Some publishers open and close their doors to submissions on a routine basis. It can be hard to determine if they are open or shut to submissions, and when you should submit. The following ten publishers, however, are always open to submissions from writers without agents or previous publishing experience. They are all respected publishers with good reputations, and are listed here in no particular order. All of our reviews link to the publishers’ submission guidelines.
Harlequin
Many famous romance writers, including Mercedes Lackey, and Nora Roberts got their start at Harlequin. Their submission process is very user friendly. To read our full review, go here.
Workman Books
Workman Publishing is a large independent publishing company that now includes a number of separate imprints . The imprints include large established companies like Algonquin Books. The original Workman imprint is open to un-agented submissions. They focus on publishing exclusively nonfiction books for children and adults, as well as calendars. They do not accept unsolicited picture book submissions. To learn more, go here.
Nelson Publishing
Nelson focuses on publishing work aimed at community college and university students. They have published textbooks on a vast number of subjects from automotive technology to family law. They publish both academic books and books aimed at specific trades. To learn more, go here.
Hotkey Books
Hotkey Books is an imprint of Bonnier Publishing, which is part of the much larger international Bonnier AB, a large media group. They publish children’s books and young adult fiction. To learn more, read our full review here.
Lyrical Press
Lyrical Press is an electronic only imprint of Kensington, a large independent publisher. Kensington and Lyrical both publish mainstream novels and seem to put a fair amount of pressure on the authors to promote their books. They publish a large number of books per year. To learn more, read our full review here.
Persea Books
This is a respected publisher of fiction, non-fiction and poetry manuscripts, and literary young adults novels. The work they publish receives good distribution, particularly in academic circles. To learn more, read our full review here.
Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press is an independent, highly respected publisher that has been around for twenty years. Their books are distributed by Random House. They take their name from the seven authors whose work has influenced and impacted Seven Stories Press the most. To learn more, read our review here.
Peachtree Publishers
Peachtree Publishers is a well-respected independent publisher with good distribution. They are based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and specialize in publishing children’s books, young adult books, self-help titles for parents and educators, and guides to the American south. They also publish books on gardening and cookbooks, but usually only with a southern focus. To learn more, read our review here.
Baen Books
Baen is one of the best known publishers of science fiction and fantasy. They are an independent company with good distribution. To learn more, read the full review.
ABDO Books
ABDO Books is a publisher that focuses exclusively on educational books for children between ages 4-12. They sell a lot of books to schools and appear to be rather good at niche marketing. To learn more, read the full review.
Bio: Emily Harstone is the pen name of an author whose work has been published internationally by a number of respected journals. She is a professional submissions adviser. You can follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/emilyharstone/
