NO AGENT REQUIRED FOR TRADITIONAL PUBLISHER

THXXXX

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Does anyone know of an available list of traditional publishers that accept non-fiction manuscripts, without it first being filtered by an agent.

Thanks.
 

WeaselFire

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Have you tried Writer's Market?

Seriously, you really do need to do your research. There is no list of traditional publishers accepting unagented work since it would need to be updated almost daily. Plus, you haven't mentioned any specific area of non-fiction, and not all publishers are just waiting for any random piece to cross their path.

Well, except vanity presses.

By the way, welcome to Absolute Write.

Jeff
 

veinglory

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Also "non-fiction" is too broad of a category. You are going to have to write a proposal or query for each publisher so you may as well make a proper shortlist and then check. In my experience a high proportion of non-fiction publishers do not required agents.
 

cornflake

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Tons of non-fic goes straight to publishers, but not by submitting manuscripts. Research.
 

THXXXX

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Thanks for the comments. Always helpful.
 

kdaniel171

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Try to visit publishers

You are advised to personally visit publishers and submit them your non-fiction manuscripts. You can search their contact information online.
 

Putputt

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You are advised to personally visit publishers and submit them your non-fiction manuscripts. You can search their contact information online.

Um, visit them in person?? No. This is pretty terrible advice. Do not visit a publisher in person uninvited.
 

veinglory

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Indeed. Turning up in person uninvited is a really bad idea. Just go to their website, find the submission requirements, and follow them.
 

Sheryl Nantus

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You are advised to personally visit publishers and submit them your non-fiction manuscripts. You can search their contact information online.

What the...

Where did you get this advice and how could you possibly think it's a good idea???
 

Jamesaritchie

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Way off topic, but why do so many still put a hyphen in "nonfiction". Even your spellchecker should tell you the hyphen was dropped decades ago.
 

wallfull

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Writer's Market is a good place to look for publishers. You can also look on Amazon for books similar to yours and see who published them.

Next, check the websites of the publishers you've identified for submission instructions and follow them exactly.

Bear in mind that major publishers require not only an agent for submissions, but also a significant author platform for selling the book. Even smaller publishers will want to know what you can do to promote book sales.

Usually publishers buy nonfiction based on a proposal and sample chapter.

Some excellent books on proposals are:
Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody can Write (Revised and Updated)
by Elizabeth Lyon
Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why, 2nd Edition
by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman
How to Write a Book Proposal
by Michael Larsen
 

atthebeach

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Wow. Yes, never visit in person. Don't call. Do research and submit only what specifically fits their interests. If they say they only accept manuscripts from agents, they mean it. If they only want a query, do not send the full nonfiction proposal.

Publishers (and agents) look to see if you can follow directions. At least afaik. And if it were me, anyone who did not bother to do that research would not be read. Period.

AW is full of great advice from people who know what they are saying, as seen by most in this thread. Best wishes.
 

Old Hack

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Brian, the lists on your website are out of date and incomplete. Also, please don't spam us like that. Thanks.
 

Jamesaritchie

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Even if you find a traditional publisher who will look at unagented manuscript/proposals/queries, you're still immensely better off with an agent. Just because a publisher looks at such things does not mean they actually buy from them. Such things are often for goodwill with writers, but are not taken seriously.

I remember one very large publisher that was/is well known for looking at unagented material, but they actually bought something this way only once in more than ten years.

"Filtered through an agent" is how publishing works. It saves editors an immense amount of time, and assures them that most of what comes in is close to, or above, professional level, even if it's something they don't want.

If you can find a good agent willing to represent your book, what makes you think an editor will want it, either? It's always tougher to sell directly to an editor than it is to find an agent willing to represent your book.
 

object of my charm

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I think it's best to hold off approaching publishers. The mysterious thing about writing is, we feel our book is ready. Then we send it - anywhere, to anyone - and then realise it wasn't ready at all….
 

Jwriter

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This is really helpful. I'm so happy to have stumbled into this thread.