How to get a nonfiction book published without an agent

Who will and will not read you directly

The large New York houses mostly will not. Penguin Random House says that in most cases "an agent is still required and advisable" (PRH), and Jane Friedman estimates that probably 80% of the books New York houses acquire come through agents (Friedman). If a Big Five deal is the goal, the agent route is the way in, and finding a literary agent explains where to look.

Plenty of nonfiction is better suited to publishers that do not need agents. Friedman lists the projects that often do not require one: scholarly works for university presses, books likely to be published by regional or independent presses, and niche titles with limited commercial appeal (Friedman). Three groups take direct submissions:

• University presses. The Association of University Presses lists 170 member presses on its site (AUPresses, counted October 21, 2026). Some also publish trade books for general readers; the University of Texas Press, for example, describes a separate process for its trade projects (UT Press). The University of Chicago Press answers the question plainly: asked whether authors need an introduction, it says "No! We're happy to hear from you directly" (Chicago).
• Independent and specialist presses. Many publish their guidelines and invite proposals by email. New Harbinger, which publishes psychology and health self-help, takes proposals by email and says most of its authors are therapists or other helping professionals (New Harbinger). Berrett-Koehler, which publishes books on leadership, work and organizations, posts a nine-part proposal form and a submissions address (Berrett-Koehler).
• Regional publishers. Friedman names regional presses among the publishers that often do not need an agent. A book tied to a place, such as its history or its outdoors, is the natural fit.

The names above are examples of how publishers state their policies, not recommendations. Policies change, so read each one's current page.

How to find publishers that accept your book

1. Start with your comparable titles. Look at the copyright page and spine of recent books like yours. Note every publisher that is not a Big Five imprint. These are presses that already sell to your readers.
2. Search the directories. The AUPresses member list links to every member press. Poets & Writers keeps a free Small Presses database with submission guidelines and an open reading periods page, though it leans toward literary work.
3. Read each publisher's submissions page. Look for "submissions," "proposals," "for authors" or "prospective authors." Check whether it publishes your kind of book now, not ten years ago, by browsing its recent catalog.
4. Find the right editor. University presses list acquiring editors by subject. Chicago asks you to write to the editor closest to your subject and not to write to more than one editor at the press.

The small press and university press guide goes deeper on what these publishers are and how they differ.

How to submit

Without an agent, your proposal does the agent's job. Most presses want a proposal plus sample material, and the details differ:

Three rules hold almost everywhere:

• Follow the guidelines exactly. File type, length and contents are not suggestions.
• Say if you are submitting elsewhere. Chicago and UT Press both accept simultaneous submissions but ask you to say so. UT Press asks for exclusivity only once you and the editor agree to peer review.
• Expect peer review at university presses. If an editor is interested, the proposal and sample chapters, or later the manuscript, go to outside readers. This adds time.

How to build the proposal itself is in how to write a nonfiction book proposal.

What the deal looks like

A traditional deal from a smaller publisher works the same way as a big one, on a smaller scale. The publisher pays for editing, design, printing and distribution and pays you royalties. Friedman's publishing paths chart says smaller presses pay small advances and usually invest in a print run, and university presses pay minimal advances and sell mainly to libraries and universities.

On royalties, Friedman writes that an average contract might pay anywhere from 4 to 25 percent depending on format and sales, and that a deal with no advance should pay more, usually 20 to 50 percent of print sales (Friedman, updated August 9, 2026). The Authors Guild notes that small, medium and academic presses often pay royalties on net receipts rather than list price (Authors Guild), which pays much less at the same percentage. Advances and royalties explained shows the difference in dollars.

The catch of going without an agent is that no one negotiates for you. Read the contract with the rights and contract terms guide open, and consider a publishing lawyer. Friedman recommends one for small press contracts, and Authors Guild members can use the Guild's contract review.

How to check a publisher before you sign

Being accepted feels like the finish line. It is the moment to slow down. Friedman's test for any publisher calling itself traditional: "Traditional publishers, regardless of size, pay the author." If a press makes you pay upfront for editing, design or production, or makes you buy copies, she says it is a hybrid publisher or a publishing service, not a traditional publisher. Check:

• Money direction. Any fee, package or required purchase changes the deal. See the warning signs guide.
• Recent books. Covers, descriptions and editing quality on its last few titles. Friedman suggests reading the samples on Amazon.
• Sales reach. Whether it has a distributor that pitches books to stores, or only lists them online.
• Track record. Friedman suggests searching the publisher's name with the word "scam." Look it up in Writer Beware's publisher complaints archive. Ask a recent author how it went.

Self-publishing: the route with no gatekeeper

Many authors searching for publishers without agents are really asking how to get a book out without anyone's permission. That is self-publishing. You are the publisher: you hire editing and design, buy ISBNs if you want your own imprint, and publish through platforms such as Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, which are free to start. You keep control and the larger share of each sale, and you carry every cost and every marketing job.

Self-publishing fits best when you have a way to reach readers yourself, when the book serves a business or speaking goal more than bookstore presence, or when a publisher's timeline does not fit yours. KDP vs IngramSpark vs Draft2Digital compares the platforms, and the path comparison sets it against every other route.

If this is your first book

Being a first-time author is not, by itself, the obstacle. What a publisher wants to see is the same with or without an agent:

• A clear fit with their list. A book that sits beside the ones they already sell.
• A reason you are the author. Expertise, access or a story only you can tell.
• Readers you can reach. Friedman notes that a smaller publisher may be fine selling a few thousand copies where a big house may want up to 20,000 in the first year. A modest platform can be enough for the right press.
• Proof you can write it. Strong sample chapters, or a finished manuscript for memoir.