UPDATED OCTOBER 2020
Andrews McMeel is a large publishing house that publishes up to 150 books a year. They are one of the largest publishers that will read proposals by authors that have not been previously published and do not have an agent.
Andrews McMeel Publishing is a leading publisher of general nonfiction trade books, gift books and humor books. Their company’s core publication categories are: cookbooks, comics & humor, and puzzles & games. They are open to some other categories as well; looking through their web catalog is the best way to get a feel for what kinds of books they publish.
In recent years one of the areas they have had a great deal of success in is poetry books. They have published some bestsellers including Milk & Honey by .
They only accept submissions that are mailed in. The book proposal you submit must have a cover letter that describes the work as a whole. Make sure to include who your target audience is, and also explain why Andrews McMeel Publishing is a good fit for your work.
You must also include an outline of your entire work and an estimate of the length of your prospective manuscript. In addition, include one or two sample chapters, a brief bio, and your schedule to complete the manuscript.
Make sure your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address are on the manuscript, and any art that you include has your name on the back of it. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Andrews McMeel can take up to a year to respond to manuscripts, but their usual response time is less than that. If you are interested in learning more or submitting your proposal, please visit their website here.