You’ve got a great nonfiction book proposal in hand, or maybe a finished novel plus proposal, and you’re eager to see it published. Unfortunately, not a single literary agent has agreed to represent you. Unless you’re willing to self-publish, is this the end of the road?
Not necessarily. Although the major traditional publishers do not accept unsolicited proposals or manuscripts, many smaller publishers do, including a modest number of imprints of major publishers. (An imprint is a “division” of a larger publisher.)
To help you find them, I’ve put together a list of 35 publishers who accept unsolicited submissions. For each, you’ll find a link to the contact page on their websites, as well as a brief description of the types of manuscripts they are looking for. As much as possible, all information I’ve included is quoted from the websites.
Some of these publishers only publish in digital form, while others publish “physical” books, as well. Some are traditional, royalty-based publishers, while others offer add-on services in addition to traditional publishing. Be sure to read a publisher’s website carefully before contacting them.
Good luck with your submissions!
Note: This information is current as of April, 2019 but can change at any time. I am not recommending any of these publishers, just providing information.
Just in: Five of the publishers previously listed are no longer accepting submissions, so I struck them from the list. I’ll relist them if they change their policies.
Albert Whitman & Company
See: https://www.albertwhitman.com/submission-guidelines-for-unrepresented-authors/
What they are looking for: “Albert Whitman & Company currently has an open submissions policy. We will read and review un-agented manuscripts and proposals for picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels.”
Andrews McMeel Publishing
See: http://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/our-company/submissions
What they are looking for: “Andrews McMeel Publishing (AMP) is a leading publisher of humor, inspiration, poetry, and middle grade children’s books, publishing as many as 150 new titles annually. AMP is also the premier calendar publisher in the country, annually publishing calendars based on many top-selling properties.”
“We’re always looking for new authors and new book and calendar ideas.”
Bancroft Press
See: http://bancroftpress.com/submission-guidelines-2/
What they are looking for: “We publish trade fiction and non-fiction, and we publish what we like.”
Baen Books
See: http://www.baen.com/submit
What they are looking for: “We publish only science fiction and fantasy. Writers familiar with what we have published in the past will know what sort of material we are most likely to publish in the future: powerful plots with solid scientific and philosophical underpinnings are the sine qua non for consideration for science fiction submissions. As for fantasy, any magical system must be both rigorously coherent and integral to the plot, and overall the work must at least strive for originality.”
Celsea Green Publishing
See: http://www.chelseagreen.com/submission-guidelines
What they are looking for: Books “that promote the “politics and practice of sustainable living.”
Career Press
See: http://www.careerpress.com/?section=submission
What they are looking for: “…quality, nonfiction books for adult readers seeking practical information to improve themselves in careers, college, finance, parenting, retirement, spirituality, and other related topics. We strive to deliver well-written, comprehensive books that inform, advise, and educate the reader.”
Chicago Review Press
See:
https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/information-for-authors—agents-pages-100.php
What they are looking for: “…high-quality nonfiction that will sell year after year. We look for books with a well-defined, passionate target audience. Chicago Review Press publishes nonfiction in the following categories: African American interest, autobiography/biography, DIY, film, food and drink (not cookbooks), history, music, parenting, politics, popular culture, popular science, social science, sports, regional (Midwest), nature/outdoor/travel, true crime, and women’s interest. Chicago Review Press also publishes an award-winning line of children’s and young adult titles. We do not publish children’s picture books whether fiction or nonfiction. We do not publish books in the following subject areas: mind/body/spirit, religion, diet/fitness/nutrition, family memoir, self-help, business, poetry, or photography.”
Chronicle Books
See: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/submissions
What they are looking for: “Our list includes cookbooks, fine art, design, photography, pop culture, craft, fashion, beauty, home décor, relationships, lifestyle…”
City Lights Press
See:
http://www.citylights.com/publishing/?fa=publishing_manuscripts
What they are looking for: “…literary fiction; social, political, and cultural studies; poetry; and literature in translation.”
DAW (part of Penguin Books)
See: http://www.penguin.com/publishers/daw/
What they are looking for: “DAW accepts unsolicited submissions of science fiction and fantasy novels.”
Diversion Books
See:
http://www.diversionbooks.com/publishing-faqs/
What they are looking for: “Currently, we publish books in the following categories:
Nonfiction: Business, Sports, History, True Crime, Pop Culture, and platform-based general interest titles
Fiction: Thrillers, Mysteries, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Young Adult.”
Dreaming Big Publishing
See:
http://www.dreamingbigpublications.com/open-calls.html
What they are looking for: “We publish books for all ages, and are not afraid to push boundaries. We love books that shine a light on the good, bad, and the ugly of human nature. Sometimes, we just want a light fun read! No genre is off limits for us.”
Forever Yours (part of Grand Central Publishing, which is part of Hachette Book Group)
See: http://labs.hbgusa.com/web/forever-romance/submission-guidelines.html
What they are looking for: “We’re interested in all styles of romance, particularly contemporary, diverse reads, romantic suspense, cowboys, historicals, and paranormal.”
Gibbs Smith
See: https://www.gibbs-smith.com/submissions
What they are looking for: “Our main emphasis is on interior design, architecture, children’s, and cookbooks. Additionally, we accept submissions in the following subjects: arts and crafts, western humor with general appeal, general humor, and gift books.”
Harlequin
See: https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit
What they are looking for: “We publish a wide range of content and welcome writers from all backgrounds, cultures and communities to submit to the romance series or trade imprint best suited to their unique voice and story.”
Hydra (part of Random House)
See: http://wordpress.hydrapublications.com/submissions/
What they are looking for: “Hydra is actively seeking LitRPG of any type!… Subtypes include VR, no logout, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, dungeon core, harem, crunchy, light, moba, portal fantasy, town builder, and LitFPS, among others.”
Idiot’s Guide (part of Penguin)
See: http://www.penguin.com/static/pages/cig/submit.php
“We do accept unsolicited proposals, in printed or in electronic form, submitted by regular mail or by e-mail.”
Joffe Books (UK)
See: http://www.joffebooks.com/submissions/
“We accept submissions from agents, authors who have previously published or self-published their books, first-time writers, and anyone in between.”
What they are looking for: “Mysteries, Crime Fiction, Psychological Thrillers, Detective, Thrillers, and Suspense, are favourite genres.”
Kensington Publishing
See: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/page.aspx/submissions
What they are looking for: A broad range of fiction and nonfiction
Light Message
See: http://www.lightmessages.com/about/aboutlm
The company describes itself as a “general trade publisher.”
Loveswept and Flirt (both are part of Random House)
See: http://www.randomhousebooks.com/loveswept-flirt/#becomeauthor
What they are looking for: “Loveswept and Flirt invites queries for submissions in contemporary romance, erotica, historical romance, paranormal romance, women’s fiction, and new adult.”
NCM Publishing
See: http://www.ncmpublishing.com/submissions.html
What they are looking for: They are “seeking tasteful provocative, intelligent fiction manuscripts in the areas of sexuality and erotica, romance, urban and street, science fiction, Christian fiction, and general interest, as well as nonfiction, and lively stories of all genres of fiction for the general population…”
Pants On Fire Press
See: http://pantsonfirepress.com/submissions/
“Pants On Fire Press is a book publisher that accepts unsolicited manuscripts from authors.”
What they are looking for: “We are acquiring Middle-Grade, Young Adult and Fiction for adults. We are looking for strong writers who are excited about marketing their stories and building a following of readers.”
Peachtree
See: http://peachtree-online.com/contact/
What they are looking for: “Peachtree is currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts and art submissions for publication consideration in the following categories:
- Children’s fiction and nonfiction picture books
- Early Reader fiction and nonfiction chapter books
- Middle Grade fiction and nonfiction
- Young Adult fiction and nonfiction”
Regal Crest
See: http://regalcrest.biz/submissions/
What they are looking for: “Regal Crest is looking for LGBTQI novels with plots of action, adventure, drama, fantasy, mystery, thriller, romance and science fiction, or romance coupled with sub-plots of action, adventure, drama, fantasy, mystery, thriller, and science fiction. Basically, we accept most genres, including non-fiction works.”
Skyhorse Publishing
See: http://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/guidelines
What they are looking for: “We are open to receiving submissions for proposed books in the following categories:
- Sports (Team and Individual)
- Outdoor Sport (Hunting, Fishing, and Camping)
- Adventure and Travel
- Health and Fitness
- House and Home
- History
- Humor
- Military History
- Business
- Games and Gambling
- Horses
- Pets and Animals
- Nature and Science
- Food and Wine
- Aviation
- True Crime
- Current Events
SMP Swerve (part of St. Martin’s Press, which is part of Macmillan)
See: https://stmartinspress.submittable.com/submit
“We welcome agented and un-agented authors, if you have a heart-racing, swoontastic story, we want to see it!”
What they are looking for: “We are looking for all sub-genres of romance, 25k-100k words. All books should end in a happily ever after or a happily for now (if the characters are continuing in a series.)”
Stone Pier Press
See: https://www.stonepierpress.org/submissions
What they are looking for: “We’re looking for books about good food; books that inspire support for climate-friendly, agriculturally sustainable, and good-for-us eating. We tilt toward stories that feature solutions and problem-solvers….We’ll consider narrative nonfiction, guidebooks, memoirs, young adult novels, biographies, and children’s books. .”
Tor Forge (part of MacMillan)
See: https://us.macmillan.com/torforge/about/faq/#submit%20writing
“We have an open submissions policy and consider tens of thousands of projects a year.”
What they are looking for: Science fiction and fantasy, general fiction, children’s, and young adult.
Workman Publishing
See: https://www.workman.com/work-with-us/author-submissions#artisan
Several of the company’s imprints currently accept unsolicited submissions:
- Artisan Books – No specific information provided
- The Experiment – “…we publish both narrative and practically oriented nonfiction”
- Storey Publishing – “The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment. The books we select to carry out this mission include nonfiction titles for adults and children on gardening, home reference, crafts, cooking, beer & wine, nature, raising animals, horses, building, farming, homesteading, and mind/body/spirit.”
- Timber Press – No specific information provided
- Workman –…publishes exclusively nonfiction books for children and adults, as well as calendars.”
If you wish to approach publishers who do not accept unsolicited submissions, you’ll need to work with a literary agent. See our “Literary Agents Accepting Submissions” for a list of agents, with instructions on submitting your book idea to them.