It can be hard for new or indie authors to get published by one of the “Big Five” publishers, but it’s not impossible with some elbow grease. If you don’t know what the “Big Five” publishers are, they are the biggest publishers still traditionally publishing books the old fashioned way.
Most of the Big Five have imprints where they accept unsolicited submissions, so indie authors should consider submitting their work since getting traditionally published may open many doors in terms of opportunities.
However, some of these imprints may publish eBooks only—they may publish print books if the eBooks prove to be successful. It’s up to you to research just how each imprint publishes their books.
Here is a list of five imprints you can submit your work to:
Dial Books For Young Readers: an imprint of Penguin Random House, Dial Books focuses on publishing hardcover children’s books. They do accept unsolicited submissions, however, they will not send you a reply if they are not interested in publishing your work.
Avon Romance: an imprint of HarperCollins that publishes romance eBooks. Due to their digital nature, Avon Romance publishes mostly new authors and if your book sells well, they will also publish a print edition.
Harper Legend: another digital imprint of HarperCollins that focuses on publishing “visionary fiction” or books with strong spiritual themes. Like Avon Romance, they will only publish your book as an eBook at first and then print if it sells well.
Tor/Forge: an imprint of MacMillan that focuses on publishing fantasy and science fiction. They accept submissions from authors that do not have a literary agent but they may not always respond to submissions.
Alibi: a digital imprint of Random House that focuses on publishing mystery stories. Their books are initially published as eBooks first. What’s unique about Alibi from these other imprints is that Alibi has its own marketing team.
While being published by one of these imprints may not be the same as being “traditionally published”, it is a great way for you to make a name for both yourself as an author and your work. It’s worth publishing through these imprints if you are accepted!
Check out what other “Big Five” imprints are accepting unsolicited manuscripts at Authors Publish.