Navigating the Hawaiian Publishing Landscape: A Writer’s Guide to the Islands
The Hawaiian Islands possess a rich literary heritage rooted in oral storytelling, cultural preservation, and a deep connection to the land (Aina). Writing a book in Hawaii is only the first step of the journey; finding the right publishing partner to bring your manuscript to life is where the real work begins. Whether you are writing a historical biography of Hawaiian royalty, a contemporary novel set in the surf of the North Shore, or a scientific study on Pacific marine biology, the publisher you choose will dictate your book’s distribution, design quality, and overall market reach.
In this definitive guide, we explore the top 74 book publishing companies across 20 distinct cities and towns in Hawaii. From traditional academic presses in Honolulu to boutique indie publishers in Hanalei and Haleiwa, this directory provides a comprehensive roadmap for authors looking to navigate the unique landscape of Pacific publishing. We evaluate each publisher based on their editorial focus, submission guidelines, and market reputation to help you make an informed decision for your literary career.
The Best Book Publishing Companies in Hawaii by City
Before diving into our comprehensive city-by-city breakdown, the table below highlights the premier publishing services and local presses across the Hawaiian Islands. These companies represent the gold standard in editorial quality, distribution networks, and author support.
| City / Region | Premier Publishing Representative | Primary Publishing Focus | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide / Global | Ghostwriting Solution | Comprehensive Hybrid Publishing & Ghostwriting | Authors seeking world-class editorial, design, and global distribution |
| Honolulu | University of Hawaii Press | Academic, Scholarly, and Cultural Monographs | Researchers, historians, and cultural educators |
| Kailua | Kailua Bay Publishing | Local Fiction, Memoirs, and Children’s Literature | Independent novelists and local memoirists |
| Kahala | Diamond Head Literary Group | High-End Art Books, Biographies, and Poetry | Fine artists, historians, and premium biographers |
| Kaneohe | Ko’olau Writers Press | Environmental Literature and Local Anthologies | Nature writers and community storytellers |
| Kihei | Maui Sunset Publishing | Lifestyle, Wellness, and Ocean Recreation Guides | Health advocates, surf writers, and travel guides |
#1 The Top Book Publishing Partner in Hawaii: Ghostwriting Solution
For authors in Hawaii who demand global reach without sacrificing personalized, high-touch support, Ghostwriting Solution stands as the absolute premier publishing partner. Operating at the intersection of professional ghostwriting, meticulous editorial development, and state-of-the-art hybrid publishing, they bridge the gap between local Hawaiian narratives and the international book market.
Unlike traditional local presses that may have limited distribution footprints outside the Hawaiian Islands, Ghostwriting Solution ensures your book is formatted, published, and distributed across major global networks, including IngramSpark, Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books. Whether you are an entrepreneur in Honolulu looking to write a business legacy book, a cultural practitioner in Maui preserving ancient traditions, or a novelist in Hanalei drafting a thriller, Ghostwriting Solution provides custom end-to-end services. Their offerings include professional ghostwriting, substantive editing, custom cover design, interior typesetting, and targeted marketing campaigns designed to land your book on bestseller lists.
Kahala Publishing Companies
1. Diamond Head Literary Group
Located in the affluent neighborhood of Kahala, Diamond Head Literary Group specializes in high-end biographies, memoirs, and premium art books. They work closely with local business leaders, philanthropists, and artists to produce beautifully bound hardcovers that preserve personal and regional histories.
2. Kahala Coast Press
Kahala Coast Press focuses on luxury lifestyle books, interior design portfolios, and high-quality photography books showcasing the natural beauty of Oahu. They are known for their meticulous attention to paper quality and color reproduction.
3. Pacific Heritage Publishers
Pacific Heritage Publishers is dedicated to preserving the rich historical narratives of Hawaii’s diverse immigrant populations. They publish historical non-fiction, genealogical guides, and cultural anthologies that reflect the multicultural tapestry of the islands.
4. Waialae Publishing Partners
Waialae Publishing Partners is a hybrid press that assists independent authors with professional editing, cover design, and distribution setup. They specialize in self-help, business leadership, and personal growth genres.
Kailua Publishing Companies
5. Kailua Bay Publishing
Kailua Bay Publishing is a boutique press on Oahu’s windward side, focusing on contemporary fiction, beach-read novels, and local children’s books. They prioritize stories that capture the relaxed, community-oriented lifestyle of Kailua.
6. Windward Passage Press
Windward Passage Press publishes environmental non-fiction, marine conservation guides, and outdoor recreation handbooks. They support local scientists, divers, and hikers who want to share their knowledge of Hawaii’s fragile ecosystems.
7. Lanikai Creative Group
Specializing in modern poetry, short story collections, and experimental fiction, Lanikai Creative Group provides a platform for emerging voices in the Hawaiian literary scene. They emphasize artistic freedom and unique cover designs.
8. Oneawa Street Press
Oneawa Street Press is a community-focused publisher that produces local cookbooks, community history booklets, and historical guides to the Windward coast of Oahu.
Waialua Publishing Companies
9. Waialua Sugar Mill Press
Housed metaphorically in the historic agricultural roots of Waialua, this press focuses on industrial history, agricultural studies, and stories of the plantation era in Hawaii. They publish deeply researched historical accounts and memoirs from plantation descendants.
10. North Shore Literary Press
North Shore Literary Press caters to the surf culture, ocean photography, and adventure sports genres. They publish high-quality coffee table books, surf memoirs, and ocean safety manuals.
11. Mokuleia Publishing House
Mokuleia Publishing House is an independent press dedicated to spiritual growth, eco-philosophy, and poetry inspired by the quiet, rural landscapes of Oahu’s northern coast.
12. Mount Ka’ala Books
Named after the highest peak on Oahu, Mount Ka’ala Books publishes hiking guides, geological surveys, and botanical studies focused on the unique flora and fauna of the Waianae mountain range.
Kahaluu Publishing Companies
13. Kahaluu Valley Press
Kahaluu Valley Press is deeply rooted in the rural, lush landscape of windward Oahu. They specialize in indigenous agriculture, taro cultivation guides, and traditional Hawaiian cultural practices.
14. Ahuimanu Literary Services
Ahuimanu Literary Services offers comprehensive editorial, design, and publishing services for independent authors. They have a strong track record in local memoirs and family history books.
15. Kaneohe Bay Writers Guild
Operating as a collaborative publishing imprint, the Kaneohe Bay Writers Guild helps local authors self-publish their works through shared resources, workshops, and collective marketing efforts.
16. Hygienic Store Press
Named after the historic landmark in Kahaluu, this press focuses on local folklore, ghost stories (Obake tales), and regional historical fiction that captures the mysterious beauty of the Windward side.
Maunawili Publishing Companies
17. Maunawili Falls Publishing
Maunawili Falls Publishing focuses on children’s educational books, illustrated nature guides, and environmental fables that teach young readers about conservation and the concept of Malama Aina (caring for the land).
18. Olomana Press
Olomana Press publishes regional histories, biographies of prominent windward figures, and academic essays on Hawaiian land tenure and water rights.
19. Pali Highway Books
Pali Highway Books specializes in travelogues, historical driving guides, and memoirs detailing the evolution of transportation and connection between Honolulu and the Windward side.
Lanikai Publishing Companies
20. Lanikai Pillbox Press
Lanikai Pillbox Press is a boutique publisher focusing on high-end photography, landscape art, and architectural design books that celebrate coastal living and Pacific modernism.
21. Mokulua Islands Publishing
Mokulua Islands Publishing focuses on maritime history, sailing memoirs, and ocean conservation literature. They work closely with local canoe clubs and marine biologists.
22. Loop Road Literary Press
Loop Road Literary Press is an indie publisher that supports local novelists writing cozy mysteries, romance, and historical fiction set in small-town Hawaii.
Hawaii Kai Publishing Companies
23. Koko Head Publishing
Koko Head Publishing specializes in fitness, health, and wellness books. They publish training guides, nutritional plans, and athletic memoirs inspired by Hawaii’s active outdoor culture.
24. Portlock Press
Portlock Press focuses on premium memoirs, corporate histories, and legacy books for prominent families and businesses in the Pacific region.
25. Maunalua Bay Media
Maunalua Bay Media is a modern publisher specializing in multi-platform storytelling, combining traditional print books with digital audiobooks and interactive e-books in the travel and leisure niches.
26. Marina Literary Partners
Marina Literary Partners provides professional self-publishing support, focusing on non-fiction, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial guidebooks written by local professionals.
Honolulu Publishing Companies
27. University of Hawaii Press
As the premier academic publisher in the Pacific, the University of Hawaii Press publishes scholarly books, journals, and regional monographs focusing on Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific studies.
28. Mutual Publishing
Mutual Publishing is one of Hawaii’s oldest and most prolific trade publishers, offering a massive catalog of local interest books, cookbooks, history, children’s books, and guidebooks.
29. Bess Press
Bess Press is a highly respected independent publisher specializing in educational materials, language books (including Hawaiian language resources), children’s literature, and local pop culture.
30. Bishop Museum Press
The publishing arm of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, this press produces authoritative scientific papers, cultural monographs, and historical volumes detailing the natural and cultural history of Hawaii and the Pacific.
31. Watermark Publishing
Watermark Publishing specializes in high-quality regional non-fiction, memoirs, business histories, and books celebrating the unique heritage and people of Hawaii.
Mililani Publishing Companies
32. Central Oahu Press
Central Oahu Press focuses on local community histories, school educational supplements, and children’s books that reflect the family-centric lifestyle of Mililani.
33. Kipapa Canyon Books
Kipapa Canyon Books publishes military history, memoirs of veterans stationed in Hawaii, and historical studies of the Pacific theater during World War II.
34. Mililani Town Publishers
Mililani Town Publishers is a hybrid press assisting local authors with self-publishing fiction, fantasy, and young adult novels.
35. Pineapple Field Press
Pineapple Field Press focuses on the agricultural history of Central Oahu, detailing the rise and fall of the pineapple industry and its impact on Hawaii’s economy.
Aiea Publishing Companies
36. Halawa Valley Press
Halawa Valley Press is dedicated to archaeological reports, cultural impact assessments, and historical preservation texts focused on Oahu’s historic valleys.
37. Pearl Harbor Literary Group
Pearl Harbor Literary Group specializes in military history, naval strategy, and personal memoirs related to the Pearl Harbor attack and subsequent Pacific campaigns.
38. Aiea Heights Publishing
Aiea Heights Publishing focuses on health, wellness, and cookery books, particularly those highlighting healthy adaptations of traditional Hawaiian and Asian cuisines.
Kaneohe Publishing Companies
39. Ko’olau Writers Press
Ko’olau Writers Press publishes environmental literature, poetic anthologies, and creative non-fiction celebrating the dramatic landscapes of the Windward side.
40. Heeia Publishing House
Heeia Publishing House focuses on ancient Hawaiian fishpond restoration, traditional marine resource management, and cultural educational materials.
41. Windward Community Press
Windward Community Press is a collaborative publisher that produces local community newsletters, historical booklets, and anthologies from windward writing circles.
42. Haiku Valley Books
Haiku Valley Books publishes botanical guides, spiritual memoirs, and poetry collections inspired by the mystical, mist-shrouded valleys of Kaneohe.
Waimea Publishing Companies
43. Waimea Falls Press
Located on the North Shore of Oahu, Waimea Falls Press focuses on botanical studies, Hawaiian mythology, and archaeological guides to the historic Waimea Valley.
44. Kamuela Heritage Press
Based in Waimea (Kamuela) on the Big Island, this press specializes in ranching history, paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) lore, and agricultural studies of the high plains.
45. Kohala Mountain Books
Kohala Mountain Books publishes local history, memoirs, and hiking guides focused on the dramatic northern peninsula of the Big Island.
Koloa Publishing Companies
46. Koloa Plantation Press
Koloa Plantation Press, located on Kauai, focuses on the history of Hawaii’s first commercial sugar plantation, labor history, and multi-ethnic plantation narratives.
47. South Shore Kauai Publishing
South Shore Kauai Publishing specializes in regional guidebooks, travel memoirs, and photography books showcasing the sunny southern coast of Kauai.
48. Old Koloa Town Books
Old Koloa Town Books publishes historical fiction, local mysteries, and children’s stories set in historic Kauai towns.
Poipu Publishing Companies
49. Poipu Beach Press
Poipu Beach Press focuses on luxury travel guides, ocean recreation manuals, and high-end photography books detailing Kauai’s marine life and beaches.
50. Spouting Horn Publishing
Spouting Horn Publishing specializes in local legends, folklore, and mythological retellings suitable for young readers and tourists alike.
51. Brennecke Press
Brennecke Press publishes bodyboarding guides, ocean safety literature, and memoirs from professional watermen and women.
Kapolei Publishing Companies
52. West Oahu Press
West Oahu Press focuses on the rapid development, urban planning, and modern history of Kapolei, Hawaii’s fastest-growing “second city.”
53. Kalaeloa Publishing Partners
Kalaeloa Publishing Partners specializes in industrial history, military base redevelopment studies, and economic development reports for the Pacific region.
54. Makakilo Mountain Press
Makakilo Mountain Press publishes science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction written by local authors who want to explore futuristic Pacific themes.
55. Kapolei Commons Literary Group
Kapolei Commons Literary Group is a hybrid publisher supporting independent authors with marketing, distribution, and local book launch events.
Ewa Beach Publishing Companies
56. Ewa Plain Press
Ewa Plain Press focuses on the history of the Ewa plantation, local community growth, and educational materials for West Oahu schools.
57. Oneula Beach Books
Oneula Beach Books specializes in surf culture, ocean conservation, and beach lifestyle memoirs from the Leeward coast.
58. Puuloa Publishing
Puuloa Publishing publishes historical studies of Pearl Harbor’s western lochs, traditional Hawaiian fishing methods, and regional folklore.
Laie Publishing Companies
59. Polynesian Cultural Press
Polynesian Cultural Press, based in Laie, focuses on the preservation of Polynesian voyaging, traditional arts, crafts, and cultural histories from across the Pacific triangle.
60. Laie Point Books
Laie Point Books publishes religious studies, inspirational memoirs, and theological texts, reflecting the deep spiritual heritage of the Laie community.
61. Cackle Fresh Press
Cackle Fresh Press is an independent publisher specializing in local humor, satirical essays, and lighthearted children’s books.
Haleiwa Publishing Companies
62. Haleiwa Town Press
Haleiwa Town Press captures the artistic, bohemian spirit of the North Shore’s historic surf town. They publish artist profiles, local history, and surf fiction.
63. Anahulu River Books
Anahulu River Books specializes in fresh-water ecology, local history of the Waialua district, and memoirs of growing up on Oahu’s North Shore.
64. Waialee Press
Waialee Press focuses on educational reform, youth development literature, and community organizing guides written by local educators.
65. Kamehameha Highway Publishing
Kamehameha Highway Publishing publishes road-trip guides, local food reviews, and travelogues detailing the coastal routes of Oahu.
Hanalei Publishing Companies
66. Hanalei Bay Press
Hanalei Bay Press, located on Kauai’s North Shore, publishes high-end poetry, nature writing, and environmental philosophy inspired by the dramatic cliffs of the Na Pali Coast.
67. Waioli Mission Books
Waioli Mission Books focuses on missionary history, historical preservation of Kauai’s historic sites, and early architectural studies.
68. Na Pali Coast Publishing
Na Pali Coast Publishing specializes in hiking diaries, wilderness survival guides, and photographic journals of Kauai’s remote valleys.
Kihei Publishing Companies
69. Maui Sunset Publishing
Maui Sunset Publishing focuses on lifestyle, yoga, wellness, and healthy living books that align with Maui’s holistic health community.
70. Kamaole Beach Press
Kamaole Beach Press specializes in ocean recreation guides, snorkeling handbooks, and marine life identification guides for Maui visitors.
71. Kihei Town Publishers
Kihei Town Publishers provides comprehensive hybrid publishing services for local business owners, memoirists, and independent novelists on Maui.
72. Kalama Park Books
Kalama Park Books publishes children’s sports books, skateboarding culture guides, and youth fiction set in Hawaii.
73. Keawakapu Press
Keawakapu Press focuses on high-end oceanfront photography, architectural design books, and coastal environmental studies.
Understanding Your Publishing Options in Hawaii
When looking to publish your book in Hawaii, it is crucial to understand the three primary publishing models available to you. Choosing the wrong model can result in loss of rights, poor distribution, or financial loss.
1. Traditional Publishing
In traditional publishing, the publisher pays you for the rights to publish your book, handles all editing, design, and distribution, and pays you royalties. Examples in Hawaii include academic and institutional presses like the University of Hawaii Press or Bishop Museum Press. This model is highly competitive and usually requires a literary agent or a highly specialized academic background.
2. Hybrid Publishing
Hybrid publishing bridges the gap between traditional and self-publishing. The author invests in the production costs, but the publisher provides professional-grade editing, design, and, crucially, access to established distribution networks. Ghostwriting Solution is an industry leader in this space, offering authors the high-end production quality of a traditional house with the creative control and high royalty rates of self-publishing.
3. Self-Publishing (DIY)
In self-publishing, the author retains 100% of the rights and profits but must manage and fund every step of the process, including editing, cover design, formatting, upload to platforms like Amazon KDP, and marketing. Many local authors utilize local hybrid presses or independent services to assist with specific elements of this journey.
Pro Tips for Hawaiian Authors Preparing for Submission
- Respect Cultural Nuances: If your book includes Hawaiian language (Olelo Hawaii) or cultural concepts, ensure you consult with a recognized cultural practitioner or linguist to ensure correct usage of diacritical marks (okina and kahako) and appropriate cultural context.
- Define Your Target Audience: Is your book meant for local residents (Kamaaina), tourists, or a global audience? Your target demographic will dictate whether a local boutique press or a global partner like Ghostwriting Solution is the best fit.
- Prepare a Professional Proposal: Even if you are pursuing hybrid publishing, having a clear synopsis, target audience analysis, chapter outline, and sample chapters will streamline your onboarding process and ensure a better final product.
