We currently have influential programs in Native studies, the history of the American West, literary and cultural studies, music, and Jewish studies. We are among the leading scholarly publishers of books in translation. We have recently inaugurated successful lists in military history, sports history, and environmental history. The most important work an aspiring author must do is read. The writer who does not read will seldom become an author.
Publishers tend to specialize.
Some concentrate on gardening, some on children's books, some on religion, computers, or stamp collecting. Look in a large library and look for recent books like the one you are writing. Write to those publishers that best match your needs. Don't waste time, energy, and postage on publishers that have never shown any interest in the kind of book that interests you. Some guidebooks, available in the reference books section of public and university libraries, that may help in this search are Literary Market Place , an annual published by R. R. Bowker , and Writer's Market , an annual published by Writer's Digest Books.