When considering what book publishing companies to approach with your manuscript, there are quite a lot of options available to you and they need careful consideration. One thing to remember is that there is no ‘one best publishing company’ out there as they all cater to differing publishing needs and authors. There will be a selection of publishing houses which will meet your own specific needs, so basically you need to do your homework and find out which one can offer you the best service as an individual author.

It is also worth noting that the larger publishers will not necessarily be best for you and your book; consider equally the smaller publishers on what they have to offer you.

You can find a list of publishers through online searches and finding specific publishing houses' websites. The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook will also give a comprehensive list of both publishing houses and literary agents. Work your way down the list and see what each one can offer you. Pay particular attention to the types of genres they represent so that you pitch your book to the right editor. There is no point approaching a publisher with a non-fiction book if they dedicate themselves entirely to fiction novels. It is very important that you find out what types of book they publish. Also make a note if they accept unsolicited manuscripts, meaning that they may only accept manuscripts through a literary agent. Many of the big companies do not accept unsolicited manuscripts so you need to carefully consider if you need the services of a literary agent.

Questions to ask include: What do you hope to achieve by approaching the big publishers versus the smaller publishing houses? Is your manuscript ready to be submitted? Do you absolutely need the services of a literary agent? If you are ready and feel that a big publisher has lots to offer you, then go ahead.

Another option to consider is that of self-publishing, which many authors are now doing. This is where you approach a print on demand company and they print your book for distribution through their various sales channels. The major difference is that you are in creative control of everything, and this means everything from content, formatting and book cover design. However, many print on demand publishers offer services that can help with this entirely, but you need to pay. You can also go down the whole eBook publishing route, but that is anther process.

Again, there are many self-publishing companies out there which each offer a different service so again you need to do your homework and find out which is the best option for you. Often the best people to ask are other self-published authors.

So there is an awful lot to consider ranging from traditional publishing to self-publishing. You also need to think about the benefits of a literary agent. Read up on all of your various options and get that book published.