University presses that publish memoirs
Congratulations on writing your memoir! If you’re looking to submit your memoir to a university press, this list is for you. I’ve done my best to weed out any vanity presses or publishers without any books published in 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.
UQP
UQP is the wholly owned subsidiary of The University of Queensland. They produce culturally significant works across genres such as fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Genre: Nonfiction, literary fiction, children's and young adult books, and poetry.
Word count: Not stated.SFA Press
SFA Press broadens the university's mission by publishing works of cultural and scholarly significance.
Genre: Literary fiction, short fiction, poetry and academic nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Te Herenga Waka University Press
Te Herenga Waka University Press is a division of Te Herenga Waka (Victoria University of Wellington). They are a well established publisher of fiction and poetry.
Genre: Literary fiction, literary nonfiction, scholarly nonfiction, and poetry.
Word count: Not stated.UBC Press
UBC Press publishes innovative and transformative works of nonfiction.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.UNSW Press Limited
UNSW Press Limited is a not-for-profit Australian company that started operating in 1962. Its mission is to contribute to intellectual and cultural development.
Genre: General, scholarly, and literary nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Melbourne University Press
Melbourne University Press was established in 1922 and is Australia's first university press.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.University of Nebraska Press
The University of Nebraska Press was founded in 1941 and is the largest university press between Chicago and California.
Genre: Literary fiction and scholarly nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Auckland University Press
Auckland University Press is New Zealand's leading scholarly publisher.
Genre: Nonfiction, including architecture, art, Asia and the Pacific, biography, memoir, business & economics, health, history, language, literature, media, music, natural history, poetry, politics, law, science, social science, contemporary society, sport, war, conflict and Māori studies.
Word count: Not stated.UWA Publishing
UWA Publishing is a division of The University of Western Australia that shares stories, research, and education with the world.
Genre: Scholarly works, nonfiction, adult fiction, and children's books. Please note they do not accept genre fiction and only accept adult fiction in July and young adult/children's books in August.
Word count: Not stated.West Virginia University Press
West Virginia University Press is the only university press, and the largest publisher, in West Virginia.
Genre: Literary fiction, nonfiction and creative nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Monash University Publishing
Monash University Publishing has been in operation for over 10 years and has built a reputation as a trusted source of information.
Genre: Books with a focus on sustainability, the environment, science, Indigenous affairs, politics, sociology, popular culture, economics, literature, history, and biography.
Word count: Not stated.University of Nevada Press
University of Nevada Press was founded in 1961 and publishes works that advance scholarly research and contribute to the understanding of regional history and culture.
Genre: Literary fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.Athabasca University Press
Athabasca University Press is Canada's first open access scholarly press. Their aim is to reduce barriers to knowledge and increase access to scholarship.
Genre: Nonfiction, memoir and works that experiment with narrative form.
Word count: Not stated.Nunavut Arctic College Media
Nunavut Arctic College Media's goal is to increase access to Inuktitut resources, enhance awareness of Canada's Arctic and foreground Inuit perspectives.
Genre: Nonfiction, including scholarly, educational and general-interest.
Word count: Not stated.The University of Utah Press
The University of Utah Press is an agency of the J. Willard Marriott Library and publishes scholarly books and other materials of significance to Utah and the world.
Genre: Nonfiction, creative nonfiction and poetry.
Word count: Not stated.University of Alaska Press
The University of Alaska Press is nonprofit scholarly publisher of books about Alaska and the circumpolar regions.
Genre: Nonfiction relating to Alaska and the circumpolar regions, including politics and history, Native languages and cultures, science and natural history, biography and memoir, poetry, fiction and anthologies.
Word count: Proposals should be less than 90,000 words while submissions should be less than 120,000 words.University of Ottawa Press
University of Ottawa Press (Les Presses de l'Université d’Ottawa) is North America's flagship bilingual university press.
Genre: Academic titles, literary fiction and nonfiction.
Word count: Not stated.University Press of Kentucky
The University Press of Kentucky's mission is to publish books of high scholarly medit and to publish significant books about the history of Kentucky and its surrounding regions.
Genre: Nonfiction, including bourbon, cookbooks, creative nonfiction, memoir, Appalachian studies, music, African American studies, film, veteran studies, media, pop culture, books about Kentucky, environmental, ecology, natural history, field guides, agriculture, Agrarian studies, civil rights and sports.
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.