Writers Tools
Indie-Press Directory
A living map of the small presses worth querying, organized by region and sensibility. These are the houses that take chances on new voices — 83 of them, and counting.
A few honest notes before you send anything out. Submission windows open and close constantly, so treat every listing as a starting point and read each press’s current guidelines. Many presses in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand accept work only from local residents or citizens. And publish only where you’d be proud to sit on the shelf — fit beats reach every time.
United States 22
Nonprofits and scrappy independents with strong lists and real distribution. Many run open reading periods rather than year-round submissions, so check windows before you send.
- Graywolf Press Minneapolis · literary fiction, poetry, essay
- Coffee House Press Minneapolis · adventurous fiction, poetry, translation
- Milkweed Editions Minneapolis · literary, nature, poetry
- Tin House Portland, OR · craft-forward literary fiction, essays
- Soho Press New York · literary + international crime
- Melville House Brooklyn · smart, readable fiction and nonfiction
- Akashic Books Brooklyn · edgy fiction, city-noir series
- McSweeney's San Francisco · playful literary fiction and humor
- Deep Vellum Dallas · translation and daring literary work
- Two Dollar Radio Columbus, OH · fiercely independent fiction
- Copper Canyon Press Port Townsend, WA · poetry specialist
- Sarabande Books Louisville · poetry, short fiction, essay
- Red Hen Press Los Angeles · poetry and literary fiction
- Four Way Books New York · poetry and short fiction
- Tupelo Press North Adams, MA · poetry-led literary press
- Persea Books New York · literary fiction, poetry, memoir
- BOA Editions Rochester, NY · poetry and poetry in translation
- Feminist Press New York · feminist fiction and nonfiction
- Seven Stories Press New York · political and literary titles
- Unnamed Press Los Angeles · global, boundary-pushing fiction
- Microcosm Publishing Portland, OR · DIY, empowering, self-help
- Europa Editions New York · literary and translated fiction
United Kingdom 16
A golden age for UK indies, especially in translation and formally daring fiction. Several publish only a handful of titles a year, so fit matters more than volume.
Ireland 13
A small ecosystem punching far above its weight, from prize-winning literary houses to poetry specialists and Ireland’s first translation-only press.
Canada 17
A deep bench of literary independents. Heads-up: many Canadian presses accept fiction only from Canadian citizens or residents — check eligibility before you query.
- House of Anansi Press Toronto · literary powerhouse since 1967
- Coach House Books Toronto · innovative poetry and fiction
- Biblioasis Windsor, ON · fiction, poetry, translation
- ECW Press Toronto · wide-ranging independent list
- Arsenal Pulp Press Vancouver · literary, graphic, LGBTQ+
- Goose Lane Editions Fredericton · Canada’s oldest indie press
- Book*hug Press Toronto · adventurous literary work
- Talonbooks Vancouver · poetry, drama, fiction
- Brick Books London, ON · poetry specialist
- Freehand Books Calgary · literary fiction and nonfiction
- Wolsak & Wynn Hamilton · poetry and prose
- Invisible Publishing Halifax · culturally curious literary books
- Nightwood Editions BC · poetry and fiction
- Ronsdale Press Vancouver · fiction, poetry, history
- Douglas & McIntyre Madeira Park, BC · fiction and nonfiction
- Second Story Press Toronto · feminist, socially engaged
- Annick Press Toronto · children's and YA
Australia & New Zealand 15
Strong literary and university-affiliated presses. Most accept submissions only from residents or citizens of Australia and New Zealand — confirm before sending.
- Text Publishing Melbourne · literary and commercial fiction, nonfiction
- Giramondo Publishing Sydney · award-winning poetry and fiction
- Scribe Publications Melbourne & London · fiction and nonfiction
- Black Inc. Melbourne · nonfiction, fiction, poetry
- Fremantle Press WA · nonprofit literary and children’s
- University of Queensland Press Brisbane · fiction, poetry, YA
- Allen & Unwin Sydney · Australia’s leading independent
- Brio Books Australia · fiction and nonfiction, AU/NZ authors
- Ultimo Press Sydney · new literary storytellers
- Pantera Press Sydney · social-purpose fiction and nonfiction
- Affirm Press Melbourne · Australian stories and ideas
- Te Herenga Waka University Press Wellington, NZ · literary fiction and poetry
- Auckland University Press Auckland, NZ · poetry, fiction, nonfiction
- Otago University Press Dunedin, NZ · literary and scholarly
- The Cuba Press Wellington, NZ · NZ fiction, nonfiction, poetry
