Independent publishing company
McFarland
Nonfiction, Academic, History
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About McFarland
McFarland is open to queries, proposals and finished manuscripts from authors, with no agent needed and no cost to publish. Email proposals@mcfarlandpub.com or send by post. Queries are usually answered within days and full proposals within about a month. It does not publish children's books or cookbooks.
McFarland is an independent publisher in Jefferson, North Carolina, founded in 1979. It publishes academic and general-interest nonfiction and is best known for serious books on popular culture, especially film, along with sports and military history. It releases about 350 new titles a year, almost all in print and ebook at the same time.
McFarland publishers say it costs nothing to publish with them, and they pay royalties under a standard contract. Two imprints widen the list: Toplight Books for serious self-help and diet titles and Exposit Books for true crime. Edited essay collections and books with many contributors are welcome.
What McFarland is looking for
- Film, television and gaming
- Sports and military history
- Literary studies, mythology and folklore
- Women's and gender studies
- Edited essay collections
- Serious self-help (Toplight) and true crime (Exposit)
Publishes
- Academic
- History
- Independent
- Nonfiction
Readers
- Adult
How to submit to McFarland
From its own guidelines- Choose a query, a full proposal or a finished manuscript with a cover letter.
- For a proposal, include a description, outline, word count and completion date, preface, competing books, illustrations and one or two sample chapters.
- Email proposals@mcfarlandpub.com, or post it; do not send to more than one editor.
- Expect a reply within days for a query and about a month for a proposal; follow up after six weeks.
Is McFarland right for your book?
A good fit if
Researchers, scholars and serious nonfiction writers with a well-sourced book on popular culture, history or a specialist subject.
Look elsewhere if
Writers of fiction or poetry, children's books, inspirational works or cookbooks.
McFarland imprints
Which take submissions| Imprint | Direct submissions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Toplight Books | Yes | Serious self-help, diet and personal-triumph books. |
| Exposit Books | Yes | Seeks proposals about true crime. |
Questions about McFarland
Does McFarland charge authors?
No. McFarland says it does not cost anything to publish with the company and that it has never taken payment or subvention from authors. It pays royalties under a standard contract, with statements once a year and a midyear statement on offer. Authors cover only the cost of preparing their manuscript.
How do I submit to McFarland?
Email proposals@mcfarlandpub.com, which McFarland calls the simplest and fastest route, or send your material by post. You can start with a query, a full proposal with one or two sample chapters, or a finished manuscript. Send it to one editor only, and expect a reply on a full proposal in about a month.
What does McFarland & Company publish?
McFarland and Company publishers focus on academic and general-interest nonfiction, with popular culture as their best-known strength. Film, television, gaming, sports, military history, literary studies, mythology and folklore all appear on the list. The Toplight imprint covers serious self-help and Exposit covers true crime. It does not publish children's books or cookbooks.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
