Women’s Presses & Publishers

The following publishers specialize in writing by / for / about women. Some of these presses publish women exclusively; others are simply committed to amplifying marginalized voices, drawing attention to women’s issues, or advancing a feminist agenda. The description of each press is taken directly from the associated website.

This list is a work in progress. If you find a non-working link or newly defunct press at anytime in the future, or if you know a publisher I should add, please let me know. I appreciate your help in making this list as comprehensive as possible. Thank you!

NB: I have no personal experience with these presses, and their approach to publishing varies widely. Please do your own research before submitting.

— Nicole Melanson

 

13th Moon Books (USA)

13th Moon is a nonprofit small press whose mission is to expand tradition and foster innovation in literature and related arts. We live by a feminism of inclusiveness…

 

Affinity Rainbow Publications

Affinity joins the growing trend of companies publishing works of lesbian literature in the evolving market of electronic media (eBooks) and Print on demand.

 

Arktoi Books (USA)

Arktoi Books, an imprint of Red Hen Press, publishes high-quality literary fiction and poetry by lesbian writers.

 

Artemis Press (USA)

Electronic publisher of lesbian interest fiction, nonfiction and drama.

 

Ash Tree Publishing (USA)

Women’s Health, Women’s Spirituality.

 

Aunt Lute (USA)

Aunt Lute Books is dedicated to publishing literature by women whose voices have been traditionally underrepresented in mainstream and small press publishing.

 

Bella Books (USA)

Bella Books is the premiere publisher of vibrant and irresistible fiction for and about lesbians.

 

Belladonna (USA)

The Belladonna mission is to promote the work of women writers who are adventurous, experimental, politically involved, multi-form, multicultural, multi-gendered, impossible to define, delicious to talk about, unpredictable and dangerous with language.

 

Bedazzled Ink Publishing (USA)

Bedazzled Ink is dedicated to literary fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books that celebrate the unique and under-represented voices of women and books about women.

 

BLF Press (USA)

BLF Press is an independent Black feminist publishing house dedicated to amplifying the work of Black, Indigenous, and queer women of color.

 

Bold Story Press (USA)

At Bold Story Press, we are a curated, woman-owned, hybrid, publishing company with a mission of publishing well written stories by women.

 

Bold Strokes Books (USA)

Bold Strokes Books offers a diverse collection of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer general and genre fiction.

 

Boston Women’s Health Book Collective (USA)

Our Bodies Ourselves (OBOS) is a nonprofit, public interest organization based in Cambridge, Mass., that develops and promotes evidence-based information on girls’ and women’s reproductive health and sexuality (publishing eponymous titles).

 

Boudicca Press (UK)

Boudicca Press celebrates the strength, courage and literary talents of women. We publish weird, literary and relationship fiction by women in the UK.

 

Bywater Books (USA)

Bywater Books represents the coming of age of lesbian fiction. We’re dedicated to finding and developing outstanding voices and committed to bringing the best of contemporary lesbian and feminist writing to a discerning readership.

 

Calisi Press (England)

Independent publisher promoting Italian women writers in English translation.

 

Cleis Press (USA)

The largest independent queer publishing company in the United States, featuring many lesbian and feminist titles.

 

Desert Palm Press (USA)

Desert Palm Press (DPP) produces e-books and print books that are available worldwide through Amazon, Smashwords, Bella Books, and CreateSpace. We are interested in fiction manuscripts where the main characters are lesbians.

 

Dorothy, a publishing project (USA)

Dorothy, a publishing project is dedicated to works of fiction or near fiction or about fiction, mostly by women.

 

Elly Blue Publishing (USA)

Feminist nonfiction about bicycling.

 

Feminist Press at CUNY (USA)

The Feminist Press is an educational nonprofit organization founded to advance women’s rights and amplify feminist perspectives.

 

Gazing Grain Press (USA)

Gazing Grain Press is an inclusive feminist independent literary press.

 

Girls on Key Press

Established in 2018, Girls on Key Poetry publishes poetry books by women and gender diverse poets.

 

Green Dragon Press (Canada)

Green Dragon Press brings you women’s history and equity issues materials.

 

Headmistress Press (USA)

An independent publisher of books of poetry by lesbians, HP is dedicated to honoring lesbian existence, discovering a range of lesbian voices, and promoting lesbian representation in the arts.

 

Héloïse Press (UK)

Heloise Press is an indie publishing house specialised in contemporary women’s writing, championing world-wide female talent.

 

Herself Press (N. Ireland)

Herself Press aims to revive the work of women writers from the North of Ireland by reissuing, or publishing for the first time, their work. Its focus is on prose — novels, short stories, essays, journalism, memoir — by women writers whose work has fallen under the radar.

 

The HerStories Project

The HerStories Project is a community and publisher of women’s stories. We know that every woman has a story.

 

Honno (Wales)

Honno is an independent co-operative press run by women and committed to bringing you the best in Welsh women’s writing.

 

Inanna Publications (Canada)

Inanna Publications and Education Inc. is one of only a very few independent feminist presses in Canada committed to publishing fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction by and about women, and complementing this with relevant non-fiction, that bring new, innovative and diverse perspectives with the potential to change and enhance women’s lives everywhere.

 

Intaglio Publications (USA)

Press for lovers of lesbian fiction.

 

ISM Press (USA)

Radical feminist theory, people’s history, labor & freedom struggles, multicultural.

 

Jane Stories Press (USA)

Jane’s Stories Press Foundation is an international, 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that nurtures emerging and established women writers.  Since 2001, JSPF has offered literary resources, education, and friendship, in addition to publishing several anthologies.

 

Jan-Carol Publishing (USA)

Fiction and short stories that celebrate the wit, humor and strength of both old-time and modern Appalachian women.

 

Kandisha Press

Independent press supporting women horror authors.

 

Kelsey St. Press (USA)

Kelsey Street Press was founded in 1974 to address the marginalization of women writers by small press and mainstream publishers.

 

Kore Press (USA)

The vision of the Press has been to publish and promote excellent works of stunning literary value and innovation by a diversity of women, including those traditionally underrepresented in the cultural mainstream and to educate young people about the power of voice and effecting change through literary activism.

 

Les Femmes Folles Books (USA)

Les Femmes Folles Books (LFFB) is a micro-feminist press that publishes 1-2 titles a year by invitation only, founded by Les Femmes Folles, the organization supporting women in all forms, levels and styles of art.

 

Linen Press (Scotland)

Linen Press is a small, independent publisher run by women, for women.

 

Mayapple Press (USA)

We celebrate literature that is both challenging and accessible: poetry that transcends the categories of “mainstream” and “avant-garde”; women’s writing; the Great Lakes/Northeastern culture; the recent immigrant experience; poetry in translation; science fiction poetry.

 

Midmarch Arts (USA)

Has a Women in the Arts section.

 

Modjaji Books (South Africa)

Modjaji Books is an independent feminist press that publishes southern African women writers.

 

Mother’s Milk Books (England)

* SHUTTERED

Mother’s Milk Books is a small, family-run press that publishes high-quality, beautiful books for adults and children that normalize breastfeeding and celebrate femininity and empathy.

 

The Neo Perennial Press (Australia)

As a niche micro-publisher, The Neo Perennial Press also publishes writing by women about women. We particularly have an interest in women’s history and mythology inspired works: old texts, works poetically renewed, adapted or recreated and speculative fiction.

 

NewSage Press, Inc. (USA)

NewSage Press books cover a myriad of interests and social concerns, including the animal and human bond, environmental issues, nature, women’s issues, and more.

 

New Victoria Publishers (USA)

30-year tradition of publishing lesbian feminist literature, by and for lesbians.

 

P+B Publications / Pen + Brush (USA)

P+B Publications is an independent publisher, seeking the best new work by women and non-binary authors. Pen + Brush publishes poetry and short and long literary fiction, creative nonfiction.

(NB: P+B publishes magazines as well as e-Books.)

 

Papeachu

Papeachu (puh-peach-oo) is a feminist small press publishing the works of women and nonbinary creators in order to elevate and venerate a community of work often under-appreciated.

 

Paris Press (USA)

The mission of Paris Press is to publish groundbreaking yet overlooked literature by women writers.

 

Persephone Books (England)

Persephone Books reprints neglected fiction and non-fiction by mid-twentieth century (mostly) women writers.

 

Perugia Press (USA)

Perugia Press publishes the best new woman poet each year—the winner of our annual contest.

 

RedBone Press (USA)

RedBone Press publishes work celebrating the cultures of black lesbians and gay men, and work that further promotes understanding between black gays and lesbians and the black mainstream.

 

Red Letter Press (USA)

Radical books – Feminist writings – Socialist theory – Race liberation – Queer activism

 

Resolute Publishing (USA)

Resolute Publishing produces quality publications and products rooted in African American culture and/or same-gender loving experiences. We welcome submissions from women of color that are committed to great storytelling and are also passionate readers.

 

Riot in Your Throat (USA)

A poetry press for fierce, feminist voices.

 

Sapphire Books (USA)

Sapphire Books Publishing, the gem in lesbian publishing was founded by Christine Svendsen in 2010. We produce and publish fiction, non-fiction and biographical lesbian literary works of art.

 

Seal Press (USA)

Inspired by the notion that a book can change a woman’s life, Seal Press is devoted to publishing titles that inform, reveal, engage, delight, and support women of all ages and backgrounds.

 

Second Story Press (Canada)

Second Story Press is dedicated to publishing feminist-inspired books for adults and young readers.

 

Shade Mountain Press (USA)

As a feminist press, Shade Mountain is committed to publishing literature by women, especially women of color, women with disabilities, women from working-class backgrounds, and lesbian/bisexual/queer women. We publish work that’s politically engaged, challenges the status quo, tells the stories that usually go unheard.

 

She Writes Press (USA)

A real player in the hybrid publishing world, we are a mission-driven, female-run company with a strong vision, passion, and work ethic.

 

Silver Press (UK)

Silver Press is a new feminist publisher, based in London.

 

Sister Vision Educational Press (Canada)

Sister Vision is the first press for Black women and women of colour in Canada. Founded in 1984, it intends to encourage works by women of all cultures, sexual preferences and classes.

 

SORORITY MANSION

SORORITY MANSION is a radical (eco)feminist press, posed in categorical opposition to the white-supremacist anthropocentric ecocidal capitalist patriarchal complex and its every associated ideology, delusion, and depredation. SORORITY MANSION publishes women’s work.

 

Spider Road Press (USA)

Writing by and/or about strong women. We love to publish unique novellas and collections of short fiction and poetry featuring complex, female-identifying characters.

 

Spinifex Press (Australia)

Spinifex Press is an award-winning independent feminist press, publishing innovative and controversial feminist books with an optimistic edge.

Spinsters Ink (USA)

Spinsters Ink is committed to giving voice to women writers from every walk of life.

 

Switchback Books (USA)

Switchback Books is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit feminist press publishing poetry by women. Our definition of “women” is broad and includes transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, and female-identified individuals.

 

Sword & Kettle Press (USA)

Established in 2015, Sword & Kettle Press is a tiny independent publishing house. Our mission is to publish inclusive feminist fantasy & speculative fiction. We look for the weird & witchy & wild & whimsical things in our world & in worlds beyond.

 

Three O’Clock Press (Canada)

Home of Sumach Press and Women’s Press Literary.

Three O’Clock Press’s mandate is to continue the feminist approach of our imprints by promoting our diverse literary backlist, while also reaching new readers and branching out into innovative literary forms.

 

Triplicity Publishing

Triplicity Publishing is a small, LGBT publisher seeking quality works from serious authors. All manuscripts must have LGBT main characters.

 

Virago (England)

International Publisher of Books by Women.

 

Volcano Press (USA)

Volcano Press has been publishing books on domestic violence and women’s health for forty years.

 

Wicked Publishing

Wicked Publishing joins the growing trend of companies in publishing works of lesbian
literature/LGBT and mainstream fiction in the evolving market of books and electronic media (eBooks). Our company is committed to producing quality, affordable works of fictional literature.

 

Wish Publishing (USA)

Wish Publishing was started in December 1999 as the first sports publishing company devoted exclusively to women’s topics. In 2004, Wish Publishing launched Equilibrium Books to publish books that provide a balanced approach to sports for all athletes.

 

With/out Pretend (Canada)

With/out Pretend is an independent Toronto-based publisher focused on producing, promoting and distributing works by women, including those who identify as femme, queer, trans, and persons of colour.

 

Womancraft Publishing (Ireland)

Life-changing, paradigm-shifting books by women, for women. Womancraft Publishing is a revolutionary imprint dedicated to finding and sharing exciting new voices and powerful messages that are being overlooked, silenced or sanitized in traditional publishing.

 

Women Unlimited (India)

Women Unlimited, a non-profit trust, is an associate of Kali for Women, India’s first and oldest feminist press, estd. 1984. We publish scholarly and academic books in the social sciences; fiction; general interest non-fiction; autobiography and memoirs; books for young adults; pamphlets and monographs; and activist material.

 

Yellow Arrow Publishing (USA)

Yellow Arrow Publishing supports and inspires writers identifying as women through publication and access to the literary arts. This project is based in Baltimore City, with a focus on literary events and publishing local writers.

 

Ylva Publishing

Ylva is a woman-owned, women-run publisher that seeks out stories about strong female characters, who are often gay. We publish romance and erotica, mystery, paranormal, and well-researched historical novels.

 

Zubaan Books (India)

Zubaan is a leading independent publishing house based in New Delhi with a strong academic and general list. It was set up in 2003 as an imprint of India’s first feminist publishing house, Kali for Women, and continues to publish books on, for, by and about women in South Asia.