If you need a handy list of the best book publishers, take a look at the following selection of 21 we’ve put together.
1. Quirk Books
Quirk Books formally entered the publishing industry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 20 years ago. Given its name, the company quickly became synonymous with odd yet thoroughly delightful reads for readers of all ages. From the covers to the writing, their books are designed to stand out in bookstores all around the world.
Here, you’ll find nonfiction titles about food & drinks, gardening, pop culture, arts & crafts, love, pets, and humor. Quirky Books is also known for best-selling novels such as Ransom Riggs’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith’s sensational Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Interested authors should ask their literary agents to check the submissions section and send queries or sample writing online. The aforementioned page has a list of editors and what they’re currently seeking in fiction and nonfiction.
2. Wiley
Academicians and researchers alike are well familiar with Wiley, the renowned publisher of scholarly and scientific texts. Headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey, and led by CEO Brian Napack, it has been around since 1807 and employs more than 7,000 individuals worldwide.
Wiley covers a wide range of fields in the arts and sciences. To name a few, it publishes books on history, combinatorics, psychiatry, urban studies, veterinary medicine, world languages, public law, and genetics. You can learn a lot from Stefan Huber’s Halogen Bonding in Solution and Mark van Rijmenam’s Step Into the Universe.
The publisher welcomes writers to send proposals. Head to the Book Authors page to discover the steps in preparing and submitting manuscripts.
3. OSU Press
Launched 61 years ago, OSU Press is the official press of the Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. From primarily printing only educational books about biological sciences and physical sciences at first, it now caters to both the academic community and general readers yearning to enrich their understanding of the world.
Essentially, OSU Press publishers scholarly and regional titles, with the latter helping others to appreciate the rich culture and history of Oregon. Featuring recent books like Jessica Gigot’s A Little Bit of Land, the catalog tackles gender studies, indigenous studies, biography, and natural resource management among others.
OSU Press is searching for high-quality, well-researched nonfiction projects about the Pacific Northwest and similar locations. View the proposal guidelines for more information.
4. Simon & Schuster
Nearly a century ago, Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster created their titular publishing company. Today, Simon & Schuster has a headquarters in New York City and releases thousands of new books each year.
With several established imprints like Scout Press and Beach Lane Books, the publisher is home to many award-winners and best-sellers across fiction and nonfiction — including children’s literature. Some of its latest literary highlights are David W. Blight’s historical Frederick Douglass and Colleen Hoover’s romance novel It Ends with Us.
The first step of getting published under Simon & Schuster is to get a reputable literary agent to submit your manuscript for you.
5. Abingdon Press
Located in Nashville, Tennessee, Abingdon Press is one of the go-to publishing houses for religious folks or anyone curious about faith & spirituality. It began operations in the early 20th century and serves to inspire and educate devout communities across the US and beyond.
While Abingdon Press’s last novel—Cynthia Ruchti’s A Fragile Hope—was published five years ago, its nonfiction catalog continues to grow in size and diversity. From Judaism and Christianity to leadership and even pets, the topics are guaranteed to serve the clergy and families alike.
Authors are more than welcome to send a proposal and short sample of their nonfiction writing if they think that it would go well with other Abingdon Press titles.
6. Abrams Books
If you’re passionate about art and compelling imagery, head to Abrams Books in New York City. Launched in 1949, it slowly but surely earned a loyal following for its treasure trove of titles in design, photography, and fashion.
Abrams Books operates imprints like The Overlook Press and Amulet Books — and its categories go well beyond general art today. There are illustrated books about jewelry (Rachel Church’s Rings) and political science (Humphrey Hawksley’s Asian Waters) alongside fiction and nonfiction for kids and young adults.
Right now, Abrams Books is open to manuscript submissions or proposals from writers who have agents that can vouch for their work.
7. Haymarket Books
Do you believe in the capacity of literature to change the world for the better? Based in Chicago, Illinois, Haymarket Books debuted in 2001. This fiercely independent publisher not only prints eye-opening titles but also provides a place for socially conscious communities to form and flourish.
This business is deeply concerned with social justice, human rights, and all societal ills that affect people and the world they live in. Haymarket Books has almost 1,000 titles in fiction and nonfiction such as John Sayles’s novel Yellow Earth and John Patrick Leary’s political Keywords for Capitalism.
If you’re working on a nonfiction book that can appeal to both scholars and readers interested in critical thinking and progressive politics, wait for Haymarket Books to resume accepting manuscripts at the start of September.
8. Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House is another New York-based global powerhouse in the book industry — and it all started when George Palmer Putnam established his publishing company more than 180 years ago. The business employs 15,000 people worldwide and introduces 15,000 new print publications each year.
With hundreds of imprints and labels, the publisher easily fulfills the reading demands of kids and adult readers in fiction or nonfiction. It has no scarcity of acclaimed works, two of which are Ellen Raskin’s The Westing Game and Ben Okri’s historical and literary novel The Famished Road.
Like other big publishers, Penguin Random House requires interested authors to have a reputable agent for manuscript submissions — with a few exceptions like online imprints and DAW, which is open to sci-fi & fantasy novels from unagented writers.
9. SAGE Publishing
Located in Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, SAGE Publications is the brainchild of Sara Miller. Launched 57 years ago in a small New York office, the company eventually moved to California in 1966 when Sara and her partner George McCune began working on more academic journals.
SAGE Publishing boasts an international presence and is celebrated for its unwavering commitment to reinforcing the value of social science. A few outstanding reads in sociology include Jodi O’Brien’s The Production of Reality and Jenny M. Stuber’s Exploring Inequality.
The first step to getting published is to determine the right acquisition editor for your work. They cover everything from criminology and media studies to anthropology and economics. Also, visit the page for book authors and read the submission guidelines.
10. Grove Atlantic
Founded in 1947 and originally known as Grove Press, the New York-based Grove Atlantic is one of the oldest indie publishers in the world. In fact, its roots date back to the inception of the Atlantic Monthly Press three decades earlier. Grove Atlantic’s lasting legacy is widely attributed to Barney Rossett, Jr. who purchased the business in 1951.
Grove Atlantic offers a great collection of nonfiction from biographies and economics to sports and true crime. It also has poetry, graphic novels, mystery novels, historical fiction, and highly anticipated literary novels like Martin Riker’s The Guest Lecture and Audur Olafsdottir’s Animal Life.
Unlike other publishers, Grove Atlantic prefers physical submissions of proposals and queries. Ask your agent to read the FAQs to know their complete address and other important details.
11. Chicago Review Press
If you’re from Chicago, Illinois, one of the go-to book publishers is the Chicago Review Press. Curt and Linda Matthews created their independent business to play an active role in developing and observing cultural currents. Established nearly 50 years ago, it currently has five imprints and at least a thousand books in print.
Chicago Review Press is known for nonfiction titles covering subjects such as education, relationships, language, biographies, and social science. Compelling political science titles in the catalog include John Bicknell’s America 1844 and Peter Eichstaedt’s Consuming the Congo.
The publisher is searching for unsolicited nonfiction projects. You can send a proposal for your book about pop culture, nature, or history whether it’s written mainly for adults or kids and young adults.
12. Kregel Publications
In 1949, Kregel Publications is one of the three main publishing components of Kregel, Inc. Situated in Grand Rapids, Michigan, it’s an essential literary resource for Christian educators, church leaders, and families.
Kregel Publications has texts about biblical studies, theology, evangelism, church history, and Christian living. There are religious reads for children like activity books, story books, and Bible stories. Likewise, you can find novels like Erica Vetsch’s historical Christian romance Millstone of Doubt.
Your literary agent can submit a query letter to Kregel Publications for you. Otherwise, you can look for manuscript-screening options. Either way, check the submissions policy for more information.
13. MIT Press
Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, MIT Press is an esteemed university press for the arts and sciences. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, its treasure trove of books and journals enrich the reader’s understanding of specific academic fields and life, in general.
MIT Press publishes nonfiction titles on art, poetry, language, business & economics, literature, math, religion, computers, design, and social science, among others. Surprisingly, the press contains novels with themes like dark fantasy, black humor, and medieval romance. For one, you should check Gary Indiana’s Do Everything in the Dark.
Writers should view the list of acquisitions editors since they can only send their proposals to one of them at a time. Check the pages about prospective authors and submitting proposals as well.
14. Holiday House
Headquartered in New York City, Holiday House was the first of its kind in the U.S. since it specializes in children’s literature. Founded in 1935, it is the home of both legendary children’s book authors and new writers with a fresh literary voice.
Holiday House packs one of the largest catalogs of children’s fiction and nonfiction, serving every young reader from middle-grade kids to young adults. Themes include self-discovery, civil rights, data analysis, and contemporary issues such as in Miriam Halahmy’s Behind Closed Doors and Yuyi Morales’s Dreamers.
Children’s book authors can either send manuscripts online or by mail. Read more about the manuscript guidelines here.
15. Page Street Publishing
Launched a decade ago, Page Street Publishing is one of the most environmentally conscious publishers in the US, opting for sustainable production materials whenever possible. To add, this company in Salem, Massachusetts, allocates a portion of its earnings for charity donations.
The Page Street Publishing catalog is divided into three general categories: YA fiction, picture books, and nonfiction. The nonfiction titles usually talk about food, crafts, humor, and baking. Folks looking for diet books should consider Jenny Castaneda’s One-Pot Paleo and Megan Sadd’s 30-Minute Vegan Dinners.
You are free to send a manuscript to Page Street Publishing whether you’re an agented or unagented author.
16. Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis entered the industry in 1852 when Richard Taylor and William Francis combined their expertise in publishing. Located in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK, the company has a massive catalog with more than 145,000 book publications — and that’s not counting thousands of long-running academic journals.
The publisher has four general categories that allow researchers to learn from practically every field: science & technology, humanities & social sciences, engineering, and medicine & healthcare. If you’re interested in international relations, look for the sixth edition of Thomas Oatley’s International Political Economy.
Similar to other scholarly publishers, Taylor & Francis advises authors to check the list of commissioning editors. You can learn more from the page about submitting proposals.
17. Elsevier Canada
Researchers and health professionals can always count on Elsevier Canada in Milton, Ontario. The main Elsevier publishing company has been around since 1880. Today, there are more than 8,000 employees around the world, ensuring that readers can stay up-to-date with the latest discoveries and cutting-edge technology.
At Elsevier Canada, you can get books about dentistry, medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, and other health professions like optometry and physical therapy. Fresh titles in veterinary medicine include Philip H. Kass’s Advances in Small Animal Care 2022 and James A. Orsini’s The Equine Foot.
Writers working on reference books or textbooks in health-related fields should check the guidelines for submitting manuscripts.
18. Dundurn Press
Led by President Kwame Scott Fraser, Dundurn Press is one of the biggest indie book publishers not just in Toronto, Ontario, but in all of Canada. Founded 50 years ago, it has a few thousand titles in its catalog that unfailingly educate and inspire readers.
Dundurn Press prints nonfiction on topics like art & architecture, wildlife, sports, and travel. You can also discover literary fiction, poetry, and fiction and nonfiction for young adults like Angeline Jackson’s Funny Gyal.
As of writing, Dundurn Press is actively searching for unsolicited submissions of literary fiction, literary nonfiction, and nonfiction on many topics.
19. Pan Macmillan Australia
Pan Macmillan Australia is part of the global Macmillan publishing company. Situated in Sydney, New South Wales, it is home to the most popular and best-reviewed titles whether in fiction or nonfiction, addressing the literary needs of kids and adults.
Books are grouped into four: fiction, nonfiction, lifestyle, and children’s & YA. Under the lifestyle catalog are Judith Orloff’s Affirmations for Empaths, Erin Essiambre’s Retro Girl Embroidery, and other titles that talk about cooking, travel, gardening, and health & wellness.
Pan Macmillan Australia is on the lookout for unsolicited digital submissions of fiction, nonfiction, YA fiction, and children’s fiction.
20. Oxford University Press
Located in Oxford UK, the Oxford University Press (OUP) is arguably the world’s most revered university press. Its literary history can be traced to 1478 — that’s more than half a millennium ago. Since then, OUP has expanded into other regions and reinforced its status as the top publisher for researchers and academics.
OUP has books for professionals and educators in social science, law, science & mathematics, and arts & humanities. Furthermore, it has hundreds of children’s fiction and nonfiction like Roderick Hunt’s Going on a Plane and Harriet Muncaster’s Mirabelle and the Naughty Bat Kittens.
Prospective authors must search for the most relevant acquisitions editor for their query. Carefully read the proposal submission instructions since OUP has a meticulous publication procedure.
21. Allen & Unwin
Based in Sydney, New South Wales, Allen & Unwin is a multi-award-winning indie publishing company. Stanley Unwin launched the business more than 100 years ago in the UK, and it was Patrick Gallagher who established the Australian division in 1976.
Allen & Unwin publishes children’s literature (picture books, board books, YA), fiction (crime, literary, commercial), and nonfiction (popular science, history, current affairs, humor). Some new releases are Benjamin Markovits’s contemporary novel The Sidekick and Lynda La Plante’s thriller Dark Rooms.
Interested writers of adult fiction and nonfiction should currently reside in Australia and New Zealand. Children’s book authors from other countries can still submit, but the chances of being accepted are low.