Loft Writing Minute: A Tour of Minnesota Publishers
When writers talk about getting published, they often talk about it as if there is only one correct path: find an agent, get a book deal and watch your book appear on shelves. Boom, you’re finished!
For some writers, that path can be right, but one of the things I particularly love about Minnesota’s literary community is how many different ways there are to bring your writing into the world. Take a look at our Minnesota Publishers resource page, and you’ll quickly realize that “publishing” isn’t a single destination.
A Publishing Home for Every Kind of Writer
Maybe you're a poet looking for a journal. Minnesota is home to publications like Water~Stone Review, Mizna, Conduit and Rain Taxi. Maybe you’re working on a manuscript and hoping to connect with an independent publisher. Organizations like Coffee House Press, Milkweed Editions, Graywolf Press and Holy Cow! Press have helped transform the national literary scene while remaining rooted right here in Minnesota. Perhaps you’re exploring self-publishing and want professional support. Publishing services such as Wise Ink, Beaver's Pond Press and Mayfly help writers navigate everything from editing and design to production and distribution! My point is, no one single path is better than another; every project is unique, meaning every approach to publication must be too.
Finding the Right Fit
The conversation around publication often, naturally, starts with, "How do I get published?" Before tackling that question, I think it is even more helpful to ask, “What kind of publishing experience am I looking for?” One of the biggest mistakes writers make is asking, “How do I get published?” A more useful question—or maybe the question you should just be asking first—might be, “What kind of publishing experience am I looking for?” Do you want to place individual poems and essays? Build a relationship through journals? Publish your niche nonfiction project? Work with a hybrid publisher? Self-publish with professional support? Pursue a traditional press? Truly, the choices go on and on. Each goal points towards a different set of opportunities. The good news is that Minnesota’s literary community is unusually rich with options. So, the challenge becomes discovering which publishers align with your work and your goals.
Your Turn
Spend fifteen minutes browsing our Minnesota Publishers page. As you look through the listings, ask yourself, what does success look like for this project? Then: where does my writing belong? The answer might be a literary journal, a small press, a university press or something else entirely. Knowing where you want to go makes it much easier to figure out how to get there.
Ready for the Next Step?
A publication-ready manuscript requires more than strong writing. Writers also need to learn how to talk about their work, pitch it and introduce themselves to the wider world.
Join Courtney Maum for Craft Seminar: Your Manuscript Feels Publication-Ready. Are You? on July 22nd. This energetic session explores everything from writing effective loglines and author bios to developing the confidence and clarity needed to become an ambassador for your own work!
The Class: Your Manuscript Feels Publication-Ready. Are You?
When: July 22nd, 2026
Where: Open Book-Loft Classroom