Book Publishers in Massachusetts Accepting Submissions

This directory lists 10 verified Massachusetts book publishers, and 8 of them are open to submissions right now. You will find practical nonfiction houses, a spirituality and self-help publisher, a trade nonfiction press, a Catholic publisher and university presses. Several accept proposals from authors without an agent. Some children's publishers in the state are closed to unsolicited work, so check the status on each listing before you send anything. We check every listing against the publisher's own site. Guidelines change, so confirm the current rules on the publisher's site before you submit.

How to choose a Massachusetts publisher

Start with fit. A press that already publishes books like yours is far more likely to read your pitch closely. Storey Publishing and Harvard Common Press both publish cookbooks and health titles. Rockport Publishers focuses on art and photography nonfiction. If you write about spirituality, look at Red Wheel/Weiser or Pauline Books & Media. Scholars should look at The MIT Press and Harvard University Press. Use the genre filters on the directory to narrow the list. Then read a few recent titles from each press before you pitch.

Who is open, who needs an agent and who is closed

Most presses on this page are open to submissions. Storey, Red Wheel/Weiser, Beacon Press, The MIT Press and Harvard University Press all accept work from authors without an agent. Rockport Publishers and Harvard Common Press are listed as open, so check their own sites to see whether they want agented submissions.

Children’s authors face a tighter market here. Candlewick Press is closed to unsolicited manuscripts and art submissions. Candlewick says most authors reach it through a literary agent. Charlesbridge is also listed as closed right now. Status can change, so check the badge on each listing and the publisher’s own site before you send.

What to send

Each press asks for something different, so follow its own guidelines exactly. Storey wants a proposal with one sample chapter. Red Wheel/Weiser asks for a proposal with two or three sample chapters and also accepts finished manuscripts. Beacon Press starts with a 250-word email query and asks for a full proposal only if it is interested. At The MIT Press you send a short inquiry to the right acquisitions editor before any full proposal. Harvard University Press takes proposals by email to the relevant editor. In every case, a clear proposal covers what the book is about, who will read it, how it compares with similar books and why you are the right person to write it.

Publishing companies in Boston and across Massachusetts

Many writers search for publishing companies in Boston, book publishers Boston or publishing companies Boston when they want a local press. This directory groups publishers by state rather than by city, so this page covers Massachusetts as a whole. If an office location matters to you, check the contact page on each publisher’s own site. For most authors, location matters less than fit, because most of the open presses here take proposals by email or mail. We check every listing against the publisher’s own site. You should still confirm the current guidelines before you send.