The success of your book highly depends on choosing the right book publishers. United Kingdom is home for globaly respected top book publishing companies, which include both big players and children’s imprints. We guide you on everything you need to know before submitting your manuscript and help you find the best publishers in London or other UK cities.
A book publishing company lets you reach your audience, from manuscript to product ready for readers. Publishers know how to create eye-catching book covers, handle editing, formatting, printing, distribution, and marketing.
Traditional publishers usually pay authors an advance and royalties depending on the quality of the book. Meanwhile, self-publishing companies charge authors and handle everything. It’s important to understand these two types of publishing books before you start researching the best book publishing company.
Let’s find out the best book publishing companies in the UK to take your first step towards a successful book launch. Here are the top 8 book publishing services in the UK with their contact details:
For a remarkable and one-stop book publishing solution you can trust, TheBookPublishing.co.uk. Present across all cities of the United Kingdom, manage ghostwriting, editing, formatting, cover designing and book marketing.
Whether you are a first-time or established author, hire quality book publishing services in the UK. Supporting all kinds of book genres such as memoirs, business books, fiction, children’s books, and autobiographies. Working for 100% author satisfaction with complete transparency in pricing. Published 1550+ bestselling books for authors in London, Manchester to many city of the UK.
Website: thebookpublishing.co.uk
Phone: +44 7737 143374
Email: info@thebookpublishing.co.uk
As the largest book publishing company in the UK, Penguin Random House steals the spotlight for selling 15,000+ titles every year. Covering multiple literary genres such as fiction, memoir, and children’s picture books, with nearly 250 imprints.
When you work with this group, you get benefits like rights and permissions services and education partnerships. With advance distribution services, they reach over 80 million books each year. Because of its large size, this company partners up with multiple literary agents to publish your books.
Website: penguin.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 7010 3000
Address: 8 Viaduct Gardens, London, SW11 7BW
HarperCollins has been active in the market since 1819, an expert in spanning trade fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, and educational books. You can see a huge investment from this company in digital publishing mediums such as eBooks and audiobooks. They have a dedicated team that handles the rights and permissions for licensing enquiries.
It has a special publicity team that deals with review copies and media distribution for journalists. You can directly submit your manuscripts without finding middlemen in certain categories.
Website: harpercollins.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 8741 7070 (London) / 0141 306 3100 (Glasgow customer service)
Address: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
With multiple publishing options, such as printing, digital or audio formats, Pan Macmillan was founded in 1932. Supporting the modern imprints including Picador, Tor, Mantle, and Macmillan Children’s Books. They inspire every young talent by providing them with the Macmillan Prize for children’s illustrators. You get advanced support for order fulfillment through Macmillan Distribution.
You get additional benefits when you hire this book publishing company in the UK, from international sales support to foreign rights licensing. A simple interface lets you choose the right category for your book genre for easisly pitch the imprint best suited to your manuscript.
Website: panmacmillan.com
Phone: +44 (0)20 7014 6000
Address: The Smithson, 6 Briset Street, London, EC1M 5NR
Another best book publishing company with its huge Hachette Livre group, Hachette UK help you publish books across genres like crime, romance, and fantasy. Choose whatever imprints suit your requirements, such as Hodder & Stoughton, Orion, and Little, Brown Book Group.
It also runs The Future Bookshelf, a free book publishing company to support young talents across the world. You can submit your manuscripts even if you are a beginner writer or come from underrepresented communities.
Website: hachette.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 3122 6000
Address: Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0DZ
The next expert book publishing company in the UK was founded in 1986; Bloomsbury Publishing is mostly known for launching J.K. Rowling’s career. If your book is about business, sports and wildlife, then choosing this book publishing company is the right choice.
The company runs Bloomsbury Professional for legal and reference titles, and operates Writers & Artists. Additionally, it covers all the editing, formatting, designing and other relevant services, popular for its Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. While adult fiction generally requires an agent.
Website: bloomsbury.com
Phone: +44 (0)20 7631 5600
Address: 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP
Stop scrolling for the best book publishing company near me when you have Faber & Faber in the UK. Their team of expert writers and publishers specialize in literary fiction, poetry, and drama. Globally known for publishing multiple Nobel Prize winners, including T.S. Eliot and Kazuo Ishiguro. multiple Nobel Prize winners, including T.S. Eliot and Kazuo Ishiguro. You receive quality editorials and design services from their professional team.
They are running a strong education arm for creative writing named Faber Academy. Faber is still one of the reliable and independent, focused sources for publishing books, and mostly literary publishing is highly acceptable.
Website: faber.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 7927 3800
Address: Bloomsbury House, 74-77 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DA
Lastly, being the world’s largest university press, Oxford University Press supports academic and educational book publishing across textbooks, journals, dictionaries, and research monographs. It provides reliable school resources as they are part of Oxford University. They have a dedicated and highly professional team of expert authors and publishers.
Website: global.oup.com
Phone: +44 (0)1865 556767
Address: Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP
If you are specifically looking for free book publishing services, then they usually fall into two main categories. Before you select any type, understand the difference:
The traditional book publishing companies are mostly free, and when they accept your manuscript, you get a whole package. They are responsible for book editing, formatting, cover designing and printing costs. You get royalties and sometimes a certain amount as an advance. That’s why traditional book publishers remain gold mines for authors who want zero upfront cost.
The self-publishing platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing have no upfront fee and let you publish your manuscript without paying. However, you need a separate budget for a professional book cover design and expert editing. These platforms don’t charge you a flat fee; instead, they take a certain percentage of commission on every book sale.
You need to be mindful when searching for free book publishing companies because mostly so-called free publishers charge for editing and designing.
Below is a quick comparison of all the leading book publishing companies in the UK alongside their services. You can choose any publishing services after matching your book category, genre and goals:
Book Publishers in the UK | Speciality |
| TheBookPublishing.co.uk | Self-publishing, Amazon KDP, ghostwriting, editing, and book marketing |
| Penguin Random House UK | Fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, and global publishing |
| HarperCollins UK | Fiction, non-fiction, education, eBooks, and audiobooks |
| Pan Macmillan | Fiction, children’s books, audiobooks, and international publishing |
| Hachette UK | Commercial fiction, crime, romance, fantasy, and non-fiction |
| Bloomsbury Publishing | Fiction, academic, business, and professional publishing |
| Faber & Faber | Literary fiction, poetry, and drama |
| Oxford University Press | Academic, educational, and reference publishing |
Book publishing companies in the UK are known for offering the best opportunities for children, adults, or a specialist non-fiction audience. Among the top publishers, like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, remain highly competitive, but independent publishers like TheBookPublishing.co.uk stand out for their quality services.
If you want to publish your first book as an author and are scrolling for the best book publishing company near me, then choose the companies below:
The Book Publishing
Macmillan Children’s Books
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Usborne Publishing
Walker Books
These book publishers are highly trained in children’s fiction, picture books, and young adult titles.
It’s important to select the book publishing company which supports your book’s genre, submission method and publishing goals. You can simply do your own research and look at their recently published titles. Contact their support team to know the packages and variety in publishing services.
