You may only have heard of one or two of the larger poetry publishers in the UK, but there are actually a great many excellent small presses that producing everything from full-length collections down to short runs of beautiful hand-made chapbooks. You can find a selection of them listed below. If you’re looking to publish a book of poetry, it’s worth invesitaging them all to find the publisher that’s right for you.
If you want to suggest an addition or correction for this list, you can do so using the Big List Update Form.
Against the Grain
| Number of Titles | 4 – 5 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | June (Every Year) |
An innovative, small, independent poetry publisher dedicated to publishing challenging, well-crafted poetry. They aim to produce beautiful works of art, with high production values and edgy appeal. They want their poets to be seen and heard, and they print starkly designed high-quality pamphlets and run launch events and signings to facilitate this.
Arachne Press
| Number of Titles | 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet | Collection | Novel |
| Submissions | Usually Open to Submissions |
This small press publishes a range of forms. Writers are encouraged to send along a short piece of work for inclusion in one of their anthologies, after which they may be invited to submit a full manuscript.
Arc Publications
| Number of Titles | 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet | Collection | eBook |
| Submissions | December (Every Year) |
Publishes contemporary poetry from the UK and abroad, including translations. This publisher also has a music imprint. Based in Lancashire.
Artel Press
| Number of Titles | 1 – 2 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet | Artbook |
| Submissions | Anytime |
The Artel Press are a small, independent publisher and book designer founded in 2013 and based in Liverpool, UK. They specialise in short-run art, poetry and biographical titles.
Bad Betty Press
| Number of Titles | 3 – 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet | Anthology |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
An independent publishing house, based in London. They print poetry by emerging authors, and love writing that is “beautiful and bad (in the Foxy Brown sense)”. In their first year they published a series of pamphlets and an anthology on the subject of mental health.
Bloodaxe Books
| Number of Titles | 10 – 12 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Founded by Neil Astley in 1978, this is one of the UK’s most well-known poetry publishers. They have an extensive list of British and American poets, and titles published by Bloodaxe Books can be found in many bookstores.
Broken Sleep Books
[ Broken Sleep Books Website ]
| Number of Titles | 5 Per Month |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Broken Sleep Books is a small, innovative press, which publishes a range of pamphlets and collections, from a range of writers. They particularly wish to encourage working-class writers, LGBTQ+, and BAME writers to submit. Politically they are left-leaning, and have no interest in misogynists, racist, sexists, or the alt-right.
Burning Eye Books
| Number of Titles | 4 – 5 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Burning Eye Books is small independent publisher in the South West predominately specialising in promoting spoken word artists. They aim to dispel the assumption that performance poetry does not transfer well to page, as well as give emerging and established artist opportunities to be published. They look for the bold, the fearless and the strange, and pride themselves on providing a conscious portfolio of brilliant poets and writers.
Calder Valley Poetry
[ Calder Valley Poetry Website ]
| Number of Titles | 3 – 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Not Open to Submissions |
Calder Valley Poetry is a small press which commenced publication in January 2016 with John Foggin’s collection Outlaws and Fallen Angels. It is intended to produce pamphlets by the many fine poets living alongside what was once referred to as Yorkshire’s “river of industry”.
Carcanet Press
| Number of Titles | 8 – 10 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
A larger publisher which is home to several different poetry imprints. Publishes a diverse list of modern and classic poetry in English and in translation.
Dreich
[ Dreich Website ]
| Number of Titles | 12 – 24 Per Year |
| Formats | Chapbooks |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
DREICH is a not for profit organisation dedicated to promoting and publishing poets and poetry, It is based in Scotland, runs a grassroots community festival, and has three competitions a year to enter.
Egg Box Publishing
[ Egg Box Publishing Website ]
| Number of Titles | 8 – 10 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet | Anthology |
| Submissions | Not Open to Submissions |
A small poetry publisher based in Norfolk. Produces the annual anthology of work by students on the University of East Anglia Creative Writing MA, along with a number of other titles.
Emma Press
| Number of Titles | 8 – 10 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Anthology | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Open for 1 Week each Quarter |
The Emma Press is an award-winning independent publisher specialising in poetry, short fiction and children’s books. It was founded by Emma Dai’an Wright in Winnersh, Berkshire, in 2012 and is now based in Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, UK.
Enitharmon Press
| Number of Titles | 2 – 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
An independent literary press that specialises in publishing poetry from both emerging and established writers. They also publish literary criticism, memoir and translations.
Erbacce Press
| Number of Titles | 2-4 Per Year |
| Formats | Chapbooks | Anthologies |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Liverpool-based Erbacce Press have been publishing poetry chapbooks for nearly 20 years. They are dedicated to ensuring that a writer is paid for their work and not charged for it to be read. They also hold a free annual poetry competition between January 1st and May Day.
Eye Flash Poetry
| Number of Titles | 2 – 3 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Not Open to Submissions |
Alongside Eye Flash literary magazine, this small press publishes “pocket poetry pamphlets”. These are collections of twelve poems that explore a specific theme, and which are sold online and through various independent bookshops.
Face Press
| Number of Titles | 1 – 2 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Not Open to Submissions |
A poetry press based in the UK. They have published the works of leading British poets like Tom Raworth, Denise Riley, and JH Prynne, as well as the works of new poets like Imogen Cassels and Stuart Hall.
Fly on the Wall Poetry
[ Fly on the Wall Poetry Website ]
| Number of Titles | 12 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Anthology |
| Submissions | August – October (Every Year) |
The ‘publisher with a conscience’, Fly on the Wall Press is run by Isabelle Kenyon and publishes an average of 12 books per year, with magazines and charity anthologies as ongoing social-engaged projects.
Happenstance Press
[ Happenstance Press Website ]
| Number of Titles | 1 – 3 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | July | December (Every Year) |
This publishes specialises in poetry pamphlets and first collections of UK poets. Run by Helena Nelson, the press is Scotland-based and will usually publish a couple of Scottish or Scotland-based writers each year. Also provides helpful general resources on chapbook publishing.
Hedgespoken Press
| Number of Titles | 3 – 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Artbooks | Chapbooks |
| Submissions | Not (typically) Open to Submissions |
Based in Devon, this small poetry press is interested in publishing artbooks and chapbooks of prose, poetry and artwork at the intersection of myth, story, magic, and connection with the natural world & imaginal world.
Hercules Editions
| Number of Titles | 2 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
An independent press combining poetry and prose with art and archival material, to create beautiful small books and prints. They’re based near the site of artist-poet William Blake’s last home and printing works in Hercules Road, Lambeth, which inspired their name.
Indigo Dreams
| Number of Titles | 40 – 50 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Indigo Dreams is based in Devon in the beautiful southwest of England, surrounded by Cookworthy Forest and about half an hour from the North Cornwall coast and Dartmoor. They publish around 50 poetry books a year, pamphlets and full collections, as well as three poetry magazines: Reach Poetry, The Dawntreader and Sarasvati.
IRON Press
| Number of Titles | 2 – 3 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
As publishers become more corporate, global and boring, IRON Press champions new quality writing as it has done since 1973. IRON runs events and launches; it also thinks literature is both serious and fun.
Lapwing Poetry
| Number of Titles | 3 – 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
A small poetry press based in Belfast. Has been publishing both local and international poets for twenty years.
Onslaught Press
| Number of Titles | 3 – 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
The Onslaught Press is a small, independent publishing house based in east Oxford. They put out about ten books a year. After initially intending to focus on academic monographs and picture books they have come to specialise in poetry and haiku.
Papillote Press
| Number of Titles | 5 – 6 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Usually Open to Submissions |
Papillote Press is a publishing house specialising in books about Dominica and the wider Caribbean. They publish a range of books, both fiction and non-fiction, and hope that these books reflect the culture and literary heritage of these islands and make them known to a wider audience.
Peepal Tree Press
| Number of Titles | 10 – 20 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Usually Open to Submissions |
Peepal Tree is a wholly independent company, founded in 1985, and now publishing around 20 books a year. They have published over 300 titles, and are committed to keeping most of them in print. Their list features new writers and established voices.
Penteract Press
| Number of Titles | 4 – 5 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Penteract Press is a publisher of experimental poetry books and chapbooks. Their focus is on exploring the structural properties of poetry. To this end, they aim to promote innovative constrained and visual poetry, as well as works that explore new uses of traditional verse forms.
Platypus Press
| Number of Titles | 2 – 3 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
A boutique publisher based in England, which seeks to unearth innovative contemporary poetry and prose, as well as other – more elaborate – literary works.
Red Squirrel Press
[ Red Squirrel Press Website ]
| Number of Titles | 10 – 20 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Usually Open to Submissions |
Red Squirrel Press is a self-funded independent press based in Scotland. It was founded in April 2006 by Sheila Wakefield and has published over 190 titles to date. It publishes poetry pamphlets and full collections. Red Squirrel Press showcases young poets such as Claire Askew and Andrew McMillan as well as more established names like James Kirkup, William Bedford, Pippa Little and James McGonigal
Salt
[ Salt Website ]
| Number of Titles | 8 – 10 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Anthology |
| Submissions | Usually Open to Submissions |
This well-established publisher produces over 80 books each year, with a focus on poetry and criticism. Publishes both international and English authors.
Seren
[ Seren Website ]
| Number of Titles | 6 – 8 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Although mainly a fiction and non-fiction publisher, this press produces several poetry books each year. Its focus is on English writing from or about Wales.
Shearsman
| Number of Titles | 40 – 50 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
An active published or English and American poets. Originally founded as a magazine, Shearsman developed into a poetry press, and now produce around 50 books each year.
Sidekick Books
| Number of Titles | 1 – 2 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
This tiny independent publisher puts together themed, collaborative anthologies, which are an ever-evolving platform for a plethora of styles and approaches. Submission calls are open to anyone and everyone across the world, and they particularly welcome submissions from BAME, LGBTQIA+ and disabled writers.
Smith/Doorstop
| Number of Titles | 8 – 10 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
This imprint is owned by The Poetry Business. It publishes books, pamphlets, audio and ebooks. The Poetry Business also runs a number of workshops and edits the literary magazine The North.
Stairwell Books
| Number of Titles | 1 – 2 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Anthology |
| Submissions | Usually Open to Submissions |
Stairwell Books specialises in good writing from new writers. Though they focus on poets and writers in and around Yorkshire, they will not turn down a brilliant manuscript that deserves to be published. They have an extensive poetry and prose list as well as novels, memoirs, and biographies. Stairwell Books also publishes a literary magazine.
Templar Poetry
| Number of Titles | 4 – 5 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Via Competition |
Produce a number of pamphlets every year, as well as being responsible for the publication of Iota poetry magazine.
The Black Light Engine Room
[ The Black Light Engine Room Website ]
| Number of Titles | 4 – 5 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Not Open to Submissions |
This Middlesbrough-based press and live event series has been running since 2010. As well as publishing a literary magazine, they produce chapbooks that are high-quality both in content and appearance. Many chapbooks feature more than one poet.
The Tall-Lighthouse
[ The Tall-Lighthouse Website ]
| Number of Titles | 2 – 3 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Not Open to Submissions |
An independent poetry business publishing full collections, pamphlets, chapbooks and anthologies of poetry. Known for publishing exciting new poets.
Valley Press
| Number of Titles | 15 – 20 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Usually Open to Submissions |
Established in 2008, Valley Press is a thriving independent publishing house based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK. Representing local authors from York and Leeds, and not-so-local writers from London, Brighton, the US, Bermuda and China, they are bringing the world to Yorkshire and Yorkshire to the world.
Verve Poetry
| Number of Titles | 3 – 4 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection | Pamphlet |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
A new Birmingham-based publisher dedicated to promoting and showcasing Birmingham and Midlands poetic talent in colourful and exciting ways. Aims to be not just a publisher of poetry but also an agent for poetic development in the area. Organises workshops, masterclasses, and performance and writing opportunities for younger writers.
Waterloo Press
| Number of Titles | 10 – 16 Per Year |
| Formats | Collection |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Wordville Press
| Number of Titles | 6 Per Year |
| Formats | Pamphlets, anthologies and non-fiction books |
| Submissions | Various Windows |
Wordville is an independent imprint publishing books about the performing arts or by performing artists, with offices in London and Barcelona. Wordville Press’s book ‘Stirring Up Sheffield’ about the Crucible Theatre won the 2022 Theatre Book Prize.
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