7 Best Publishing Companies in Arkansas (and How to Submit)

Arkansas is home to a variety of literary talents and budding writers, including Maya Angelou and John Grisham.

As the literary scene in the Bear State continues to thrive, many publishing companies have emerged to provide opportunities for authors to showcase their work. Are you looking to publish your first book or expand your existing portfolio of literary works? These publishing companies offer a platform for writers and agents to bring their stories to life. So, let’s dive in and explore the publishing scene in Arkansas. To further your understanding, you may also consider browsing my detailed list of 2,000+ publishers.

Submission policies change without notice, so confirm on the publisher’s own page before you send anything, and never pay a reading fee. Last verified: October 3, 2026.

Here are the best publishing companies in Arkansas:

1. Kharis Publishing

Kharis Publishing is an imprint of Kharis Media LLC, a publishing company that specializes in producing high-quality Christian books. Kharis Publishing aims to provide a platform for Christian authors to share their message with a wider audience through various channels, including print and digital formats. It takes un-agented queries through an online form and covers editing, design, and marketing, but every author must commit to buying copies of their own book at a 50% discount for promotion, so budget for that before you sign. Kharis Publishing and Kharis Media LLC are both dedicated to helping authors fulfill their dreams of becoming published writers and spreading the message of Christ to readers worldwide. Submission guidelines.

2. The University of Arkansas Press

The University of Arkansas Press is a scholarly publishing house located in Fayetteville, AR, USA. It started in 1980 and is part of the University of Arkansas, a public research university. The company publishes high-quality books that promote scholarship, education, and cultural enrichment, with an attention to the American South and the Ozarks region. This university press has received many accolades, including the Governor’s Arts Award for the Arts in 2005. It has published a wide range of acclaimed works, including titles by well-known authors such as Frank Stanford, Ellen Gilchrist, and C.D. Wright. It accepts unsolicited proposals for scholarly and trade books in African American studies, Arkansas and the region, art and architecture, food, sports, and Ozark studies, plus entries for the Miller Williams Poetry Prize. Submission guidelines.

3. Ozark Mountain Publishing

Ozark Mountain Publishing is a publishing house based in Huntsville, Arkansas. They specialize in books on spirituality, metaphysics, and the paranormal, as these topics are quite popular among the readers in Arkansas. They offer quite a few services to their authors, including editorial, design, production and marketing, and distribution. It publishes only nonfiction metaphysical and spiritual books, from new age and self-help to healing and UFOs, and it reads completed manuscripts only, so don’t send a query or an idea. Submission guidelines.

4. Yard Dog Press

Yard Dog Press is an independent publishing house specializing in science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. These publishers have a unique approach to building a community of authors, artists, and diehard fans. They work on both hard-copy and e-books, as well as anthologies, magazines, and other forms of media. One of the key features of Yard Dog Press is its commitment to supporting new and emerging authors. Its reading windows are rare, though, and it is currently reading nothing for the foreseeable future; when it does open, it takes hard copy only and never from agents. Submission guidelines.

5. Et Alia Press (Little Rock)

Et Alia Press is a small press in Little Rock, AR, publishing award-winning nonfiction and children’s picture books with strong Arkansas ties. Its three series cover local histories, health and wellness, and emerging first-book authors. Inquiries are welcome, but don’t send a complete manuscript unless the press asks for one, and it is unlikely to take poetry, novels, YA, or story collections. Submission guidelines.

6. Fayetteville Mafia Press

Based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville Mafia Press is a small independent press that shares its website with Tucker DS Press. It focuses on nonfiction in three genres: pop culture, sports, and true crime. Email your proposal with “book proposal” in the subject line after you have read its catalogue. Submission guidelines.

7. Moon City Press

Moon City Press is a literary press at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, and its books are distributed by the University of Arkansas Press. They specialize in literary fiction and poetry, with an emphasis on works from the Midwest. Their goal is to release works that are pioneering and thought-provoking, stirring readers out of their comfort zone. They accept submissions in various genres, including short stories, novels, and poems. Submission guidelines.

Names you may be looking for

River's Edge Media

River's Edge Media is a video production company for school communities, not a book publisher.

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort Press

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort’s media office handles press inquiries for the racetrack and casino; it does not publish books.

Stonebridge Publications

The stonebridge.com site belongs to Stone Bridge Press, a publisher of books about Japan, China, and literature in translation, not an Arkansas press.

SouthWord Editions

SouthWord Editions is the imprint of the Munster Literature Centre in Cork, Ireland, not Little Rock; its Southword journal reads poetry and short fiction in annual windows.

First Edition Design Publishing

First Edition Design Publishing is a paid author-services company based in Sarasota, Florida, not Arkansas.

Conclusion

Right in the heart of Arkansas, many book publishers are waiting for fresh stories from creative minds. These publishers handle many genres, from fiction and nonfiction to sci-fi, poetry, horror, business, wellness, and even children’s books. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting, these companies offer fantastic chances to get your work published and reach more readers. By teaming up with them, you’ll work with expert editors, designers, and marketers who’ll help you create a top-notch book. So, to all aspiring authors in Arkansas, don’t miss out on submitting your work to these exceptional publishing companies. It’s your first step towards making your writing dreams come true. Next up, you may want to explore a guide on top publishing companies and Kentucky.