Traditional publishing can feel impossible. Self-publishing can seem daunting. Independent publishers might be the solution to your submission woes!
If you want to see your name in print, the sad reality is that the decision on whether or not you get published is, in a lot of ways out of your control. You can write a great book, one worthy of being published, and just not pass the right agent’s desk at the right time.
In an interview, Bianca Marais likens signing with an agent and landing a publishing deal to winning the lottery. And the realities of publishing is why Emma Dhesi likes going independent.
Going the full self-publishing route might make you feel like you’re too alone. It might feel overwhelming to venture into a world you don’t fully understand. It can also be hard to make any real sales without constant promotion. The self-publishing space is more crowded than it used to be. Making a name for yourself isn’t as easy as it once was.
But there’s an often overlooked third option: Independent publishers! Many indie publishers have top notch editors, a marketing team, sales help, and more! And all this without having to pass through a literary agent’s desk!
You might even be like SA Sidor, a traditionally published author who said the one thing he wishes he could fix about the publishing industry is MORE indie publishers!
But how do you find the right one? David Metzger had a not-so-appealing relationship with his publisher. So how can you ensure you find the right place for your literary love-child? Choices!
If you’re looking to go straight to the publisher without having to pass across a literary agent’s desk, then consider some of these independent publishers. This list contains some of the best publishers who are publishing now in the mystery, thriller, and crime genre.
So dust off that old manuscript and try your luck!
Here’s the List of Publishers
Hard Case Crime
Home to authors such as Stephen King, Christa Faust, Brian de Palma, Mickey Spillane, Harlan Ellison, and more, Hard Case Crime has earned its spot on the top of this list. The quality of the author and title list for Hard Case Crime means
Check out their contact page for how to submit.
Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing
This press has a small list. However, what they do publish packs a serious punch. Known mostly as a horror publisher, if your work features some odd or strange elements, this might be the publisher for your manuscript.
Their publication is also open for shorter works of fiction. So if you’re looking for a place for that eerie short story you wrote a few years ago, consider throwing it at PMMP. They even have Flash Fiction opportunities. All of their submission requirements can be found here.
King Shot Press
Let’s say you have a literary bend to your fiction. Then maybe King Shot Press is more your style. See the below blurb from their website:
“King Shot publishes work that is anarchic in spirit and innovative in form. We love work that explores themes like intersectionality, class struggle, social stigma, anti-authoritarianism, etc through compelling characters and storytelling. While we publish crime, erotica, horror, scifi, essay, memoir, experimental, poetry, etc, our releases do share a kind of uniformity in tone and personality. Since 2014, our thinking’s been: If a reader enjoys one of our books, they’ll enjoy all of our books. So it’s not enough for the work to be great—it also has to fit what we do. We tend to seek out authors who want, specifically, to work with us.” – King Shot Press
If this sounds like your kind of thing, submit here. They do have certain reading periods. So be sure to check their website periodically as they aren’t always taking submissions.
Grindhouse Press
Grindhouse Press publishes six books per year. Their emphasis is more on dark themes, horror, and dark humor. So if your work manuscript would hang out in dark bars with seedy characters, vampires, and generally disgusting folks, well then Grindhouse might just feel like home.
Check out their submission requirements. Like some of the other publishers on this list, there’s a reading window. So be sure to check out their submission times.
Akashic Books
Akashic Books sets their goal as the “Reverse Gentrification of the Literary World.” If you’re a writer who has historically been underserved by the publishing world, you might find a welcoming home with Akashic.
“Akashic Books is a Brooklyn-based independent company dedicated to publishing urban literary fiction and political nonfiction by authors who are either ignored by the mainstream, or who have no interest in working within the ever-consolidating ranks of the major corporate publishers.” – Akashic Books
Bitter Lemon Press
With a focus on literary crime and thrillers, Bitter Lemon has everything a seasoned thriller writer is looking for. They want those gripping crime stories, gripping psychological thrillers, and mysteries. They specialize in sometimes overlooked settings (Cuba, Mexico, Belgium, France, Italy, etc.) Check their website for more information!
Be sure to check out the submission requirements here.
Down & Out Books
Down & Out is an award-winning independent publisher. They publish crime, mystery, suspense, thriller, noir, and police procedural fiction. They don’t publish traditional, romantic, or nonfiction/true crime. They prefer exclusive submissions, so keep that in mind if you choose to submit.
The rest of their requirements can be found here.
Agora
Agora is a Diversity-Focused Crime imprint from Polis Books. They hope to publish 6 to 10 titles per year. Agora is relatively new (launched in 2019) but their titles look very promising. Read more about their imprint here.
Polis Books
Founded in 2013, Polis Books is an independent book publisher specializing in mystery, commercial literary fiction, thriller, suspense, procedural, traditional/cozy crime, horror, and more. They publish a wide variety of genres. They’re also well established and even offer advances!
You’ll need a query letter, three sample chapters, and author biography. They seem like a high-quality option from this list so check out their submission page!
Soho Crime
Specializing in literary fiction and atmospheric crime stories, they publish 80-90 books per year. For twenty years they’ve been publishing exciting crime fiction with exotic and compelling settings. If you’ve got a crime story set in the jungle, or on a river boat in Thighland, this might just be your thing.
Check in to see when they’re open for submissions. Because they do close periodically so make sure you know if they’re open!
Alibi
Alibi is a digital publication through Random House. They focus on publishing thrillers and mysteries.
Going digital is an interesting way to think about publishing. Sure, we all want to see our name in print, but this could be a great opportunity to get ahead of the digital curve. A lot of readers are transitioning to Kindles and other e-readers because of their ease and affordability. It might be work seeing if your book fits their list!
Brash Books
Founded in 2014, Brash is an American crime fiction imprint. They primarily focus on reprints but are open to new submissions!
Check out their submissions page to see if your book fits what they’re looking for. According to their website, they focus on publishing books they love. – “We publish the books that we love – the widely-acclaimed, award-winning novels that have inspired, entertained, and wowed countless readers as well as today’s bestselling authors of thrillers and mysteries. We also publish innovative whodunits, espionage adventures and novels of suspense from well-established authors and exciting, new voices in crime fiction.” – Brash
Felony & Mayhem
This press launched in 2005 and has an interesting inception. See below:
Felony & Mayhem Press was born out of irritation. I was one of the owners of Partners & Crime, a mysteries-only bookstore in New York’s Greenwich Village, and I had spent years recommending books to my customers. I got a big kick out of this, but that kick kept getting harder to find, as mass consolidations in the publishing industry meant that thousands of good book were being taken out of print. Time and again, I would find myself saying “I have the perfect book for you! And…we can’t get it anymore.” This made me cranky.
Their submission directions are specific. So make sure you follow them here.
Henery Press
Have a cozy mystery you know readers will enjoy? With a focus on mysteries, Henery Press seems to veer closest to the cozy side of mysteries. They’re looking for those amateur sleuths, private investigators, and funny whodunits.
Check their About Page to see if they’re open to submissions!
Joffe Books
This is a UK based independent publisher. They’ve had authors who have landed on best-seller lists. They’re also doing a new 2-Book Deal Prize that’s definitely worth checking out.
Otherwise, here are their submission requirements.
Lyrical Press
Lyrical Press has been in business for nearly 50 years! As one of the biggest publishers on this list, it puts out around 500 books per year! That being said, it’s very much a small independent publisher designed to help writers go straight from The End to the start of a publishing career.
You can submit without an agent and should do so by looking at each editor on their list. Their editors will then decide if you fit the criteria for publication. Of all the publications on this list, this one stands out because of its staying power. They’ve found a way to be successful in a world consumed with big publishers.
Check their list of editors to submit!
Level Best Books
Currently seeking “crime fiction novels in the following categories: mystery, thriller, suspense, historical, traditional, and contemporary. We are also interested in non-fiction works related to the mystery and crime writing community, or collections of short stories or multi-authored anthologies. Both authors represented by agents and un-agented writers are welcome to submit.”
So if your books fits that criteria, be sure to submit.
Level Best is mostly known for their anthologies. However, they’re now open to manuscripts of a more traditional length. They’re looking for mystery, thriller, suspense, historical, traditional, and contemporary. They even consider nonfiction manuscripts related to mystery and crime writing community. They’re also still accepting collections of short stories or multi-authored anthologies.
And, like the other publishers on this list, you don’t have to be agented to submit!
Seventh Street Books
As an imprint of Start SF, this independent publisher has had some powerful titles. Even though they’re relatively young (not yet 10 years) they’ve landed some books with high-quality awards.
They’re publishing in mystery, thriller, and crime fiction. So check out their submission information here.
Camel Press
Camel Press is looking for strong voices in all kinds of mystery, suspense, and thriller genres. They are the genre imprint of Epicenter Press and is an approved publisher by the International Thriller Writers & Mystery Writers of America.
If you’re looking to submit make sure you have likable characters and some kind of happy or hopeful ending. This is also a great place for series, as they take proposals for them as well. But mostly, you’re going to want to ensure your manuscript is polished and is between 50,000 and 100,000 words.
Crooked Lane
Cooked Lane Press might be the most recognizable publication on this list. Their mysteries, thrillers, police procedural, cozies, horror and suspense titles have print and/or electronic publication. They have a wide-ranging word count (60k-120k) which is great if you have a novel that is outside the traditional 80k-95k length for most thrillers.
They also respond within 2 weeks if interested. So check out their submission requirements and get to it!
Dark Edge Press
As an Usk River Publishing imprint, they’re located in the UK. They were founded in 2020, so as a new publisher, they’re progressive. They publish digitally first, so keep that in mind if you’re going to submit.
At the moment, they have one title. So it might be worth waiting to see what 2021 or 2022 has in store for them before submitting.
Fahrenheit Press
Fahrenheit Press is focused on publishing crime and thriller manuscripts. They don’t require an agent but do look for ‘commercial’ stories. They have a unique publishing style so be sure to read their submission page before submitting.
However, with a generous 50% royalty rate on eBooks & paperbacks for a 5 year contract, they’re definitely worth a look!
Oceanview Press
Oceanview is a fast-growing independent publisher in the U.S. Their books have won many awards and received some impressive nominations.
To submit to Oceanview, be sure to follow their submission criteria. Unlike most of the other publishers on this list. There are a few barriers to entry for Oceanview. So be sure to read those requirements closely.
Tule Publishing
Primarily publishing mystery and romance, this publisher has specific guidelines for novel length. They’re also upfront about when your book will be published, which is a nice touch. They’re currently accepting for 2023 publication.
Here’s their submission information.
Great post and definitely an all too often overlooked part of the industry!