If you’ve toiled over a manuscript, polished it and made it the best it can be, you might be on the search for a suitable home for your precious words. You might be daunted by this prospect – so many publishers, where to begin?
Finding a publisher for your manuscript requires a targeted approach – just like submitting to agents. Careful consideration must be taken to ensure manuscript and publisher are as compatible as possible. Fear not – we have taken away the heavy lifting for you by collating a list of top historical fiction publishers. But before we get to the list, here are some top tips to bear in mind before you submit your manuscript:
1. Check whether the publisher accepts unagented submissions.
Don’t waste time and energy preparing a submission package for a publisher that doesn’t accept unagented submissions. (If you’re looking to secure an agent, see our blog post on 30 top historical fiction literary agents, which also includes a guide on how to write a query letter). It’s worth noting that if you get a publishing deal via an agent, the publisher will typically pay you an advance, then royalties once you’ve earned out the advance. Your agent will take a commission (typically 15–20%). Going through the publisher directly (without an agent) will typically result in a higher royalty rate in lieu of an advance.
2. Evaluate the publisher.
Put your research skills to use and review the publisher’s website and their output over the past two years. Has the publisher released a similar title to yours, or can you identify a gap in their catalogue which your manuscript might fill? Do they publish stories in your particular subgenre? Some publishers are eBook only, others offer eBook and print. Make sure you know what you’d be happy with before you submit. Use this information to target your submission. And watch out for vanity presses: reputable publishers won’t ever demand money from authors to secure publication.
3. Check the publisher’s submission guidelines.
Just like agents, publishers will have specific submission guidelines that you should follow. You wouldn’t want to submit a partial manuscript, for example, if the publisher requests a full one.
How to write a query letter: an exclusive guide from The History Quill
The publishers below are listed in no particular order. At the time of writing, they all accept unagented submissions.
Publishers based in the UK
1. Bookouture
Bookouture is a digital publishing company of commercial fiction. Part of Hachette, they are open to historical fiction submissions. They accept various subgenres of historical fiction, including historical thriller, adventure and romance. Authors published by Bookouture include Lizzie Page, Renita D’Silva, Suzanne Kelman, Liz Trenow, Debbie Rix, Catherine Hokin, and Ella Carey. Find all the details about how to submit to Bookouture on their website.
2. Joffe Books
Joffe Books is a publisher of commercial fiction, heavily focused on crime and mystery. Their historical fiction authors include Grace Thompson, John Pilkington, Kerry Tombs, Carole Llewellyn, Bill Kitson, Hilary Green, and David Wiltshire. To find more about how to submit your manuscript, head over to the Joffe Books website.
3. Storm Publishing
Storm is a digital-first publisher, whose founder and managing director Oliver Rhodes previously founded the above-mentioned Bookouture. Storm Publishing is looking for commercial fiction across a broad range of genres, including science fiction and fantasy. Their authors include Clare Flynn, Pam Lecky, and Flora McIntosh. Submit to them via their website.
4. Sharpe Books
Sharpe Books is a publisher of commercial fiction. Historical fiction authors include John Pilkington, Michael Arnold, Sarah Grist, Jemahl Evans, David Pilling, Fiona Forsyth, Philip Gooden, and Michael Ward. For submission details, see their website.
5. Hera Books
Hera Books is a sister company of Canelo. They publish commercial fiction, particularly crime and thriller, romance, saga and general fiction. Historical fiction authors published by Hera include Lynn Johnson, Rosemary Goodacre, Francesca Capaldi, and Lynn Shepherd. Take a look at their submission guidelines for more information.
7. One More Chapter
A digital-first imprint of HarperCollins, One More Chapter publishes various genres of commercial fiction, including historical. Authors include Julia Golding, Glynis Peters, and Adrienne Chin. Their submissions page has all you need to know about how to submit.
7. Orion Dash
Orion Dash is a digital-first imprint of Hachette Book Group. They accept commercial historical fiction in a variety of subgenres. Their authors include Jane Holland, Suzie Hull, Ellie Curzon, and Jen Gilroy. For submission information, head to the Orion Dash website.
8. Atlantic Books
Atlantic Books is an independent publisher currently accepting literary fiction submissions. Notable authors published by imprints of Atlantic Books include S.W. Perry, Elisabeth Gifford, Nicola Pryce, Robert Fabbri, C.S. Quinn, Theodore Brun, Minette Walters and Jean Fullerton. Find out more about submitting to Atlantic Books on their website.
9. HQ Digital
Like One More Chapter mentioned above, HQ Digital is another digital-first imprint of HarperCollins. They’re looking for commercial historical fiction, among other genres. HQ Digital publishes all its authors in ebook, print and audio, in the UK and internationally. Authors include Helen Yendall, Tessa Harris, Kathleen McGurl, and Kerry Barrett. Find out more about submitting to them on their website.
How to write a query letter: an exclusive guide from The History Quill
Publishers based in the US and Canada
10. Crooked Lane Books
Founded in 2014 and based in the US, Crooked Lane Books publishes historical crime, mystery and suspense fiction. Historical authors include Kate Belli, Nicola Upsen, Karen Odden, Laura Joh Rowland, D. M. Quincy, Katharine Schellman, and Frances Brody. Take a look at their submission guidelines here.
11. Kensington Books
Based in the US, Kensington Books is an imprint of Kensington Publishing. They focus on commercial fiction, including historical romance, western, thriller and mystery. Authors include Ella Joy Olsen, Vanessa Riley, William W. Johnstone and Anna Lee Huber. Find all the details on how to submit your manuscript on Kensington Books’ website.
12. Scandalous
Writing historical romance? Scandalous, an imprint of Entangled Publishing, is worth a look. Their authors include Heather McCollum, Lydia Drake, and Michelle McLean. They have detailed specifications for what they’re looking for in the historical romance category; you can find them here on their website.
13. Sunbury Press
Based in the US, Sunbury Press, is open to historical fiction submissions. Their authors include Nancy Hayes Kilgore, Virginia Raffety, and Mark Carlson. You can find submission information on the Sunbury Press website.
14. Black Rose Writing
US-based publisher Black Rose Writing is accepting historical fiction submissions. Authors include Meg Lelvis, Pamela Taylor, and Kerry Chaput. Find out how to submit to Black Rose Writing on their website.
15. McClelland & Stewart
Based in Canada, McClelland & Stewart is an imprint of Penguin Random House. They are keen to amplify the voices of writers from traditionally underrepresented communities. They publish literary fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Historical fiction authors include Kurt Palka and Tsering Yangzom Lama. See the submission guidelines on the McClelland & Stewart website.
16. Carina Press
Based in Canada, Carina Press is the digital-first imprint of romance publisher Harlequin. They publish historical romance, including Viking, Medieval, Renaissance, Tudor, Regency, Victorian, and Edwardian. Their authors include Susanna Fraser, Laura Navarre, and Felicia Grossman. Find submission guidelines on the Carina Press website.
Karen Bryony Rose is a guest contributor to The History Quill. An English Literature and History graduate and qualified archivist, Karen has always been fascinated by the past. She balances her time as an information professional, writer and journalist. She’s currently working on her historical dual timeframe novel and uses her love of walking to daydream and plot. She procrastinates on Twitter @SunSparks4.
How to write a query letter: an exclusive guide from The History Quill
