Australian Publishing Industry
There are a number of traditional publishers in Western Australia and Australia, together with services that provide Assisted Publishing and Self-Publishing options. Writers need to do their own due diligence on the organisations and beware of vanity publishers or publishers asking for large sums of money to publish, distribute and market their book. If you are offered a publishing contract, the Australian Society of Authors has information on Fair Contracts, and a resource on Ten Principles of Fair Contracts.
For contractual advice, the ASA suggests writers contact Authors Legal, a not-for-profit low-cost, specialised legal service for authors and illustrators.
WritingWA similarly suggests contacting the Arts Law Centre of Australia, who also provide low cost advice, education and resources for Australian artists and Arts Organisations.
The following information is not an exhaustive list and the PCWC do not endorse any particular publishing service or resource listed on this webpage. Our Centre does not receive any financial compensation for promoting these services.
Australian Publishers Association
This website offers links and resources to writer’s centres, literary agents, manuscript assessment services and organisations.
Visit: APA About Publishing
Western Australian Publishers
Fremantle Press
Fremantle Press is a not-for-profit publisher bringing Australian stories to the world. Its core purpose is to identify talented new and emerging Western Australian writers and artists, and to publish and distribute their work to the widest possible audience. The publisher welcomes unsolicited manuscripts from writers of Western Australian residency and/or origin. Fremantle Press also offers a ‘Custom Publishing’ service.
The publisher conducts two major biennial literary prizes: The TAG Hungerford Award and The Fogarty Literary Award. These prizes are run in alternate years. In 2023, The Fogarty Literary Award will open for entries on 15 March 2023 for an unpublished manuscript by a Western Australian author aged between 18 and 35 for a work of fiction, narrative non-fiction or young adult fiction. The winner receives a cash prize of $20,000 and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press. Entries close at midnight on 18 April 2023.
See: https://fremantlepress.wpengine.com/submissions/fogarty-award/
See: https://www.fremantlepress.com.au/
University of Western Australia Press (UWAP)
The University of Western Australia Press (UWAP) has been publishing books since 1935. It publishes literary fiction, non-fiction, poetry collections and scholarly works. UWAP also conducts The Dorothy Hewett Award for an unpublished manuscript on an annual basis, and also accepts manuscript submissions. Submissions for 2023 will be opening later in the year. You can read more about The Dorothy Hewett Award HERE.
For further information, visit the UWAP website at: https://uwap.uwa.edu.au/
Upswell
Publishing professional and former UWAP Director and Publisher, Terri-Ann White, has opened a boutique publishing house, Upswell.
You can read more about Upswell at: https://upswellpublishing.com/
Major Australian Publishers
Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin is one of Australia’s leading independent publishers and was the 2020 Publisher of the Year. A & U publish around 250 new titles each year including literary and commercial fiction, a broad range of general non-fiction and lifestyle titles and books for children and young adults. The publisher also conducts the Allen & Unwin Crime Fiction Prize and is involved with The Australian/Vogle’s Literary Award. The Australian/Vogle’s Literary Award for 2024 is now open for entries to writers under the age of 35 with an unpublished manuscript.
See: https://www.allenandunwin.com/being-a-writer/the-australian-vogel-s-award
On the website, there is a ‘Being A Writer’ menu item with helpful information for writers.
See: https://www.allenandunwin.com/being-a-writer/getting-published
Visit: https://www.allenandunwin.com/
Hachette Australia
Hachette Australia is one of Australia’s largest publishers and welcomes submissions from adult fiction and non-fiction writers, and children’s and YA fiction and non-fiction writers who are residents of Australia or New Zealand. However, they do not accept science fiction/fantasy, horror, illustrated books, cookbooks, poetry, screenplays or academic works.
For submissions information see: https://www.hachette.com.au/submissions/
Hachette Australia, together with the Richell family, established and conducts The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. The Prize is open to unpublished writers of adult fiction and adult narrative non-fiction. Writers do not need to have a full manuscript at the time of submission, though they must intend to complete one.
For further information visit: https://www.hachette.com.au/richell-prize/
HarperCollins Australia
HarperCollins Australia is one of the oldest publishing houses in Australia with different imprints including HQ, and the HarperCollins group has divisions around the world. Today HarperCollins produces both print and e-books, generally simultaneously, and publishes a broad range of authors in different genres. The publishing house is involved with two manuscript prizes: The Banjo Prize, an annual manuscript prize to find the next great Australian storyteller, and The Matilda Children’s Literature Prize.
See: https://www.harpercollins.com.au/thebanjoprize/ and
visit: The Matilda Children’s Literature Prize – HarperCollins Australia :HarperCollins Australia
For general publishing information, visit : https://www.harpercollins.com.au/
Pan Macmillan Australia
Pan Macmillan accepts unsolicited manuscripts via their online submission form. They publish fiction in the genres of contemporary drama, sagas, psychological suspense, crime and thrillers, historical, and literary. In the non-fiction area they publish narrative non-fiction, contemporary issues, memoir, history, true crime, lifestyle and health, and mind, body, spirit titles. The publisher also publishes children’s books (junior and middle grade) and YA and crossover fiction.
See: https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/submissions/
Penguin Random House Australia
Penguin Random House Australia has an adult publishing division and a children’s publishing division and is one of the world’s largest trade book publishers and accepts unsolicited manuscripts.
With nearly 250 imprints, Penguin Random House consists of adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide.
Authors can submit a manuscript, but they need to review the guidelines for submissions to ensure that the manuscripts are going to the right place.
Visit: https://www.penguin.com.au/getting-published/
Penguin Random House also conducts the annual Penguin Random House Literary Prize. This prize was established in 2017 to find, nurture and develop new Australian authors of literary fiction.
See: https://www.penguin.com.au/articles/3329-2022-penguin-literary-prize-shortlist-announced
Penguin Random House Australia also distributes and sells books for Australian publishing partners such as Are Media, Black Inc, Fremantle Press, Hay House, Melbourne University Press, Scribe, Text, University of Queensland Press.
Spineless Wonders
Spineless Wonders is a multi-platform publishing company that focuses on publishing short, quality fiction produced by Australian writers. They are interested in brief fiction in all its forms – from ‘microlit’ (a blend of prose poetry and microfiction) to short stories and novellas. Spineless Wonders also auspices the annual Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award (not conducted in 2022) and conducts other callouts for short and long stories.
See: Writing Competitions | Spineless Wonders publishing (shortaustralianstories.com.au)
Kill Your Darlings
Kill Your Darlings conducts a variety of awards and callouts for short fiction and non-fiction. See: https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/awards/
Other Australian Independent Publishing Houses
- Are Media
- Black Inc
- Hay House
- Melbourne University Press
- Scribe
- Text Publishing
- Transit Lounge
- University of Queensland Press
Assisted and Self-Publishing Options
For writers wanting to self-publish their books, or pursue assisted publishing options, there are a number of these smaller presses in Western Australia and the wider Australian writing community. Writers need to do their due diligence on the services offered, associated costs, quality of production, and whether the press offers any assistance with the marketing and distribution of your book. Beware of vanity publishers who charge large amounts to print your book, but who offer no distribution channels or marketing support.
Ingram Spark
For writers wanting to self-publish, Ingram Spark provide a range of services to assist you with self-publishing in both print and e-book format. Ingram Spark also offers a distribution service. Their website gives a good overview of the self-publishing process and the cost and steps involved.
See: https://www.ingramspark.com/how-to-self-publish-a-book
Other Publishing Services/Agents
Australian Literary Agents Association
For further information on Agents, contact the Australian Literary Agents Association. The organisation currently has 15-member literary agents.
See: https://www.austlitagentsassoc.com/members
Alex Adsett Publishing Services
Alex Adsett Publishing Services are a full-service literary agency. They represent quality works of fiction and non-fiction for people of all ages. They also provide freelance consultancy services for Australian publishers and authors and offer a commercial review of publishing contracts.