23 reference book publishers accepting unsolicited manuscripts in December 2025
Congratulations on writing your reference book! These publishers are currently accepting nonfiction reference manuscripts in December 2025 without a literary agent. I’ve done my best to weed out any vanity presses or publishers without any novels published from the past year.
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.
ACTA Publications
ACTA Publications opened their doors in 1957 as a publisher of books and resources for religious education and spiritual development. Now they publish a variety of books in sports, social justice, caregiving and more.
Genre: Children’s fiction, poetry, fiction and nonfiction, including sports, social justice, caregiving, grief, gift, cookbooks, humor, religious, biography, crafts and parenting.
Word count: Not stated.
Amber Books
Amber Books is an independent illustrated nonfiction publisher based in London.
Genre: Nonfiction, including history, military and general reference.
Word count: Not stated.
Blueberry Lane Books
Blueberry Lane Books publishes novels and anthologies.
Genre: Novels that tend toward science fiction and fantasy, women’s fiction, and off-beat mysteries. They also accept new adult. For nonfiction, they accept business and reference books.
Word count: Not stated.
Chartwell
Chartwell Books is the illustrated books imprint of Quarto.
Genre: Illustrated nonfiction in the areas of spirituality, health and wellness, history, military, reference, cooking, lifestyle, and inspirational.
Word count: Not stated.
Down East Trade
Down East Trade publishes regional books local to Maine or books written by Maine authors.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of antiques, art, architecture, biography, body, mind, spirit, business, cooking, craft, hobbies, design, family games, gardening, health, fitness history, nature, humor, photography, pets, reference, sciences, sports, travel, and true crime. They also accept fiction, children’s books and middle grade.
Word count: Not stated.
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.
Flanker Press
Flanker Press publishes general trade books with strong Newfoundland and Labrador content.
Genre: Literary fiction, children’s books, middle grade, young adult, upmarket fiction, mystery fiction, historical fiction and nonfiction with strong Newfoundland and Labrador content. For nonfiction, they accept biography, autobiography, cooking, crafts & hobbies, gardening, general, history, humour, nature, politics, reference, religion & spirituality, sea stories, thriller, true crime and wartime history.
Word count: Not stated.
Hippocrene Books
Hippocrene Books is an American publisher of foreign language reference books and international cookbooks.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of foreign language reference and international cookbooks.
Word count: Not stated.
Iqon Editions
Iqon Editions specializes in innovative approaches to publishing illustrated cultural reference content. Their books have been published in over 25 languages!
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of cultural reference content.
Word count: Not stated.
Ivy Press
Ivy Press is an imprint of Quarto and publishes books that take innovative approaches to subjects people want to read about.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of natural history, general reference, popular science, art, craft and design.
Word count: Not stated.
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.
Microsoft Press
Microsoft Press is a publishing alliance between Microsoft Corporation and the Pearson Education division of Pearson. They publish training and reference materials in software engineering, programming and Microsoft products.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of IT and Microsoft.
Word count: Not stated.
Sage College Publishing
Sage College Publishing is an academic publisher of the social sciences. They publish over 800 titles a year.
Genre: Scholarly nonfiction in the area of the social sciences, especially textbooks for university students, handbooks, reference books and professional resources.
Word count: Not stated.
Search Press
Search Press specializes in illustrated practical, reference and inspirational books on art and craft books for beginners through to professional artists and crafters.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of art and craft.
Word count: Not stated.
Stackpole Books
Stackpole Books is a trade publisher with over 90 years of experience publishing titles relating to the outdoors, crafts and military history.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of the outdoors, crafts, and military history. They are particularly interested in fly fishing, nature guides, Civil War and World War II history, military reference and speciality crafts and hobbies.
Word count: Not stated.
Storey Publishing
Storey Press publishes practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment.
Genre: Children’s nonfiction and adult nonfiction in the areas of gardening, home, reference, crafts, cooking, beer/wine, nature, raising animals, horses, building, farming, homesteading and the mind, body and spirit.
Word count: Not stated.
Sunbelt Publications
Sunbelt Publications was founded in Austin, Texas with the aim of marketing and distributing books by their founders. Since then they have grown into a publisher of books relating to California, Baja California and the Southwest.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of regional travel and reference, guidebooks, natural science, and outdoor adventure in California, Baja California, and the Southwest.
Word count: Not stated.
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.
The Experiment Publishing
The Experiment Publishing was founded in 2009 and believes every book is a test of new ideas.
Genre: Nonfiction, including narrative and practically oriented nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.
The O’Brien Press
The O’Brien Press is a leading general publisher of adult and children’s books in Ireland. They publish a range of books and are always looking to explore new and exciting areas.
Genre: Children’s fiction, children’s nonfiction and adult nonfiction. They are more likely to publish authors based in Ireland but are open to submissions from authors all around the world.
Word count: Not stated.
The University of Chicago Press
The University of Chicago Press was founded in 1890 and has embraced their mission to disseminate scholarship of the highest standard. They publish books of timely issues and debates by authors who are experts in their fields. They also publish experimental books of new areas of knowledge and intellectual endeavor.
Genre: Nonfiction in the areas of literature, criticism, sociology, education, jazz, STEM, digital studies, environmental studies, philosophy of science, political science, law, international relations, geography, regional reference, general reference, art, ancient studies, economics, public policy, religious studies, philosophy, music, medieval studies, humanities and social sciences.
Word count: Not stated.
TwoDot Books
TwoDot Books is an imprint of Globe Pequot and publishes books that tell stories of the West and Westerners.
Genre: Nonfiction about the West and Westerners, including biography, history, travel and reference.
Word count: Not stated.
Wiley
Wiley has over 200 years of experience in publishing and are advocates of advancement and empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s obstacles into tomorrow’s opportunities. They publish books for academics, professionals and the general readership.
Genre: Nonfiction in a variety of subjects including agriculture, arts, architecture, business, management, science, computing, culinary, education, engineering, humanities, law, lifestyle, medicine, nursing, social science and reference.
Word count: Not stated.
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.