Book Publishers in Colorado Accepting Submissions
Every Colorado publishing house below was checked on its own website in October 2026: who is open, who needs an agent, what to send and how long replies take.
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
Top Colorado publishers accepting submissions
These picks favor Colorado publishers that are open now or that welcome authors without agents. Read each publisher's guidelines in full before you pitch.
- 1
Sounds True
Sounds True takes book proposals from unagented writers in spirituality, self-help and health. Email a proposal that follows its Nonfiction Book Proposal Outline, not a full manuscript.
Reply: 8 to 12 weeks
- 2
Shambhala
Shambhala accepts unsolicited proposals from authors without agents on Buddhism, mindful living, psychology, parenting, creativity and children's books. Email a synopsis, chapter outline, bio and two sample chapters.
Reply: 12 to 15 weeks
- 3
University Press of Colorado
University Press of Colorado wants scholarly books in fields such as anthropology, archaeology, folklore and history. Send a cover letter and prospectus through its online form.
Reply: About 6 weeks
- 4
Lynne Rienner Publishers
Lynne Rienner Publishers suits academic authors in politics, the social sciences and the humanities. Email a scholarly book proposal to its proposals address.
Reply: About 3 weeks
- 5
CMC Press
CMC Press is closed for now, but when it reopens it takes full proposals by email from authors without agents. It fits outdoor guidebooks and adventure narratives about the Mountain West.
Reply: About 13 weeks
- 6
Fulcrum Publishing
Fulcrum Publishing is closed right now and will announce a reopening on social media or in its newsletter. When open, it takes a query letter and a short synopsis by email.
Reply: 13 to 17 weeks
All Colorado publishers
Filter by what you write and how you want to submit. Open publishers come first; every card shows when we last checked it.
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Independent publishing companyShambhalaChildren's, Health, IndependentBoulder, Colorado, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Shambhala is open to unsolicited proposals from authors without agents. Its interests include Buddhism, mindful living, yoga, psychology, health and wellness, nature, parenting and creativity, plus children's books. Email a synopsis, chapter outline, bio and two sample chapters, then expect a reply in 12 to 15 weeks.No agent neededSend: Synopsis, outline, bio + 2 sample chapters by emailEmail+1 more12 to 15 wks replyest. 1969View profile →
Traditional publisherSounds TrueReligion and Spirituality, Audiobook, Children'sLouisville, Colorado, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026Sounds True is open to book proposals from unagented writers, but not full manuscripts. Email a proposal that follows its Nonfiction Book Proposal Outline to acquisitions@soundstrue.com. It replies in about 8 to 12 weeks only if interested, and there are no fees.No agent neededSend: Book proposal by email, per its proposal outline; no manuscriptsEmail8 to 12 wks replyest. 1985View profile →
University pressUniversity Press of ColoradoAcademic, History, NonfictionDenver, Colorado, USOpen to submissionsChecked Oct 2026University Press of Colorado is open to book proposals through its online form. It wants scholarly books in anthropology, archaeology, composition and rhetoric, folklore, history and natural history. Send a cover letter and prospectus, not a full manuscript, and expect a reply in about 6 weeks.Send: Cover letter + prospectus via online formOnline formSimultaneous OK6 wks replyView profile →
Traditional publisherDavid C CookChristian, Religion and SpiritualityColorado Springs, Colorado, USAgent submissions onlyChecked Oct 2026David C Cook is not open to unsolicited book or curriculum proposals. It considers proposals sent by literary agents only, so you need an agent to pitch a book. Its periodicals Power for Living and The Quiet Hour take outside writers directly.Send: Book or curriculum proposal through a literary agent onlyThrough an agentReply time not statedView profile →
Traditional publisherNavPressChristian, Nonfiction, Religion and SpiritualityColorado Springs, Colorado, USAgent submissions onlyChecked Oct 2026NavPress does not accept unsolicited manuscripts or proposals from authors. It works only with literary agents. If you write Christian nonfiction such as Christian living or Bible study, have a professional literary agent submit your proposal.Send: Through literary agents onlyThrough an agentReply time not statedView profile →
Big 5 publishing houseWaterBrook & MultnomahChristianColorado Springs, Colorado, USAgent submissions onlyChecked Oct 2026WaterBrook & Multnomah is closed to unsolicited manuscripts and accepts work only through a literary agent. It does not take queries by email or any other way, so your first step is to find an agent who handles Christian books.Send: Only through a literary agentThrough an agentReply time not statedView profile →Independent publishing companyBower HouseNonfiction, Fiction, IndependentDenver, Colorado, USClosed nowChecked Oct 2026Bower House is not accepting submissions right now, and it has no submissions page. The Denver, Colorado, independent trade publisher lists no way to send a manuscript or proposal, so check its website for any change before you prepare a pitch.Send: Not accepting submissions; no submissions pageNo reopening date givenReply time not statedest. 2002View profile →
Traditional publisherCMC PressNonfictionGolden, Colorado, USClosed nowChecked Oct 2026CMC Press is not currently accepting new submissions. When it reopens, it takes full proposals by email from authors without agents, with a final decision within 90 days. It publishes outdoor guidebooks, educational texts and adventure narratives about Colorado, Utah and the Mountain West.No agent neededSend: Full proposal + 1 sample chapter by email (when open)EmailNo reopening date given13 wks replyView profile →
Independent publishing companyFulcrum PublishingNonfiction, History, IndependentDenver, Colorado, USClosed nowChecked Oct 2026Fulcrum Publishing is closed to submissions right now and will announce a reopening on social media or in its newsletter. When open, you email a query letter and a synopsis of 250 words or less in the email body. Replies take 3 to 4 months.Send: Closed. When open: query + 250-word synopsis by emailEmailSimultaneous OKNo reopening date given13 to 17 wks replyest. 1984View profile → What do Open, Closed and Agent needed mean?
- Open now: the publisher's own site says it is reading submissions today, in at least one genre listed.
- Closed: not reading new submissions right now. We show the reopening date when the publisher gives one.
- Agent needed: it only reads manuscripts sent by a literary agent.
Submit with confidence
Four checks before you send anything to a publisher, whichever list you use.
Check it on their own site
Guidelines change. Read the publisher's own submissions page on the day you send.
Never pay to be published
A traditional publisher pays you. If a company asks for money, it is a paid service.
Send exactly what they ask
Query, proposal or sample chapters: follow the format and word count to the letter.
Track every submission
Note the date, the reply time and whether no reply means no before you follow up.
This directory lists 10 verified Colorado publishers, and 4 of them are open to submissions right now. The state has a strong mix of spiritual and wellness presses, scholarly houses and Christian publishers, plus a few independent trade and outdoor presses. Each listing shows whether a publisher takes unagented authors, what it wants and how to send your work. We check every listing against the publisher's own site, but guidelines change, so confirm the details on that site before you send anything. Use the filters to narrow by genre or status.
How to choose a Colorado publisher
Start with what you write, then match it to a press that already publishes books like yours. Colorado publishers cluster around a few strengths. Sounds True and Shambhala focus on spirituality, self-help, health and wellness. University Press of Colorado and Lynne Rienner Publishers publish scholarly work. Christian authors will find several established houses here, and outdoor writers should look at CMC Press. Read a few recent titles from any press before you pitch, so you know your book fits its list.
Who is open, who needs an agent and who is closed
Sounds True, Shambhala, University Press of Colorado and Lynne Rienner Publishers are open to proposals now. Sounds True and Shambhala both say they welcome authors without agents. The Christian houses work differently. NavPress, WaterBrook & Multnomah and David C Cook accept book proposals only through literary agents, so your first step there is to find an agent who handles Christian books. David C Cook’s periodicals do take outside writers directly.
Some presses are closed for now. Fulcrum Publishing will announce a reopening on social media or in its newsletter. CMC Press is not taking new submissions, and Bower House has no submissions page. Check back on their sites, or follow them, if your book suits their lists.
What to send
Most Colorado publishers on this page want a proposal, not a full manuscript. Sounds True asks for a proposal built on its own outline. Shambhala wants a synopsis, chapter outline, bio and two sample chapters. University Press of Colorado asks for a cover letter and prospectus through its online form, while Lynne Rienner takes proposals by email. Follow each format exactly, since a press can pass on a pitch that ignores its rules. Reply times vary from a few weeks to a few months, and some presses reply only if interested. We check each listing against the publisher’s own site, but you should still confirm the current guidelines there before you send.
Colorado publishers and Denver publishers at a glance
If you are searching for Colorado publishers, this page gathers verified publishing companies in Colorado in one place, with their status and submission rules. Looking for Denver publishers in particular? University Press of Colorado and Fulcrum Publishing use Denver addresses, and Bower House is an independent trade publisher based in Denver. Only University Press of Colorado is taking proposals right now. The other presses here are spread across the state, and most accept proposals by email or online form, so you do not need to live nearby to submit. Use the filters above to sort by genre or by who is open now.
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Questions authors ask
Answers use the live data on this page.
Which Colorado publishers accept unagented authors?
Sounds True and Shambhala both accept proposals from authors without agents, and both are open now. CMC Press also takes unagented proposals, but it is closed to new submissions at the moment. University Press of Colorado and Lynne Rienner Publishers take scholarly proposals directly. Check each publisher's own site to confirm its current guidelines before you send a proposal.
Do Christian publishers in Colorado take submissions from authors?
No, the large Christian houses listed here work only with literary agents. NavPress, WaterBrook & Multnomah and David C Cook all decline unsolicited book proposals from authors. If you write Christian nonfiction, your best route is to find an agent who represents Christian books. David C Cook's periodicals are an exception, since they accept work from outside writers directly.
Are there book publishers in Denver?
Yes. University Press of Colorado and Fulcrum Publishing both use Denver addresses, and Bower House is an independent trade publisher based in Denver. University Press of Colorado takes proposals through an online form today. Fulcrum and Bower House are closed to submissions right now, so check their sites for any change before you prepare a pitch.
Should I send a full manuscript to Colorado publishers?
Usually not, because most presses on this page want a proposal first. Sounds True asks for a proposal that follows its outline, and University Press of Colorado wants a cover letter and prospectus. Shambhala asks for a synopsis, outline, bio and two sample chapters. Always confirm the current format on the publisher's own site before you send anything.
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How we verify listings. We list traditional publishers only: no hybrid, vanity or paid self-publishing companies. Every listing is checked on the publisher's own website and rechecked every month. This page was last updated 26 Oct 2026; next review November 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us.
