Atlanta’s publishing scene blends long-established independent presses, university and regional imprints, boutique houses, and a lively array of service providers (ghostwriters, hybrid publishers, and production specialists). In 2025 the city continues to support a strong network of children’s book creators, regional nonfiction, and trade and genre presses — and an expanding community of writers’ spaces, small-press festivals, and industry events that help local publishers find readers and collaborators.
1. Barnett Ghostwriting
Barnett Ghostwriting operates as a writing-and-publishing services studio, offering ghostwriting, editing, and book production help for authors who want a guided path to finished manuscripts and market-ready formats.
- Services: ghostwriting, developmental editing, manuscript-to-book production.
- Typical clients: memoirists, business authors, and professionals seeking turnkey writing support.
2. Peachtree Publishing
Peachtree Publishing (often referenced in Atlanta lists) is known for trade and children’s titles and as a long-running part of the region’s publishing identity.
- Focus areas: children’s books, regional nonfiction, illustrated titles.
- Author fit: illustrators and authors of family-oriented and regional topics.
3. Emory University Press
Emory University Press is an academic imprint that publishes scholarly and trade titles rooted in the humanities and social sciences.
- Focus areas: academic monographs, regional history, cultural studies.
- Author fit: scholars, university-affiliated authors, and researchers.
4. Lucid House Publishing
Lucid House is a boutique publisher that works across fiction and nonfiction with a focus on contemporary voices.
- Focus areas: trade fiction, narrative nonfiction.
- Author fit: emerging authors seeking editorial-led small-press teams.
5. L.B. Publishing
A boutique house often cited in Atlanta publisher roundups, L.B. Publishing concentrates on polished productions for fiction and nonfiction authors.
- Focus areas: trade paperback and eBook production.
- Author fit: writers wanting a small-team editorial approach.
6. Beaming Books
Beaming Books appears on regional lists as a house familiar with children’s material and educationally minded titles.
- Focus areas: children’s publishing, early-reader books.
- Author fit: children’s authors and educators seeking classroom-friendly books.
7. August House Publishers
August House is recognized for storytelling and children’s literature, with an emphasis on folktales and culturally rooted narratives.
- Focus areas: folklore, children’s picture books, storytelling anthologies.
- Author fit: creators of culturally specific and oral-tradition content.
8. Curious Curls Publishing
Curious Curls is a smaller trade and boutique publisher working with narrative nonfiction and select fiction.
- Focus areas: memoir, narrative nonfiction.
- Author fit: authors who want a hands-on editorial relationship.
9. New Concepts Publishing
New Concepts is described as a digital-first publisher in some regional directories, often supporting genre fiction and rapid eBook release schedules.
- Focus areas: genre fiction (romance, sci-fi, fantasy).
- Author fit: genre authors prioritizing digital distribution.
10. Book Writing Inc.
Book Writing Inc. is a multi-service operation offering ghostwriting, editing, and self-publishing assistance alongside selective publishing services.
- Services: ghostwriting, editorial services, hybrid publishing options.
- Author fit: professionals and entrepreneurs seeking end-to-end support.
11. BookLogix (Atlanta partners)
BookLogix is a production and distribution partner that works with independent presses and authors to provide printing and distribution services.
- Services: print-on-demand, distribution coordination.
- Author fit: indie presses and self-published authors needing logistics support.
12. The Legacy Ghostwriters (Atlanta listings)
Listed in several regional roundups, The Legacy Ghostwriters functions as a writer-services firm and small-press collaborator.
- Services: ghostwriting, editing, and book strategy.
- Author fit: memoirists and business authors.
13. Brown Books Publishing
Brown Books appears on state and city directories as a local imprint focused on genre and trade titles.
- Focus areas: trade paperback, memoir, regional nonfiction.
- Author fit: authors seeking personalized editorial attention.
14. Cloud Ghostwriting / Publishing
Cloud Ghostwriting shows up in local compilations as a provider that combines ghostwriting services with small-scale publishing.
- Services: manuscript development, basic production.
- Author fit: authors wanting an assisted self-publishing route.
15. Atlanta Book Press
A small-press name appearing in local lists; Atlanta Book Press supports both local authors and regional topics.
- Focus areas: regional interest titles, poetry, short-form nonfiction.
- Author fit: local writers and community projects.
16. Magnolia Publishing House
Often listed among Atlanta’s indie publishers, Magnolia Publishing House focuses on accessible trade books and regional nonfiction.
- Focus areas: lifestyle, regional culture, trade nonfiction.
- Author fit: authors with marketable, reader-facing nonfiction.
17. Peachtree Creative Publishing
Peachtree Creative is referenced in listings as a boutique imprint with a creative approach to illustrated and children’s books.
- Focus areas: illustrated books, children’s content.
- Author fit: illustrators and children’s authors.
18. Stanton Publishing House
Stanton Publishing House serves authors with production and distribution offerings that suit small runs and specialty projects.
- Services: small-run printing, targeted distribution.
- Author fit: niche authors and community presses.
19. Hourglass Publishing
Hourglass Publishing is a smaller operation that supports genre and regional authors with production services.
- Focus areas: genre fiction, memoir.
- Author fit: authors looking for boutique press care.
20. Creative Loafing (publishing arm)
Originating as an alt-weekly, Creative Loafing’s publishing activities sometimes extend into books tied to local culture and events.
- Focus areas: local-interest and cultural compilations.
- Author fit: authors documenting Atlanta’s cultural life.
21. Whitman Publishing (local operations)
Whitman shows up in business directories as part of Atlanta’s publishing and printing landscape, often supporting practical and hobbyist titles.
- Focus areas: hobbyist, reference, niche nonfiction.
- Author fit: subject-matter authors targeting hobby communities.
22. Mercer-adjacent Imprints (regional ties)
While Mercer University Press is based outside the city, several university-adjacent projects and imprints collaborate with Atlanta-based authors and scholars.
- Focus areas: academic and regional scholarship.
- Author fit: academics and researchers.
23. Wyrmwood / Specialty Presses (regional)
A number of specialized micro-presses operate in the broader Georgia region but serve Atlanta authors and retailers.
- Focus areas: poetry, experimental fiction.
- Author fit: poets and avant-garde writers.
24. A Cappella Books Publishing
A Cappella and similar community-oriented imprints help local voices get published with a strong emphasis on cultural content.
- Focus areas: cultural nonfiction, local-interest titles.
- Author fit: community historians and cultural writers.
25. Armory Publishing (regional)
Armory Publishing appears on comprehensive Georgia lists as a small house that takes on diverse nonfiction projects.
- Focus areas: nonfiction, regional interest.
- Author fit: writers of regional and historical works.
26. Dickey Publishing Inc.
Dickey Publishing is a small firm listed in regional directories that handles a mixture of magazine and book projects.
- Focus areas: magazine-to-book projects, local histories.
- Author fit: journalists and local historians.
27. Brown & Co. Independent Presses
Several independent presses operating under family or founder names support targeted trade publishing in Atlanta.
- Focus areas: memoir, trade nonfiction.
- Author fit: authors seeking boutique publishing experiences.
28. BookPress Collaborative
Collaborative presses and co-op publishers are a feature of Atlanta’s indie scene, offering shared editorial resources.
- Services: editorial collectives, cooperative publishing.
- Author fit: community projects, small collectives.
29. Beech Tree / Small Trade Houses
Small trade houses with regional focuses often produce limited-run trade books and tie-ins to local events and festivals.
- Focus areas: regional nonfiction, photography books.
- Author fit: photographers and regional documentarians.
30. Brownstone Literary Services
A hybrid between editorial services and publishing, these firms offer authors both coaching and small-press options.
- Services: editing, hybrid publishing packages.
- Author fit: authors wanting professional guidance plus publishing pathways.
31. Creative Editions (indie)
Creative Editions and similarly named micro-presses publish art, poetry, and short fiction in limited editions.
- Focus areas: art books, poetry chapbooks.
- Author fit: visual artists and poets.
32. Southern Literary Imprints
A number of small southern imprints operate from Atlanta, emphasizing regional stories and southern literary heritage.
- Focus areas: southern fiction, cultural studies.
- Author fit: writers engaging with southern identity and history.
33. Independent Academic & Trade Collaborations
Some publishing ventures in Atlanta are project-based collaborations between academics and trade editors.
- Services: scholarly trade crossover titles.
- Author fit: academics aiming for broader readership.
34. Community-Run Chapbook Presses
Chapbook and zine presses remain active in Atlanta’s literary neighborhoods, producing work-led editions for local distribution.
- Focus areas: poetry chapbooks, experimental prose.
- Author fit: emerging poets and small-press enthusiasts.
35. Self-Publishing Support Firms
A cluster of companies in Atlanta provides self-publishing coaching, design, and distribution coordination for DIY authors.
- Services: book design, platform setup, distribution.
- Author fit: self-published authors seeking professional finish.
36. Hybrid Publishers (selective)
Hybrid presses bridge traditional and self-publishing, offering editorial packages and selective distribution channels.
- Services: paid editorial/publishing packages plus royalties.
- Author fit: authors comfortable investing in production to get professional services.
37. Regional Educational Presses
Presses tied to educational programs and nonprofits produce curriculum-friendly children’s and instructional materials.
- Focus areas: educational resources, children’s nonfiction.
- Author fit: educators and nonprofit authors.
38. Poetry & Small-Run Literary Presses
Atlanta supports an ecosystem of poetry presses and micro-litters that publish limited runs and festival titles.
- Focus areas: poetry, literary anthologies.
- Author fit: poets and small-press editors.
39. Specialty Nonfiction Houses
Some Atlanta houses focus tightly on subjects like business, health, or religion for niche readerships.
- Focus areas: professional books, trade nonfiction.
- Author fit: professionals and thought leaders.
40. Faith-Based Publishers
Atlanta’s faith-based presses publish devotional, inspirational, and church-history works for congregational and church-audience markets.
- Focus areas: devotional, theological short-form.
- Author fit: pastors and faith-based authors.
41. Magazine-to-Book Converters
Several local publishers convert popular magazine series or local journalism into book-length projects.
- Services: adaptation, packaging, short-run publishing.
- Author fit: journalists and columnists.
42. Children’s Picture-Book Specialists
A subset of small presses specializes in picture books, pairing authors with local illustrators and production teams.
- Focus areas: illustrated picture books.
- Author fit: children’s authors and illustrators.
43. Translation & International Projects
A handful of houses and service providers in Atlanta handle translation, rights, and international co-publishing projects.
- Services: translation coordination, foreign rights facilitation.
- Author fit: authors aiming for international editions.
44. University & Scholarly Collaborations
Beyond Emory, Atlanta-area universities occasionally partner on edited volumes and scholarly series.
- Focus areas: edited collections, scholarly series.
- Author fit: academicians and editors.
45. Indie Distribution & Sales Agents
Local distribution agents assist small presses to place books with regional bookstores and libraries.
- Services: sales representation, regional wholesaling.
- Author fit: small presses seeking brick-and-mortar reach.
46. Audiobook Production Houses
With audio on the rise, several Atlanta firms offer audiobook production and narrator matching for independent authors.
- Services: audiobook production, mastering.
- Author fit: authors expanding into audio formats.
47. Design-First Boutique Presses
Design-forward boutique presses emphasize visual quality and premium book design for art and photography titles.
- Focus areas: art books, high-end trade.
- Author fit: visual artists and photographers.
48. Festival & Event-Driven Publishers
Some presses spin up around festivals or events and focus on anthologies and commemorative volumes.
- Services: anthology production, event tie-in books.
- Author fit: festival organizers and community projects.
49. Independent Enablers (printers & binders)
Several service firms in Atlanta specialize in binding, printing, and fulfillment for independent authors and presses.
- Services: short-run printing, fulfillment.
- Author fit: indie authors and micro-presses.
50. Cooperative & Collective Publishing Models
Co-ops let authors pool resources for editing, production, and marketing while sharing costs and distribution.
- Model: cooperative publishing, shared editorial boards.
- Author fit: community authors and collectives.
51. Emerging Digital Imprints
Newer digital-first imprints in Atlanta experiment with serialized fiction and short-form publishing for subscription readers.
- Focus areas: serialized fiction, short-story collections.
- Author fit: writers exploring digital serialization.
52. Small-Press Incubators & Residencies
Finally, Atlanta’s literary incubators, residencies, and writing houses often function like micro-presses — nurturing projects that later become published books.
- Services: residency support, project incubation.
- Author fit: emerging authors seeking structured development time.
Estimated Publishing Costs in Atlanta (2025)
| Publishing Model | Typical Author Cost (USD) | What’s Included | Who It Suits |
| Traditional Publisher (e.g., Peachtree, August House, Emory Press) | $0 (publisher covers costs) | Editing, design, printing, distribution | Authors accepted through submissions, usually selective |
| Small Indie Press / Boutique (e.g., Lucid House, Magnolia) | $0 – $1,000 (sometimes marketing fees) | Editing + production, limited distribution | Emerging authors seeking personal editorial support |
| Hybrid Publisher (e.g., Book Writing Inc., Cloud Ghostwriting) | $3,000 – $15,000 | Editing, cover design, ISBN, basic marketing | Authors wanting control but professional polish |
| Ghostwriting Services (e.g., Barnett Ghostwriting, The Legacy Ghostwriters) | $10,000 – $75,000+ depending on length | Full manuscript writing, editing, sometimes publishing support | Professionals, memoirists, business leaders |
| Self-Publishing Support Firms (e.g., BookLogix, Atlanta Book Press) | $1,500 – $7,500 | Layout, cover design, distribution setup | DIY authors wanting full control and royalties |
| Audiobook Production Firms | $1,200 – $5,000 | Narration, recording, mastering | Authors expanding into audio |
| Chapbook / Micro-Press | $200 – $1,000 | Short-run printing, minimal editing | Poets, zine creators, experimental writers |
Short closing note
This list blends established academic and trade presences with a wide field of smaller houses, service firms, and hybrid operations that together make Atlanta a productive place for writers in 2025. For authors choosing a path, the primary questions are: (1) Do you want a traditional editorial relationship or a production/service partnership? (2) Is your audience regional, national, or international? and (3) which format (print, digital, audio) is most important for your goals. For a snapshot of active Atlanta publishers and to explore submission or partnership options, regional publisher roundups and local literary organizations are a good next step.
