Women's History Month: Women in Publishing

March 14, 2026

Women have shaped publishing far longer than most people realize. From early feminist and small‑press pioneers of the 1960s–1980s—who built “a feisty counterculture” of women‑run presses during the mimeograph revolution—to the global network of women’s presses founded during second‑wave feminism, women have steadily expanded their influence in every corner of the industry. Today, women make up 79% of publishing employees and now publish more books than men, a dramatic rise from just 20% in the 1970s. But the story goes deeper: many of the small, mission‑driven presses that anchor today’s nonfiction and niche‑topic landscape were founded by women, often with a commitment to community, clarity, and author dignity. MSI Press fits naturally into that lineage—steady, independent, values‑driven, and woman‑owned. This long arc—from grassroots presses to industry leadership—shows how women not only entered publishing but transformed it, opening doors for diverse voices and reshaping the literary landscape.

MSI Press, a veteran-owned publishing house based in California, United States

best known for turning new writers into award-winning authors,
has gained mass recognition for releasing highly acclaimed books of varying genres
that are distributed internationally. Check us out on Wikitia.

To purchase copies of any MSI Press book at 25% discount,

use code FF25 at MSI Press webstore;

for free shipping, use code ship4free.

(Codes cannot be used together; they are meant to provide a choice of discount.)

Want to read an MSI Press book and not have to pay for it?
(1) Ask your local library to purchase and shelve it.
(2) Ask us for a review copy; we love to have our books reviewed.

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MSI Press welcomes submissions that reflect legacy and lived experience. Learn more about our publishing process on our website. We help writers become award-winning published authors, one writer at a time. We are a family, not a factory. Check our listing in Writer's Market, the most trusted guide to publishing.

Turned away by other publishers because you are a first-time author and/or do not have a strong platform yet? If you have a strong manuscript, San Juan Books, our hybrid publishing division, may be able to help. Ask us. Check out more information at www.msipress.com.

Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our author au pair services will mentor you through the process. See what we can do for your at www.msipress.com.

Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com.

Want an author-signed copy of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.
Julia Aziz, signing her book, Lessons of Labor, at an event at Book People in Austin, Texas.

Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages.

Steven Greenebaum, author of award-winning books, An Afternoon's Discussion and One Family: Indivisible, talking to a reader at Barnes & Noble in Gilroy, California.

MSI Press is ranked among the top publishers in California.
Check out our rankings -- and more -- HERE.