If you’re an author who lives in the capital and need a publishing house for your book, below we’ve featured 10 top book publishers in London.
1. Black Dog Publishing
Located in London, England, with offices on Highgate Road, Black Dog Publishing is a publishing house that produces non-fiction, illustrated books. Founded in 1993, they have created books about design trends, architecture, geography and art
“Form Follows Fiction: Art and Artists in Toronto” by Luis Jacob, “How To Read El Pato Pascual: Disney’s Latin America & Latin America’s Disney” by Ruben Ortiz Torres and Jesse Lerner, and Empire of Illusion” by Terry Munro are some of the books that they have created and reflects their interest in design, artistic expression and new ways of thinking.
Black Dog Publishing is interested in any writers who have manuscripts that might fit their mould of current offerings. Interested writers should include a query letter and manuscript and email the company directly.
2. Pluto Press
Pluto Press is a publishing house that was founded in 1969. To this day they operate out of their location in Strand, London. Proudly left-wing, their published works are strictly non-fiction and reflect their political views supporting anti-capitalism.
From books on anthropology and the environment to books on human rights, history, and international politics, Pluto Press publishes books on a wide range of different topics. Their portfolio includes “The Solutions Are Already Here: Strategies For Ecological Revolution From Below” by Peter Gelderloos, “Palm Oil: The Grease of Empire” by Max Haiven, and “Russia And The Media: The Makings of a New Cold War” by Greg McLaughlin.
Writers interested in submitting a book submission to Pluto Press should include a description of your book’s main concept, a table of contents, and an idea of the target audience.
3. Verso
Headquartered in London, England, Verso is a book publishing house that got its start in 1970. The independent publisher produces about a hundred books a year, on topics including architecture, film, geography, history, and political and social theory.
Today, the company is run out of multiple international locations, including London and New York. Take a look at some of their books, like “Coronavirus Criminals and Pandemic Profiteers” by John Nichols, “The Monster Enters” by Mike Davis, and “The South: Jim Crow and Its Afterlives” by Adolph L. Reed Jr.
While Verso is happy to look at non-fiction book submissions, they are unable to consider fiction book submissions. Writers who have an appropriate manuscript should include a table of contents and an analysis of the market they are focusing on, and email this to the company.
4. Kogan Page
Since its establishment in 1967, Kogan Page has worked to maintain its reputation as a reputable publisher of academic books. Associated with business-centred organizations like APMG International, Accenture, and the Marketing Society, the London, England-based publishing firm aims to bring a fresh perspective to various aspects of doing business.
Kogan Page offers books about accounting, management, human resources and more. Some of their published works include “Fundamentals of Risk Management: Understanding, Evaluating and Implementing Effective Enterprise Risk Management” by Paul Hopkin, “Managing Workplace Health and Wellbeing During a Crisis: How to Support Your Staff in Difficult Times” edited by Cary Cooper and Ian Hesketh, and “Resourcing and Talent Management: The Theory and Practice of Recruiting and Developing a Workforce” by Stephen Taylor.
Kogan Page is happy to consider book manuscripts on a number of business-related non-fiction topics, such as technology, compliance, logistics, marketing and management. Writers should submit a digital proposal package as a PDF file and include a concept of the book they wish to have published, as well as an idea of why Kogan Page would be the ideal press to publish through.
5. Atlantic Books
Atlantic Books has been producing quality books for over two decades. The book publisher was founded in 2000 and operates from their office on Boswell Street in London, England. The publishing house helped establish Independent Alliance in 2005, a coalition of UK-based publishers.
Whether it is fiction, politics, history or books on current affairs, count on Atlantic Books to offer an impressive variety of well-written books. “The Arc” by Tory Henwood Hoen, “Consider the Lily” by Elizabeth Buchan and “Ten Steps to Nanette” by Hannah Gadsby are a number of books that demonstrate the level of quality they look for.
Writers who have a manuscript and would like Atlantic Books to consider it for publication should include a short proposal to the company. The publisher is particularly interested in fiction novels and short stories.
6. Quadrille
Situated on Southwark Street, in London, England, Quadrille is a book publishing company that specializes in books on lifestyle, design, popular culture and crafts. Today, they operate as an imprint of Hardie Grant Publishing and are sold all around the English-speaking world.
The publisher continues to look for promising books suitable for different ages to add to their current collection. Their books include “The Shortcut Cook” by Rosie Reynolds, “The Drag Dictionary” by Alba De Zanet & Roberto Garcia and “Texture” by Erika Knight.
Quadrille looks forward to any book submissions you might have. They ask for a book outline, sample chapter, as well as a query letter detailing your personal contact information.
7. Michael O’Mara Books
Michael O’Mara Books is a book publishing house that produces fiction and non-fiction books about lifestyle, biographies, humour, language and different books for educational purposes, such as reference materials and textbooks for science and history. Founded in their location on Tremadoc Road in London, England, the publisher was created in 1985 by the co-owning team of Michael O’Mara and his wife.
Aside from their non-fiction books for adults, the publisher also has committed to publishing material for children, such as picture books, sticker books, and reading books for younger readers. Look at some of the books that Michael O’Mara Books has produced, such as “What Are You Thinking? Why We Feel and Act the Way We Do” by Nicky Hayes, “Elizabeth & Margaret” by Andrew Morton, and “Toujours La France! Living the Dream in Rural France” by Janine Marsh.
Michael O’Mara Books requests writers to send book submissions by email only. They also are only able to consider non-fiction book submissions. Writers should include a query letter and a sample of their manuscript to the company.
8. Phaidon Press
Relocated to London, England after the Second World War, Phaidon Press is a book publisher that is proud to produce quality books on film, gardens, travel, photography and other non-fiction topics. It continues to operate out of London, with other offices in New York, in the United States, and in other countries.
Alongside their regularly published books, Phaidon Press also offers books published to be gifts, beautifully packaged and often with incredible photography and illustrations. They have produced books like “Soled Out: The Golden Age of Sneaker”, “African Artists: From 1882 to Now” by Chika Okeke-Agulu, and “Italian Breakfast” by Ferran Adria.
Book submissions to Phaidon Press should be for one of the areas they currently publish in, including fashion, design and photography. Writers should include a resume and description of your book to them by email.
9. Darf Publishers
Darf Publishers is a book publisher located on West End Lane, in London, England. Founded in 1981, they originally specialized in publishing books about classical history and travel, focused on the Middle East and Asia.
SInce 2014, Darf Publishers has redefined itself and is today one of the world’s top publishers that focuses on translating non-English books into English, in non-fiction genres like history, travel, theology, as well as fiction novels. “Flowers in Flames” by Amir Tag Elsir, “Hatless” by Lateefa Buti and “Paul, The Cool Giraffe” by Bardur Oskarsson.
Writers with a book manuscript for Darf Publishers to consider should include their contact information, book synopsis and a short sample of three chapters.
10. Thames & Hudson
London, England is home to Thames & Hudson, a publisher that delivers non-fiction books for children and adults. The publishing house was created in 1949 by Walter and Eva Neurath, owners with the vision of setting up one of the world’s best publishers of illustrated books.
Today, the company has published numerous titles on art, architecture, natural history, and photography. Its books include “Women, Art, and Society” by Whitney Chadwick, “Seeing Ourselves: Women’s Self-Portraits” by Frances Borzello, and “Masterpieces” by Christopher Lloyd.
Book proposals to Thames & Hudson should include a chapter outline, author’s biography and a query letter indicating the content and direction of the book you have in mind. The publisher has requested that proposals be kept as short as possible.