If you’re writer who has written a book, got it edited and decided you want to publish it in the traditional fashion, this post is especially for you.
Below we’ve featured 20 top traditional publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts.
1. Albert Whitman & Company
The Albert Whitman & Company located in Park Ridge, Illinois is a publisher of children’s books. Although founded in 1919, John Quattrocchi and Pat McPartland took the helm in 2008 as co-owners of the firm. If you’ve written a book that’s a picture book or a middle grade fiction or a young adult novel, then you can send in your manuscript for consideration. Take a look at the submission guidelines before you reach out to them. Some of the topics on which they publish books are childhood concerns, disability, culture, holidays, environment, folktale and many more. Future Lost by Elizabeth Briggs is one of their newest titles.
2. Bancroft Press
Bruce Bortz is the name behind the rise of Bancroft Press. In 1992, he set up the publishing company in Baltimore. They publish both fiction and nonfiction in all kinds of genres with special emphasis on trade fiction. If you’d like to work with them as an author, then read their instructions on submitting a manuscript. A couple of books that they’ve put forth in 2017 are Black Eyed Susan by Elizabeth Leiknes and Fall From Grace by Libby Sternberg.
3. Regal House Publishing
Is your book a work of fiction, an essay, a memoir or poetry? Then you should consider getting it published by Regal House Publishing. It was Jaynie Royal, author and editor, who established this company in the year 2014. You’ll find their office in Raleigh, North Carolina. To know more about how to proceed with contacting them, read their submission guidelines. They have two imprints, namely Fitzroy Books that deals with middle grade, young adult and new adult novels and Pact Press that works with content supporting diversity. As of 6th February 2019, the company is only accepting poetry submissions for their 2020 Terry J. Poetry Award. You will able to make poetry submissions for this award from November 2019. Additionally, you can also send your short story titles for their W.S Porter prize which opens for submissions from 1st September 2019. Crossing the Border by Daniel Olivas is one of their iconic titles.
4. Persea Books
Persea Books is an independent publishing house based in New York. Co-founded in 1975 by Michael and Karen Braziller, the company publishes quality titles spanning over a large range of styles, genres, and narrative techniques. Their published work includes excellently written non-fiction, titles exploring Native American lives, gripping fiction, and beautiful memoirs. They also publish selected translated titles. Some of the best-selling works from Persea are Gateway to Paradise by Matthew Volmer, A Good Place for the Night by Savyon Liebrecht and Nightfather by Carl Friedman. Persea is currently accepting submissions for your fiction, non-fiction, and poetry titles. You can contact them on this page. That said, do note that the company doesn’t publish genre fiction, self-help titles, textbooks, or titles for kids.
5. Kane Miller Books
Kane Miller Books publishes children’s titles from all over the world. Established by Madeline Kane and Sandy Miller in 1984, it is based in La Jolla, California. They are looking to publish more picture books for children and if your picture book has to do with American subjects, then all the more better. You can go through their instructions for submission and then contact them through the form on their website. Bug Brother by Pete Johnson, illustrated by Mike Gordon is one of their latest releases.
6. AK Press
While AK Press was started in Stirling, Scotland by founder Ramsey Kanaan in 1987 as a mail order outlet, its publishing headquarters is in Oakland, California. They’re into anarchy publishing and so, some of the subject matters that interest them are activism, post-colonial struggle, atheism, feminism & women’s studies, sexism, philosophy etc. They also publish books in many other genres, all of which you can discover from their website homepage. Women of Resistance by Daniel Barnhart and The Beast by Hugh Goldring are two books they’ve worked on. If you feel that your manuscript is apt for their publishing firm, then read the submission guidelines and reach out to them.
7. Shambhala Publications
An independent publishing company, Shambhala Publications is located in Boulder, Colorado. It was started by Samuel Bercholz and Michael Fagan in 1969. Parenting, cooking, psychology, creativity and Buddhism are some of the categories they are interested in. If you’d like to check out some of their books, take a look at The Inner Tradition of Yoga by Michael Stone and Southern from Scratch by Ashley English. They have a few submission guidelines for authors who’d like to send in their works for publishing.
8. Flashlight Press
If you are looking to share your works with one of the biggest children’s book publishers in the US, Flashlight Press is your answer! The company was created in 2004 by Shari Dash Greenspan to publish and disseminate quality children’s books, and over one and half decades, they’ve been driven by the same mission. Flashlight focuses on children’s titles that explore everyday social situations. They are especially fond of tales with a humorous twist. Some of their best titles are I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll, When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Noore, and Being Frank by Donna W. Earnhardt. Flashlight is currently accepting unsolicited titles with universal themes and family/social situations. You can find full details about their submissions on this page.
9. Shadow Mountain Publishing
Salt Lake City, Utah is where you’ll find Shadow Mountain Publishing. At present, the managing director of this firm is Dave Brown. The website of the publishing house has an entire section dedicated to understanding the procedure of manuscript submission. Although they are particularly interested in middle grade fantasy and clean romance, they publish fiction and nonfiction in all genres. Our Sweet Basil Kitchen by Cade and Carrian Cheney and Embers of Destruction by J. Scott Savage are two books they’ve published.
10. Kensington Publishing Corp
Established in 1974 by Walter Zacharius and Roberta Bender Grossman, Kensington Publishing Corp is a leading New York City publisher of fiction and non-fiction titles. Having spent more than 40 years in business, the company publishes almost 600 fiction and non-fiction titles annually. Kensington has a diverse range of imprints, covering mystery, thrillers, multicultural-fiction, non-fiction and plenty of other genres. Some of their best works include Some Choose Darkness by Charlie Donlea, Unspoken by Lisa Jackson, and Cranky Uncle vs Climate Change by John Cook. Kensington follows an open submission approach and can be contacted on this page.
11. Owl House Books
A publishing company devoted to delivering quality books in the science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller genres, Owl House Books was started by Leslie M. Browning. Since 2015, they have published some YA fiction novels, two of which happen to be Call of the Sun Child by Francesca G. Varela and Kodah and Me by Elizabeth Slayton. Owl House Books is located in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. If you wish to get your work published by them, then first read their submission guidelines.
12. Speaking Volumes
Speaking Volumes is set up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in the year 2008 and publishes books in genres like poetry, western, science fiction, action adventure, mystery, thrillers to name a few. Kurt Mueller is currently the Managing Partner of the firm. A Café on the Nile by Bartle Bull, America Undead by Phil Elmore and Gettysburg by MacKinlay Kantor are a couple of books they’ve worked on. If you’d like to submit your manuscript to them, read through their submission guidelines to learn about the right channel of communication.
13. 5 Prince Publishing
An independent publisher in Colorado, 5 Prince Publishing was instituted by Bernadette Soehner in the year 2011. For now, they are looking to receive manuscripts that are either romance fiction, chick lit or fantasy fiction. On their submission guidelines page, they have highlighted certain subcategories that they are especially interested in. As of now, they are only interested in romance, fantasy and young adult titles. The Tea Shop by Bernadette Marie, Star Seer by April Marcom and Stutter Creek by Ann Swann are some of their published books.
14. Ripple Grove Press
There are numerous children’s book publishers in the United States, but Ripple Grove Press prides itself on its ability to scout stories for children that haven’t been told before. Located in Shelburne, Vermont, the publishing company was established by Amanda Broder and Rob Broder in 2013. Dabbling in children’s picture books, Ripple Grove Press has published Graduation Day by Piotr Parda and Grandmother Thorn by Katie Howes, illustrated by Rebecca Hahn. To ensure that your work complies with their requirements, take a look at their submission guidelines. Currently, Ripple Grove is only interested in picture driven stories for children aged 2 to 8. They are not accepting young adult, early readers, or middle grade manuscripts at the moment.
15. Peachtree Publishers
Although known for their children’s books, Peachtree Publishers also work on young adult fiction, guide books for adults on parenting, health, education and nonfiction books. Helen Elliott founded the company in 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia. If you go through their backlist, you’ll find The Golden Glove by Fred Bowen and Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil. At the moment, they are looking to partner with authors of middle grade writings, young adult writings and books about children or early readers. To know how to go about submitting your manuscript, read their guidelines. Peachtree is currently accepting children’s fiction and non-fiction picture books, fiction and non-fiction chapter books for early readers, and fiction and non-fiction titles for middle-graders and young adults.
16. Fulcrum Publishing
Bob Baron, in the year 1984, established Fulcrum Publishing in Golden, Colorado. If you have authored a nonfiction book that’s a graphic novel, a comic or about the U.S history and culture, then you can submit your manuscript for consideration. They have previously published books related to gardening, education, current affairs, memoir, native American history etc. Red Prophet by David E. Wilkins and District Comics by Matt Dembicki are two of their releases. Currently, Fulcrum is only accepting non-fiction titles that explore U.S history and culture, Native American history and culture studies and materials focused on conservation. They are also accepting non-fiction graphic novels and comics. They aren’t accepting memoir or fiction titles at the moment.
17. Cedar Fort Publishing & Media
It was the book Beyond the Veil Volume 1 that brought together Lyle Mortimer and Lee Nelson, who then proceeded to start Cedar Fort Publishing in 1986. With Bryce Mortimer as its president currently, the publishing firm engages with content that pertains to a variety of genres like cooking, martial arts, western, guides etc. In their new release catalogue, there is Cast Iron Kitchen by Jesseca Hallows and The Burnheart Redemption by Chelsea Curran. Follow their submission guidelines carefully if you wish to submit your work to this publisher located in Springville, Utah.
18. Turner Publishing
Headquartered in Tennessee, Turner Publishing was established in 1984 to publish a diverse range of titles. Since then, the company has published close to 5,000 titles covering almost all genres and sub-genres of fiction and non-fiction (including but not limited to), history, thriller, cookbooks, health and wellness, and thrillers. Turner also has multiple imprints such as Wiley, Hunter House, and Fieldstone Alliance to name a few. Some of their recent titles are The Yin Yang Diet by Ken Babal, Another Kingdom by Andrew Klavan, and Root Cause by Steven Laine. Turner is currently accepting submissions from both authors and literary agents. You can reach out to them with a copy of your manuscript here.
19. Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press is an independent American publishing house that was established almost 24 years back by talented editor Dan Simon. Since their very inception, the company celebrates authors with a bold, unabashed, and unique narrative voice. The press publishes fiercely imaginative titles regardless of the genre. Over the last two and a half decades, they have published fiction, political non-fiction, and also a hybrid genre that carries elements of both. Some of their best works include 100 Times: A Memoir of Sexism by Chavisa Woods, All City: A Novel by Alex DiFrancesco and With Death Laughing: A Novel by Peter Plate. Seven Stories Press is currently open for submissions. You can send a copy of your manuscript on this page.
20. Holiday House
Holiday House publishes children’s books. The myriad themes they encourage in books range from bedtime stories to gender issues, coming of age to civil war. There’s a whole slew of topics that you can explore on their website. Based in New York City, this publishing company was started in 1935 by Helen Gentry. They work with several artists as well to produce illustrated works for new readers. Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome and Galaxies, Galaxies! by Gail Gibbons are two of their books that have won awards. If you’d like to get your book published by them, submit it after reading the guidelines on their FAQ page.
Are you a publishing company that takes unsolicited manuscripts? Please tell us how authors can make submissions in the comments box below!
A 22 year old writer from India, Meera Nair has been blogging for over 5 years. She has a triple major Bachelor’s degree in Media, English and Psychology from Christ University Bangalore. She regularly reviews books for publishers like Bloomsbury, Pan Macmillan, Penguin etc. Reading and writing are two of her utmost passions and she is glad to have the opportunity to share that love with others.