Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of being an author and you’re trying to set yourself up for success before you dive in and start writing, or maybe you’ve drafted a great story that you would like to share with the world. Whatever the case may be, if you’re considering publishing your writing, you might be exploring some publishers that you can present your work to.
There are so many publishing companies throughout the world, some that have been around for decades, and others that are newly established and quickly made a place for themselves. Here’s a look at some of the biggest publishing companies that you might want to consider using.
Pearson
Of the countless book publishers in the world, Pearson stands at the top of the list. This British-owned publishing company was founded in 1844 and focuses on texts and assessment services for educational purposes, Pearson operates in more than 70 countries; however, more than 60 percent of its revenue comes from North America consumers. Headquartered in London, England, Pearson’s annual earnings are an estimated $6.07 billion USD.
Thomason Reuters
A Canadian publishing company that operates in countries across the world, Thomson Reuters was founded in Toronto, Canada in 2008. In fact, the company was ranked Canada’s “leading corporate brand” in the 2010 Interbrand Best Canadian Brands ranking. According to the most recent estimates, the publishing company brings in an estimated $4.9 billion USD per year.
Penguin Random House
Established in 2013, Penguin Random House may be less than a decade old, but it has quickly made a name for itself in the publishing industry. The company came about as a result of a merger that brought together Random House, a media company that was owned by Gertelsmann, and Penguin Group, which was owned by Perason plc. Penguin Random house publishes upwards of 15,000 titles per year under 250 divisions. In 2014, the company signed a first-look production deal with Universal Pictures, which would allow Random House to be the sole producer of movies that are based on Penguin Random House titles. In 2015, the publishing company expanded and rebranded its focus on educational materials. In 2020, the firm agreed to purchase Simon & Schuster, another publishing company, for $2.175 billion USD. Last year, the company generated an estimated $3.3 billion USD.
Hachette Livre
A French publishing company, Hachette Livre was founded in 1826 as a bookshop and publishing company. The firm eventually acquired several companies, which allowed them to further expand their global presence, which now includes Hachette UK, Hachette Australia, and Hachette Book Group USA, just to name a few. The company publishes a large variety of genres in several formats, including comic books, web comics, and adult coloring books. The firm is headquartered in Beaugrennelle district in Paris’ 15th arrondissement. It is estimated that they make $2.7 billion USD annually.
McGraw-Hill Education
An American educational company that was founded in 1888 and focuses on math-based materials, McGraw-Hill is one of the “big three” educational publishers in the world. The company puts out customizable educational content, software, and services for students, from grades pre-K through postgraduate school. In 2013, Apollo Global Management acquired McGraw-Hill Education for $2.4 billion USD. In addition to their traditional educational materials, the company also offers digital products and services to 11 million users worldwide. The company makes an estimated $1.71 billion USD per year.
Scholastic Corporation
A children’s publishing company that focuses on educational materials, Scholastic Corporation was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in New York. They publish and distribute texts and media products for the educational sector for parents, children, teachers, and schools. The firm makes an estimated $1.74 billion USD in revenue each year.