisher focused on publishing exemplary works of fiction. Located in New York, in the United States, they have grown from their local beginnings into a well-respected publisher in the United States.
Today, founder Judith Shepard remains with the company as a publisher, working alongside managing editor Nick Collins. They publish all manner of fiction based on politics and current affairs, including “Jordan’s Branch” by Howard Owen, “Unnatural Resources” by Mindy Uhrlaub, and “Monument” by Howard Owen.
The Permanent Press accepts samples of fiction mailed to their New York office for those interested in being published with them. Please note that they do not take any submissions that are sent via email.
6. Vernon Press
Vernon Press is a left-leaning publishing house with multiple locations, including one in Wilmington, Delaware, in the United States. An imprint of Vernon Art and Science, Inc., they produce non-fiction materials in the humanities and social sciences.
The publishing house focuses on various subjects such as anthropology, business, education, language, and economics. “The Hamilton Phenomenon” edited by Chloe Northrop, “The Changing Faces of Higher Education” edited by Mitchell B. Machine, and “Socially Engaged Public Art in East Asia” edited by Meiqin Wang, are among the titles that they have published in the past.
Writers interested in being published with Vernon Press should reach out to the company directly via email or by mail. Be sure to complete the proposal form that is available on their website. Alternatively, the company also releases open calls for proposals that may align with the subject matter that you are writing about.
7. Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company
Since its founding in 1886, the Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company is today considered one of the first radical publishing companies worldwide. Founder Charles Hope Kerr established the company in Chicago, in the state of Illinois, during a time that inspired him to push for increased awareness of the possibility that came with left-leaning philosophies.
Today, the company holds true to its tradition of pushing for change and an alternate way of viewing our reality. A member of the Radical Publishers Alliance, the Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company publishes books on social justice, labor, and history. They have been responsible for publishing titles like “Acceptable Men” by Noel Ignatiev, “Social Contagion” by Chuang, and “Annandale Blues” by Guy Ducornet.
Writers interested in being published with the Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company should contact them directly for further instructions on how to proceed.
8. Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press was created in 1995 by owner Dan Simon and was named to represent writers whose work encapsulates the vision that this company strives for, which is to deliver impactful writing that challenges and motivates the reader, in genres from literature and fiction to non-fiction about economics, human rights or social issues.
Through their allies at the esteemed Penguin Random House, Seven Stories Press has a secure and reliable channel through which they can sell and distribute their material. Based in New York City, this publisher has been behind past published works include titles like “On Diversity” by Russell Jacoby, “Em” by Kim Thuy, and “Exteriors” by Annie Ernaux.
Seven Stories Press is committed to being a publisher of challenging, left-wing literature. However, authors interested in publishing through them should know that the publishing house, while appreciative of the interest, does not accept any unsolicited manuscripts.
9. Pathfinder Press
An international powerhouse in the publishing sector with offices across the world, Pathfinder Press is an independent leftist publishing group with its head office in the state of Georgia, in the United States. Not only do they traditionally publish material in the English language, but this publisher also publishes in a multitude of other languages, including Spanish, French, Chinese, and Arabic.
Subjects that Pathfinder Press finds particular interest in include art and culture, Africa, fascism, the Middle East, and U.S. politics and history. “Red Zone” by Enrique Ubieta Gomez, “Labor, Nature, and the Dawn of Humanity” by Frederick Engels, Karl Marx and George Novack, and “FBI On Trial” by Margaret Jayko are among the titles that have come out of this publishing house.
For submissions, writers should reach out to Pathfinder Press at whichever international office is closest to their place of abode.
10. Beacon Publishing Group
New York is home to Beacon Publishing Group, an independent leftist publisher that publishes both fiction and non-fiction manuscripts. The award-winning company has been behind the publication of books, ebooks, and audiobooks, and has a distribution system that spans over fifty-five countries.
From titles of fiction to non-fiction on science, economics, politics, and history, Beacon Publishing Group is active in publishing books that match its mission statement and is deemed educational to today’s society. These include titles like “Revenge of the Beast” by M. Ward Leon, “Harboring Happiness” by Dan Brook, and “Dreamwalkers” by Brooke Terry.
Interested writers should submit their work to Beacon Publishing Group through their website. They’re happy to entertain submissions from writers directly, with or without the services of a literary agent and regardless of experience. Prepare a cover letter and take a look at what it takes to present a completed submission to Beacon Publishing Group!