AMC Books are written and published by the experts in the Northeast outdoors. Our mission is to publish authoritative, accurate, and easy-to-use books and maps based on AMC’s expertise in outdoor recreation, education, and conservation. We are committed to producing books and maps that appeal to novices and day visitors as well as outdoor enthusiasts in our core activity areas of hiking and paddling. By advancing the interest of the public in outdoor recreation and helping our readers to access backcountry trails and waterways, and by using our books to educate the public about safety, conservation, and stewardship, we support AMC’s mission of promoting the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the Northeast outdoors.

AMC Books’ core publications are rooted in AMC’s expertise in hiking, paddling, and outdoor education and leadership. To create them, we work with the best professional writers possible and draw upon the experience of our programs staff and chapter leaders from Maine to Washington, D.C. Our maps are based on our direct work with land managers and our on-the-ground collection of data on trails, natural features, and points of interest.

AMC Books also publishes narrative titles related to outdoor recreation, mountaineering, and adventure, often with a historical perspective.

Submitting a manuscript

If you are interested in writing for AMC Books, send a query letter and the first three chapters of your manuscript to the publications department at  AMCpublications@outdoors.org. You can also send them via US Postal Service to AMC Books Editor, Appalachian Mountain Club, 5 Joy Street, Boston, MA  02108.

Your query letter should explain the subject of your book and why it would be appropriate for AMC Books to publish. Include information about word count (our guidebooks are typically between 80,000 and 100,000 words) and any special art or graphic treatment that you envision.

Tell us how the book would be distinctive by comparing it to similar titles that are already on the market. Also explain the intended audience for your book and why you think your book would generate interest. Present some ideas of how you would help us market the book and reach readers.

Conclude with a summary of your relevant experience and credentials, including previously published writing on related topics.

Allow us four weeks to respond to your query.