7 Indie Presses I Wish I Knew About Sooner

For emerging and established writers & hopefuls! ✦ Indie Publishing For You (11.13.25)

I’ll be the first to admit that prior to pivoting into the literary world and seeking publication of my own writing, I wouldn’t have been able to name many publishers besides the Big Five. Sure, I spent time in local bookstores and read widely, but I wasn’t looking at who was publishing what. More than anything else, I chose books based on the cover (I know, I know), or a catchy title, or because it was written by an author I already knew I loved.

Personally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing this. But I’ve learned there is something magical about falling in love with a press, too, with their aesthetic and vibe, with the stories and authors they herald, with their care and attention to everything within the pages and without. Many of you reading this are likely familiar with some of the bigger Indie Press names—W. W. Norton & Company, Tin House, Milkweed, Graywolf—but there are so many others. And not only are they publishing amazing work, they are uplifting some of the most bold, revolutionary, and urgent authors of our time.

So here are the 7 Indie Presses I wish I knew about sooner, because I would’ve loved to be reading their books sooner and, as an author, keeping them in mind for submitting my own work. The old saying really is true: to be a writer you have to read, and if you have your dreams set on publishing with an Indie Press, the best way to do that is by reading the work they publish.