32 dark fantasy publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts in June 2025
Congratulations on finishing your dark fantasy novel! Now it’s time to pitch it to a publisher. All of the publishers listed here are currently on the look out for manuscript submissions from authors without a literary agent. I’ve done my best to weed out any dodgy and vanity publishers from this list.
Don’t forget to check out my developmental editing services or pre-querying package if you want to make sure your novel is in top shape before you send it to a publisher for consideration. I offer a variety of services to suit all budgets, from writers looking for the standard developmental editing experience to those seeking high-level feedback with a quick turnaround time.
Hague Publishing
Hague Publishing is an independent Australian publisher of science fiction and fantasy. Please note that they publish work by Australian and New Zealand authors.
Genre: Science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: 30,000 to 80,000 words but they will consider works outside of this range.Baen
Baen is an American publishing house specializing in science fiction and fantasy.
Genre: Science fiction and fantasy.
Word count: 100,000 to 130,000 words.Aurealis
Aurealis is Australia's most successful science fiction and fantasy magazine.
Genre: Fantasy, science fiction, or horror short stories.
Word count: 2,000 to 8,000 words.Brain Lag
Brain Lag was founded in 2010 and they strive to release a book every month.
Genre: Fiction in the subgenres of fantasy, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, weird and steampunk.
Word count: 50,000 word and above.Dead Sky Publishing
Dead Sky Publishing publishes a variety of works that are inherently dark across the spectrum of genres and formats.
Genre: Nonfiction, memoirs and fiction that are inherently dark.
Word count: Not stated.Interlude Press
Interlude Press is a boutique publisher of award-winning LGBTQ+ fiction.
Genre: Well-crafted original novels featuring diverse casts with lead characters from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Word count: 60,000 to 90,000 words.Launch Point Press
Launch Point Press is dedicated to publishing high-quality fiction books that center on the experiences of lesbian characters.
Genre: Fiction manuscripts where the main characters are lesbians, especially crime, suspense, mystery, intrigue, thriller, historical, literary, romance, sagas, speculative, paranormal and horror.
Word count: 55,000 to 100,000 words.Ringwood Publishing
Ringwood Publishing is an independent Scottish publisher based in Glasgow. Please note that they only accept authors who are Scottish or are a resident of Scotland.
Genre: Literary fiction, genre fiction and nonfiction from Scottish authors or residents.
Word count: 50,000 words and above.Quill & Crow
Quill & Crow love all things odd and the macabre. They aim to work with authors to create something special.
Genre: Dark fiction, such as horror, historical and speculative.
Word count: 45,000 to 110,000 words.EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
EDGE publishes thought-provoking and well-written science fiction and fantasy novels.
Genre: Adult science fiction and fantasy. They occasionally accept young adult fiction.
Word count: 75,000 to 100,000 words.Kensington Publishing Corp.
Kensington Publishing Corp. is an independent publisher based in New York City, releasing over 300 titles per year in a range of popular genres.
Genre: Literary and genre fiction (romance, mystery, suspense, thriller, upmarket, historical, speculative, mystery and romantasy) and nonfiction (biography, memoir, history, true crime, pop culture, film, TV, music, military history, narrative law enforcement and pop science). Each editor has their preferences across various genres of fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.City Owl Press
City Owl Press is an indie publisher specializing in speculative fiction and romance. Please note that Writer Beware wrote an article on City Owl Press recently so make sure you do your research before submitting.
Genre: Genre fiction in the subgenres of romance (dark, fantasy, historical, monster, paranormal, comedy, science fiction, suspense, small town, time travel) and speculative (fairy tale retellings, cozy, dark, urban). They also accept horror, psychological, thriller, mystery and new adult.
Word count: 50,000 words and above.Aethon Books
Aethon Books is a publisher dedicated to readers, passionate about publishing the next generation of fantasy and science fiction novels. Their main concern is finding stories with a compelling narrative that pulls readers through your world.
Genre: Fantasy and science fiction in any subgenre. They are also open to thrillers, especially action, political and military thrillers.
Word count: Novel-length work.Dark Peninsula Press
Dark Peninsula Press is an independent publisher of speculative fiction.
Genre: Speculative fiction, especially horror for their anthologies.
Word count: Varies by submission call.Storm Publishing
Storm Publishing believes in the power of storytelling to transport readers to other worlds.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, mystery, psychological thrillers, historical, multicultural fiction, romance, women's fiction, science fiction, fantasy and upmarket.
Word count: Not stated.Dancing Star Press
Dancing Star Press is a Michigan-based indie publisher specializing in speculative fiction.
Genre: Space opera, solarpunk, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, fantasy based on non-Western cultures, optimistic futurism, poplar tesla, soft science fiction, and hard science fiction.
Word count: Novellas between 17,500 and 40,000 words.Evernight Publishing
Evernight is an indie publisher that prefers to publish popular tropes.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres, including science fiction, BDSM, LGBTQ+, holiday, medical, new adult, dark, motorcycle, menage, paranormal, shifters, vampires, urban, erotica, humor, contemporary, military, steampunk, western, fantasy, reverse harem, suspense and young adult.
Word count: 16,000 to 100,000 words.Sunbury Press
Sunbury Press is a rapidly growing publisher with six imprints.
Genre: Literary and genre fiction, including history, mystery, detective, police procedural, crime, thriller, horror and young adult. For nonfiction, they accept history, current events, science, reference, art history, local/regional history, humour, spiritual, metaphysical, self help, professional and memoirs.
Word count: Not stated.Penguin Random House New Zealand
Penguin Random House New Zealand celebrates writers, stories and ideas that entertain and inspire.
Genre: Adult fiction and nonfiction. Children's submissions are closed until 2025.
Word count: Around 80,000 words (guideline).Eclipse
Eclipse is the dark romance imprint of the Totally Entwined Group.
Genre: Dark romance in a variety of subgenres.
Word count: 50,000 to 100,000 words. Their preference is for series submissions.Torrey House Press
Torrey House Press publishes books focusing on environmental advocacy.
Genre: Literary fiction and genre fiction, including mystery, thriller, horror, climate fiction, Indigenous futurism, afrofuturism, magical realism, fantasy, historical, romance and nontraditional western. They also accept investigative nonfiction, creative nonfiction and narrative nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Changeling Press
Changeling Press is a digital publisher of contemporary, science fiction, and paranormal romance. Their target audience is adult women.
Genre: Romance, in the subgenres of contemporary, paranormal, women's fiction and science fiction. They also state they accept romance subgenres focusing on action, suspense, motorcycle, medical, rock star, comedy, dark comedy, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, magic, sorcery and witchcraft, cyberpunk, reverse harem, LGBTA+, mpreg (male pregnancy, a trope in fiction where a male character becomes pregnant), steampunk, werewolves, shifters and vampire.
Word count: 20,000 to 40,000 words.Dark Dragon Publishing
Dark Dragon Publishing is a small indie press located in Canada. They specialize in science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
Genre: Genre fiction, including dark fantasy, paranormal, historical, science fiction, and horror.
Word count: 75,000 to 150,000 words.CamCat Books
CamCat Publishing opened in 2019 and takes pride in facilitating and engaging communication between their readers and writers. They will not publish erotica or books with strong religious or political slants.
Genre: Genre fiction, including mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, romance, historical, paranormal, horror, adventure, western and young adult.
Word count: 60,000 to 100,000 words.Solaris Nova
Solaris Nova is a new imprint of the genre publisher Solaris.
Genre: Science fiction, fantasy, or horror.
Word count: 70,000 to 150,000 words.ECW Press
ECW Press has published close to 1,000 books, including nonfiction, poetry and fiction. Please note that they accept poetry and fiction from Canadians only but accept nonfiction submissions from around the world.
Genre: Fiction, including literary, mystery, crime, science fiction, young adult, middle grade and humour. They also accept poetry and nonfiction, including sports, pop culture, memoir, biography, science, nature, true crime, travel, business, personal finance, poker, literary criticism and reference.
Word count: Not stated.Creature Horror
Creature Horror is a Virginia-based publisher focusing on genres like feminist horror, dark speculative fiction, and fantastical fiction.
Genre: Feminist horror, dark speculative fiction, women-driven thrillers, spooky fantastical fiction, literary fiction, or genre-defying prose.
Word count: 20,000 to 90,000 words.Ink Smith
Ink Smith is a small independent publishing house who streamline their genres to best serve their authors and readers.
Genre: Adult and young adult adventure, fantasy (contemporary, dark, fairy tale, heroic, historic, magic, paranormal, shapeshifting, sword and sorcery , urban, medieval), horror, science fiction (near future, apocalyptic, superhero, steampunk, time travel) and thriller (conspiracy, psychological, techno-thriller)
Word count: Not stated.Romance.ink
Romance.ink has been in business since 1991 and is the oldest web-based romance publisher.
Genre: Romance in a variety of subgenres. They have an extensive list of things they are looking for and not looking for on their website.
Word count: Not stated.WildBlue Press
Wildblue Press was founded by two college friends who recognized that the publishing world was changing. They strive to create a unique and engaging process for authors.
Genre: Fiction in the genres of fantasy, mystery, romance, science fiction and thriller. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, history and true crime.
Word count: Not stated.Black Bed Sheet Books
Black Bed Sheet Books publishes horror, science fiction and fantasy.
Genre: Fiction of a dark nature, especially horror, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, young adult, contemporary and thrillers.
Word count: Not stated.Text Publishing
Text Publishing is an independent Melbourne-based publisher of fiction and nonfiction. They accept submissions from citizens or residents of Australia and New Zealand.
Genre: Genre fiction, including crime, thriller, erotica, fantasy, paranormal, historical, romance, LGBTQIA+, young adult, and middle grade. For nonfiction, they accept biography, memoir, essays, film, history, humour, philosophy, politics, religion, science, environment, relationships, society, culture, sport, travel and war.
Word count: 10,000-120,000 words.
Best of luck with your manuscript submissions! If you want to ensure your manuscript is in the best position to be accepted, check out my developmental editing services, pre-querying package or my free writing advice. Otherwise, check out my fantasy publishers list or my Australian romance publishers list.