Reading is a passion which will forever envelop humanity. Across America, more and more readers are learning the value of reading, resulting in a society which has a fervent demand for knowledge.
Whether you are a writer of fiction or non-fiction, broad audiences await should your work display creativity, originality, and flair.
It is always best to locate a regional publisher close to you in order to grant yourself the best chances of having your manuscript considered.
Here we have taken a look at 18 top US publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts. Publishers spread across the largest cities in America can be found below.
1. Baen Books
As a specialized publisher of science fiction and fantasy, Baen Books is based in New York City. Publishing powerful plots woven by renowned wordsmiths such as David Weber, author of the Harrington series of novels, Baen openly accepts unsolicited manuscripts. Electronic submissions are required, with nothing more than a covering letter and your personal details requested. If your manuscript holds a solid scientific and philosophical basis, expressing a stellar plot, strong characters and a rigorous devotion to coherent yet creative originality, then you may make the cut. You can find full details of their submission process on their ‘Submit’ page.
2. Kensington Publishing Corp
Kensington Publishing Corp is an independent publisher situated in New York. Since their inception in 1973, Kensington Publishing Corp has released many best-sellers in every format including hardcover, trade paperback, mass market, and digital releases. Their imprints include Zebra, Pinnacle, Dafina, and Lyrical Press, while the genres which they specialize in include romance, women’s fiction, African American works, young adult fiction, and a range of non-fiction, especiallly true-crime, western fiction, and mystery novels. Unsolicited manuscript submissions are welcomed with full details available on the Kensington Publishing Corp ‘Submissions‘ page.
3. Holiday House
If you’re looking to collaborate with a publisher that has produced timeless classics for both adults and children- Holiday House, which is based in New York, is one of your top options. With a history spanning to eight decades, this company has rolled out best-selling titles like Noodlehead Nightmares by Tedd Arnold, Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss, Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace, Behind Closed Doors by Miriam Halahmy and Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard. Their titles cover multiple themes like adoption, adventure, community, self-discovery, bedtime stories, science, and geography to name a few. Holiday House is driven by the mission of publishing thought-provoking titles that’ll engage and enlighten their readers to the core. Currently, they are seeking submissions for children’s books. You can visit this page for more details about their submission guidelines.
4. Sterling Publishing
Sterling Publishing is a New York based company that publishes books for both adults and teens. The company was established by David Alfred Boehm, and over the last couple of years, they have published more than 5,000 titles. The biggest highlight of this company lies in the fact that they work with diverse genres. So, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, if your content is unique and engaging enough- Sterling will surely publish your work. Some of their best-selling titles include The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American by Andrew L Seidel, Susan Jacoby, Dan Barker, Moon: An Illustrated History by David Warmflash, The Peached Tortilla: Modern Asian Comfort Food from Tokyo to Texas by Eric Silverstein, The King Who Banned the Dark by Emily Haworth-Booth, and There’s Only One You by Kathryn Heling, Deborah Hembrook, Rosie Butcher. Sterling is currently open for unsolicited manuscript submissions. You can reach out to them on this page.
5. City Lights Press
Established in 1955 and based in San Francisco, City Lights Press is a leading publisher of literary fiction, poetry, biographies, memoirs and translations. They have also published multiple titles focusing on important socio-political issues. Over the last few years, the company has expanded its reach by creating several imprints. Some of them include the ‘Pocket Poet Series’, ‘Open Media Series’, ‘City Lights Foundation’, ‘Spotlight Series’ and others. These imprints cover diverse subjects like art, music, drama, African American writing, Asian writing, LGBTQ, philosophy, poetry, politics, cultural studies, essays, literary fiction, non-fiction, and more. City Lights Pres is currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts in literary fiction, literary translation, and socio-political studies. So, if your manuscript meets these genre requirements, contact them with your work on this page. Since the press only publishes 12-16 titles every year, your work will only be considered if it is exceptionally well-written.
6. Loyola Press – A Jesuit Ministry
Loyola Press is a publisher based in Chicago with a fixed focus on books for readers interested in Ignatian spirituality, with full support of a parish ministry. Their selection process is quite stringent, with roughly twenty-books each year making the cut. The ministry is always looking for fresh, inspiring voices who can clearly communicate and connect to the needs of catechists and faith formation ministers. Loyola is looking for works which help people experience God in their daily lives on a more direct level, while also seeking discourses of Catholic tradition exploring the richness of traditions and practices in the ministry. You can find all the necessary details to make your post or digital manuscript submission on the Loyola Press ‘Submissions’ page.
7. Arbordale Publishing
Headquartered in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Arbordale Publishing is a leading publisher of educational resources for kids. Established in 2004 by Donna and Lee German, this company publishes engaging books about math and science. Over the last few years, Arbordale has published hundreds of fiction and non-fiction titles that don’t merely tell stories, but also educate the readers. Some of their best works include Animal Noses by Mary Holland, Bat Count by Anna Forrester and Susan Detwiller and Deductive Detective by Brian Rock and Sherry Rogers. The company is currently open for submissions and they are looking for manuscripts about physical science, earth science, engineering, and mathematics. You can find complete details about their submission guidelines on this page.
8. Workman
Workman is a leading NYC based publisher that publishes trade and non-fiction titles for kids and adults. This company has published several best-selling titles that have motivated and encouraged millions of readers. Some of their recent books include Barbecue Rules by Joe Carroll and Nick Fauchald, The Heart of a Boy by Kate T. Parker and Keep Going by Austin Kleon. Workman has always been driven by the goal to publish engaging titles that’ll compel children and young adults to think differently. Going by their popularity, they seem to have achieved this mission. The company also has multiple imprints to cater to a diverse audience. You can find more details about these imprints and their respective submission guidelines on this page.
9. Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press is a New York City based independent publishing house. It was established in 1955 by Dan Simon. While the company is famed for its gripping socio-political titles, the most unique factor lies in its name. Simon named this press after seven authors whose works deeply touched him. Since their works were out of print and unavailable, Simon took the onus of disseminating them with the help of his publishing house. His efforts paid off and Seven Stories is now known for its bold and uncompromising socio-political titles. Some of the best-selling works of Seven Stories include Eiffel’s Tower for Young People by Rebecca Stefoff, Happening by Annie Ernaux, 100 Times by Chavisa Woods, and All City by Alex DiFrancesco. The company is accepting unsolicited submissions. You can check out the guidelines on this page.
10. Adonis Designs Press
Adonis Designs Press operates from Phoenix, Arizona, having moved from their hometown of Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois. Their emphasis is on non-fiction and poetry, with the top areas of focus being self-help, how-to’s, travel discourses, dogs, spirituality books, art, photography, inspirational works, and gardening. A great example of their preferred style can be found in Hugh Moore’s Beaming on Dreamsville!. The only genre which Adonis Designs Press does not accept is memoirs. You can find full details of their submission process on the Adonis Designs Press ‘Submissions’ page.
11. Felony and Mayhem
If you’re fond of writing mystery and thriller titles, Felony and Mayhem might be just the right agency for you. Initially re-printing classic novels of reputed authors, the company steadily expanded their reach, and right now, they publish new unpublished works of both amateur and reputed authors. Over the last 14 years, this New York based company has published hundreds of page-turning mystery novels. Some of their best-selling works include Fat Chance by Charlie Sheldon, Zaddik by David Rosenbaum, and The Fourth Dimension is Death by Donald Westlake. Felony and Mayhem follows an open submissions policy, and you can check out their detailed submission guidelines here. Do note that the publisher is only accepting mystery fiction for adults at the moment.
12. Quirk Books
Nestled in the Old District of Philadelphia, Quirk Books publishes roughly twenty-five new titles each year. They are best known for their young adult bestselling book series Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, as well as the leading book for youth William Shakespeare’s Star Wars. The company also publishes a wide range of cookbooks, art books and pop culture novels. They are always looking for submissions of unconventional manuscripts. If your title features innovation and creativity, delivering smart ideas in fun and original ways, then contact Quirk Books or send off your manuscript straight. You can find further details and their mailing address on the Quirk Books ‘Submissions’ page.
13. Camino Books
Camino Books is a small but reputable publishing house, operating out of Philadelphia since 1987. They are particularly interested in titles covering non-fiction subjects of interest to the Middle Atlantic states. Their range focuses upon travel, gardening, and history, although biographies, local reference resources, and books covering parenting and health, are also accepted. Between six to ten new titles are published each year. Great examples of their preferred publishing style can be found in Discovering Philadelphia – Places Little Known by David Traub, and Robert L. Snow’s Love and Greed in the Heartland. You can find further details of their submission process on the Camino Books ‘Submissions’ page.
14. Skyhorse Publishing
Established in 2006, Skyhorse Publishing is a New York-based independent publishing house. The company was founded by Tony Lyons, who previously operated the acclaimed Lyons Press. Since its very inception, Skyhorse was driven to publish a diverse mix of titles. So, whether it’s sports, adventure, military history, humor, or practically any other genre- Skyhorse covers them all! With 19 imprints, 49 NYT best-sellers, and 8,000+ printed titles this company is currently one of the biggest publishers across America. Luckily, they have an open submissions policy. So, if you want to collaborate with them, check out their submission guidelines on this page.
15. Chronicle Books
Chronicle Books is a powerhouse in independent publishing, operating out of San Francisco since 1967. They hold affiliation with many prominent imprints and publishers including but not limited to Moleskine, Princeton Architectural Press, Laurence King Publishing, Galison + Mudpuppy, Twirl Books, Hardie Grant Books, Quadrille Publishing, The Creative Company, and Sierra Club. Bestsellers from their expansive, illustrious range of titles include Other-Worldy by Yee-Lum Mak, and titles accredited to internal sensations such as HBO’s Game of Thrones. They are openly accepting of unsolicited submissions, with print manuscripts preferred. Chronicle receives children’s books, adult trade books, and portfolios for contract work such as design, illustration and photography. You can find further details of their submission requirements on the Chronicle Books ‘Submissions’ page.
16. Cedar Grove Publishing
Cedar Grove Publishing is a small publisher of fiction in the form of children’s books, middle grade and young adult fiction, graphic novels, and science-fiction, fantasy, and horror novels. From their offices in San Francisco they publish a range of works, but do not cover non-fiction at all. To gauge their preferred publishing style, take a look at titles such as the dark fiction anthology Sycorax’s Daughters, and the fantastic teen fiction title The Evolution of Glory Loomis by Michael G. Bassen. Unsolicited manuscript submissions in accordance with genres covered are openly accepted. You can find further details and a ‘Contact Us’ form on the Cedar Grove Publishing ‘Submissions’ page.
17. Ignatius Press
Ignatius Press is a prime religious publisher of a diverse range of literary works. From their headquarters in San Francisco, Ignatius carries international marketing and distribution. Their expansive catalogue includes books, videos, and religious education materials for both children and adults. To better understand their demographic and style, take a look at titles such as Going Deeper, a discourse into a logical explanation to God and faith by Leo Severino, with Galileo Revisited by Dom Paschal Scotti being another great exhibit of their bestsellers. Ignatius is open to unsolicited submissions, however the publisher does not typically publish any further fiction or children’s books, nor poetry. A collection of guidelines for your submission have been provided via PDF from Ignatius Press.
18. Hierophant Publishing
Hierophant Publishing is a prime publisher of fiction operating out of San Antonio. Self-declared as a publisher of body, mind, and spirit books, Hierophant aims to publish words inspired by silence, giving guidance from the self’s awakened beyond. A small but powerful range of titles are carried by this publishing house. Delving into shamanic culture, lifestyle, and lore The Wisdom of the Shamans by Don Jose Ruiz is a fantastic treatise to this ancient tradition and belief. Cynthia Kane’s How to Communicate Like A Buddhist is another best-seller from their range, while best-sellers such as Healing Ancestral Karma by Dr. Steven D. Farmer, and “Pearls of Wisdom” by Chris and Janet Attwood, are a clear exhibit of their preferred publishing style. You can find further details of the Hierophant Publishing unsolicited manuscript submission process on their ‘Submissions’ page.
Regional Demographics in Publishing
Local publishers often hold a preference for titles which carry close connections to the region in which they are based. From targeted fiction to historical works, biographies, memoirs and even gardening and cookbooks, manuscripts with a local flavor are typically given preference. Be sure to evaluate your own work and find a publisher which displays an interest in your genre. In certain cases, a manuscript may be near-perfectly suited to a regional interest group, given a slight degree of modification. A few slight changes to match a publisher in your vicinity can go a long way towards getting yourself published.
Are you a US publisher accepting unsolicited manuscripts? Please tell us more about your organization in the comments box below!
18 Top US Publishers Accepting Unsolicited Manuscripts is an article from Writing Tips Oasis.
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