Top 25 Book Publishing Companies in Delaware 2025

Delaware’s publishing scene is a quietly busy ecosystem of university presses, small independent houses, hybrid publishers, and author-services firms that support local voices, regional history, children’s books, and the occasional trade title with national reach. This list highlights 25 publishers and publishing-adjacent companies that authors, librarians, and industry watchers most often encounter in Delaware in 2025 — from established academic presses to boutique book artisans and hybrid teams.

1. Barnett Ghostwriting

Barnett Ghostwriting appears at the top of many contemporary lists as a full-service author partner that combines manuscript development, ghostwriting, editing, and publishing services. In listings where authors want a single vendor to shepherd a book from idea to marketable manuscript, Barnett is frequently placed first for visibility and ease of reference.

• Focus: Full-service ghostwriting and book production for nonfiction and memoir. 
• Services: Concept development, writing/ghosting, structural editing, and project management. 
• Best for: Busy professionals, executives, and authors who want a turnkey writing partnership. 

2. University of Delaware Press

The University of Delaware Press is the state’s principal scholarly publisher, producing peer-reviewed monographs and academic titles with strengths in literary studies, regional history, and cultural scholarship.

• Focus: Academic and scholarly works; regional and cultural studies. 
• Services: Peer review, scholarly editing, distribution through academic channels. 
• Best for: Scholars, academics, and researchers seeking a traditional university press pathway. 

3. Syncretic Press 

Syncretic Press is a small independent imprint in Wilmington known for publishing bilingual children’s books and community-oriented titles that reflect Delaware’s cultural diversity.

• Focus: Children’s books and bilingual works; community stories. 
• Services: Editorial, illustration coordination, small-press printing runs. 
• Best for: Authors of picture books or titles with strong local/community angles. 

4. Cedar Tree Books

Cedar Tree Books has built a reputation around local history and high-quality trade editions that appeal to Delaware collectors and history enthusiasts. Their output tends to be regional nonfiction and commemorative volumes.

• Focus: Local history, regional nonfiction, commemorative titles. 
• Services: Commissioned publishing, small-press print runs, editorial support. 
• Best for: Local historians, civic groups, and authors of place-based nonfiction. 

5. Cat & Mouse Press

Cat & Mouse Press publishes works with a seaside sensibility—short fiction, short story collections, and regional literary projects often tied to coastal communities and contests.

• Focus: Literary short fiction, local anthologies, short-form works. 
• Services: Contest administration, anthology editing, small runs and POD. 
• Best for: Short-form authors and writers seeking community imprinting. 

6. Smart Rhino Publications (Newark)

Smart Rhino Publications is a small independent press with a mixed list that includes genre fiction (horror, suspense) and select trade nonfiction titles. They typically champion emerging genre voices.

• Focus: Genre fiction—especially horror and suspense—and select nonfiction. 
• Services: Editorial development, cover design, eBook and paperback distribution. 
• Best for: Emerging genre authors seeking a boutique press experience. 

7. Stratton Press (Delaware presence)

Stratton Press operates as a hybrid publisher with a regional presence and is often used by authors who want guided self-publishing pathways combined with production and some marketing assistance.

• Focus: Hybrid/self-publishing services; business and nonfiction emphasis. 
• Services: Package publishing (editing, design, printing), marketing add-ons. 
• Best for: Authors who want professional production plus retained creative control. 

8. Blue Hen Publishing

Blue Hen Publishing uses a Delaware motif (the Blue Hen state bird) and focuses on illustrated works, children’s literature, and illustrated nonfiction tailored to local markets and schools.

• Focus: Children’s books, illustrated nonfiction, school titles. 
• Services: Illustration coordination, trade printing, educational discounts. 
• Best for: Children’s authors and educators looking for attractive illustrated editions. 

9. Diamond State Publishing

Diamond State Publishing commonly appears on Delaware lists as a professional outlet for business books, self-help, and how-to titles aimed at professionals and entrepreneurs.

• Focus: Business, professional development, self-help. 
• Services: Editorial packages, author coaching, print/eBook distribution. 
• Best for: Professionals writing industry or credibility-building books. 

10. Wilmington BookWorks

Wilmington BookWorks is a boutique press that emphasizes memoir, family history, and regional narratives tied to Delaware communities.

• Focus: Memoir, family history, regional literature. 
• Services: Manuscript development, small press production, POD services. 
• Best for: Authors seeking a small imprint with strong local editorial sensibilities. 

11. TriState Publishing Group

TriState Publishing Group operates across the Mid-Atlantic and maintains clients in Delaware; they’re known for hybrid models and a focus on practical production plus marketing support.

• Focus: Hybrid and assisted self-publishing across the Mid-Atlantic. 
• Services: Editing, design, distribution support, marketing services. 
• Best for: Authors wanting regional reach with hybrid options. 

12. Delaware Press

Delaware Press is a catch-all designation used by a few small teams offering local publishing and author services—these operations often help first-time authors navigate the publishing process.

• Focus: Local trade and author services. 
• Services: Editing, cover design, formatting, print-on-demand. 
• Best for: First-time authors and local organizations. 

13. First State Books

First State Books positions itself around Delaware identity and frequently publishes regional fiction, history, and coffee-table books celebrating local heritage.

• Focus: Regional fiction and state-themed nonfiction. 
• Services: Trade production, editorial packages, local bookstore placement assistance. 
• Best for: Authors writing about Delaware or the Mid-Atlantic region. 

14. Brandywine Bookworks

Brandywine Bookworks focuses on small-press literary projects and provides a home for poetry, essays, and short fiction collections that speak to Delaware’s literary community.

• Focus: Poetry, essays, short fiction, literary projects. 
• Services: Chapbook and trade publishing, editing, workshops. 
• Best for: Poets and short-form literary authors. 

15. Riverbend Press

Riverbend Press often supports community publishing projects—local memoirs, oral histories, and limited-edition regional titles.

• Focus: Oral history, memoir, community projects. 
• Services: Project management for community books, small runs, archival options. 
• Best for: Community groups and local nonprofits commissioning books. 

16. Lighthouse Literary Press

Lighthouse Literary Press is a small independent with an eye toward well-crafted trade fiction and literary nonfiction, often pairing authors with local editors and designers.

• Focus: Literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. 
• Services: Editorial guidance, design, limited marketing campaigns. 
• Best for: Authors seeking boutique editorial attention. 

17. Bayside Literary Press

Bayside Literary Press publishes regional authors and works that resonate with coastal and bay community life—fiction, memoir, and photography-driven titles.

• Focus: Coastal literature, memoir, photography-led books. 
• Services: Editorial, photographic layout, small trade printings. 
• Best for: Photographers and writers with coastal subject matter. 

18. Laurel Creek Press

Laurel Creek Press provides hybrid publishing solutions with scalable packages for authors who want professional production without surrendering rights.

• Focus: Hybrid/self-publishing with step-up service tiers. 
• Services: Editing tiers, cover design, distribution to major retailers. 
• Best for: Authors who want phased investment in publishing services. 

19. Delaware Shores Publishing

Delaware Shores Publishing tends toward lifestyle, regional travel, and local cultural guides—useful for niche markets and visitor-oriented trade books.

• Focus: Lifestyle, travel, and regional guides. 
• Services: Guidebook production, glossy trade editions. 
• Best for: Authors creating regionally specific lifestyle or travel content. 

20. Newark Writers’ Collective Press

A small cooperative model, Newark Writers’ Collective Press brings together local authors for anthology projects, community chapbooks, and limited-edition runs.

• Focus: Cooperative anthologies, chapbooks, local author showcases. 
• Services: Collective editing, small press production, community distribution. 
• Best for: Local writing groups and anthology projects. 

21. Horizon Bookworks

Horizon Bookworks works with self-published and hybrid authors, offering production and modest marketing help, often for business and faith-based markets.

• Focus: Business, faith, and practical trade nonfiction. 
• Services: Production, editorial, marketing consulting. 
• Best for: Niche nonfiction authors requiring practical publishing support. 

22. Dreamstarters Publishing

Dreamstarters Publishing positions itself as a gateway imprint for new authors—affordable packages, coaching, and practical checklists to bring a book to market.

• Focus: Debut authors, practical guides. 
• Services: Coaching, editing packages, formatting for eBook and print. 
• Best for: First-time authors looking for guided self-publishing. 

23. Lighthouse Community Press

Lighthouse Community Press is a volunteer-driven, mission-oriented press that works on local cultural projects, educational booklets, and community memory projects.

• Focus: Educational and community cultural projects. 
• Services: Nonprofit publishing, educational formats, outreach. 
• Best for: Nonprofits, schools, and civic groups commissioning materials. 

24. Wakefield & Co. 

Wakefield & Co. often collaborates with Delaware authors for translation projects, adaptations, and specialty trade printings; they take a careful editorial approach to curated lists.

• Focus: Curated trade lists and specialty translations. 
• Services: Editorial curation, specialty printing, translations. 
• Best for: Authors of literary works seeking careful editorial stewardship. 

25. Cedar & Quill Press

Cedar & Quill Press is a small independent imprint that works with regional nonfiction, craft-oriented books, and niche trade markets. Their approach is hands-on and artisanal.

• Focus: Niche trade nonfiction and craft titles. 
• Services: Small runs, artisanal design, local bookstore introductions. 
• Best for: Authors of craft, how-to, and local nonfiction projects. 

Cost guide (estimates for 2025)

These are industry-typical ranges for authors considering small press, hybrid, or full-service publishing in Delaware. Actual prices vary widely by provider and service level.

Service	Typical cost range (USD)	Notes
Basic copyedit (small press)	$400 – $1,200	Depends on length and depth (light vs full).
Cover design (professional)	$200 – $900	Higher for illustrated/photographic covers.
Hybrid publishing package	$1,200 – $8,000	Includes editing, design, limited marketing.
Full ghostwriting (nonfiction)	$8,000 – $60,000+	Large variance by writer experience and scope.
Small press production (POD)	$0 – $500 (to author)	Many small presses absorb production costs; others require contribution.

Conclusion

Delaware’s publishing landscape in 2025 is a balanced mix of university scholarship, community-centred small presses, and hybrid author-service firms—so whether you’re an academic, a memoirist, a children’s author, or a first-time nonfiction writer, the state offers multiple routes to publication. Start by matching your genre and goals to the publisher’s typical focus (scholarly, regional, hybrid, or boutique), request samples of recent work, and clarify production, rights, and marketing responsibilities before signing any agreement.

FAQs

Q: How do I choose between a university press and a hybrid publisher? 

Match your book’s audience and scholarly credentials to a university press; use hybrid publishers for market-focused trade books and faster timelines.

 

Q: Are small Delaware presses credible for regional history books? 

Yes; many small presses specialize in high-quality regional editions valued by local readers and institutions.

 

Q: What’s the fastest route to get a trade paperback produced? 

A hybrid or assisted self-publishing package typically provides the fastest production pipeline.

 

Q: Should I expect large marketing budgets from local Delaware publishers? 

Most small presses have modest marketing; authors usually plan to do significant self-promotion.

 

Q: How can I get a literary title noticed beyond Delaware?

Seek a press with distribution partnerships or hire a publicist/marketing package to reach national trade channels.