A book proposal is usually no longer than 10 pages. The reality of writing a good book proposal the chronicle of. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please follow these guidelines. Why should a publisher invest in your book, and why are you the person to write it. If an acquisitions editor responds with a request for a book proposal, please follow the proposal guidelines below. No royalties on the first clothbound copies and the 2000 paperbacks sold, then 2% thereafter. Your submission should include a letter of introduction, your cv or resume, a sample chapter or two, and a proposal that gives uc press editors and marketing staffmost of whom will not be specialists in your areaa clear and detailed idea of what your book will be about. To get a better understanding of where your book will fit, read our text type descriptions and download their proposal guidelines below. Book proposal guidelines university of california press. But by then something very important was happening. If your project seems better suited to another editors list, it will be passed along to them for consideration. You have more to lose than to gain from submitting proposals too early.
Most academic books wont ever reach those thresholds. Potential authors should include a cover letter, a copy of their cv or resume, a prospectus proposal, and sample chapters from the work if available. Guidelines for a book proposal for an academic book. Carolina academic press 700 kent st durham, nc 277049. The lessobvious elements of an effective book proposal the. Academic publishing uides how to submit a book proposal. The most important aspect of this onepage description is the argument you will set forth. Nyu press welcomes the submission of book proposals for the fields in which we publish. You all know that the book proposal is the cornerstone to a successful tenure. Oxford university press oup welcomes submissions of book proposals in the core areas in which we publish. How to write a winning academic book proposal enago academy.
Graduate students and junior colleagues often ask me for advice on how to navigate the transition from completing a dissertation to revising it into a book. An ideal book proposal by william frucht, executive editor, yale university press ive always considered the ideal book proposal to consist of four elements. Oct 23, 2018 so, the academic book proposal you prepare after having revised only two chapters might not accurately reflect what your actual book becomes. Should you wish to submit your proposal by mail instead, our address is. Electronic submission is preferred, but paper proposals are acceptable. First and foremost, a good book begins with a good idea and a clear sense of who you are writing it for. Based on my own experiences, ive come up with seven tips that might help demystify proposal writing. Cambridge university press publishes academic books in 29 subject areas spanning the humanities, social sciences, and science, technology and medicine. This form contains a summary of the book, its aims, its goals and main features. In which academic departments might your book find a home. Market research whether theres a market for the book. Cambridge university press is always pleased to consider new proposals for print andor. Whether your book idea is speculative or fullyformed we would be delighted to discuss it with you. Academic presses are much more in tune with academic researchers and their works, and it might be easier to get on board with them instead of pursuing a large publisher.
Proposal submission policy oxford university press. Crafting a convincing book proposal the chronicle of. Here is a basic template for a book proposal, which many of our clients have used successfully. Please choose your subject below to find commissioning editors publishing in your area of study. Keep in mind that even academic publishers expect you to adhere to several basic elements of a book proposal guidelines as follows. Please do not send extensive material such as an entire manuscript unless requested. So, the academic book proposal you prepare after having revised only two chapters might not accurately reflect what your actual book becomes. Hook invite the reader into your proposal with an interesting anecdote or some surprising data.
I have published a book with a trade press, have a contract for a second an edited anthology with an academic press, and am crafting my third. Mar 22, 2011 or, perhaps you want to write your first academic book on an entirely different subject. Dec 04, 2014 a book proposal for an academic press has seven basic components. In the world of book publishing, it is difficult enough for known authors to get their books published, but even harder for researchers. Please understand that it can take two months or more to evaluate your book proposal. They arise in all sorts of different situations, but generally a book concept is written down into a proposal form. The lessobvious elements of an effective book proposal. Tips for book proposals tips for book proposals a proposal is the most effective method by which to tell a prospective editorpublisher about your work. How to write a book proposal for an academic press blogger. A list of 35 scholars which should provide a back ad endorsement for the book the scholars whose judgments matter most in the field. Intervarsity press publishes many awardwinning academic series. You are also welcome to listen to free audio recordings of teds book proposal bootcamp and other workshops and media appearances. When to submit academic book proposals to university presses.
Writing an irresistible book proposal by michael larsen the golden rule of writing a book proposal is that every word in your proposal should answer one of two questions. Sure, some parts of psychology and economics and other fields are not bookbased, but. Thank you for submitting your proposal to aocs press and academic press. Elsevier researcher academy getting your book published. Author hub how to submit a book proposal 24 cambridge university press is always pleased to consider new proposals for print andor digital projects in all the major areas in which we publish. Unless you are famous and have publishers soliciting manuscripts from you, you likely will have to submit a formal academic book proposal to an. If you would like to submit a book proposal or a manuscript to yale university press, please send it, along with the following information, by mail or email to only one editor. Choose the editor most appropriate for the subject of your work. I know that academic books arent written for the royalties, but the osup terms seem especially meager. I offer a comprehensive course on book proposals that takes you through the research and writing process in 10 steps agent ted weinstein outlines the necessary parts of a book proposal, and also offers an audio recording of his 90minute workshop on proposals my favorite comprehensive guide on book proposals is how to write a book proposal by. Proposals vary in form from a onepage description to an extensive. How the commissioning editor decides what to publish. Please complete this form as thoroughly as possible and send it to apple academic press with the introduction or preface tentative okay, a chapter from the book, or a professional writing sample from another book or article written by you. Harvard university press publishes thoughtful books for both scholars and educated general readers in history, philosophy, literature, classics, religion, law, economics, public policy, physical and life sciences, technology, history of science, behavioral sciences, and education, along with reference works in a wide range of fields.
We ask that you submit your proposal to only one editor. What follows is a brief description of what the editors in the higher education department might expect of a proposal for a new textbook and how they will consider it for publication. In preparing your proposal, bear in mind that the mit press needs to know as. Ideas for books are as varied as the books themselves. In order to submit a book form to oxford university press india, please send a proposal of 510 pages containing a brief description and readership for the volume, a chapter outline, extent, and author details. Nonfiction book proposal outline ted weinstein literary. Irish academic press and merrion press welcomes new book proposals from all authors, whatever your background or credentials, as we employ a rigorous evaluation process to determine which proposals are suitable for publication, and under which imprint successful submissions will be published. Your book proposal the most important piece of information. Academic press has been a leading publisher of scientific books for over 70 years. Be sure to check out as many of these as possible before you begin to draft your proposal.
Unless you are famous and have publishers soliciting manuscripts from you, you likely will have to submit a formal academic book proposal to. Baker academic welcomes book proposals from prospective authors holding relevant academic credentials which usually means a phd or similar degree in the field of the proposed book and a teaching position at a recognized institution of higher learning. Please do not send proposals to more than one editor. You all know that the book proposal is the cornerstone to a successful tenure track career in most areas of the humanities and social sciences. We also need to be convinced that you can present what you have to say in a way that will be useful, interesting and important to your readers. Few university presses that i know of will give an advanced contract to a firsttime book author based on an academic book proposal alone. Submitting a textbook proposal to oxford university press guidelines for authors we are very pleased that you are considering writing for oxford university press. Potential authors should include a cover letter, a copy of their cv or resume, a prospectusproposal, and sample chapters from the work if available. Please complete this form and return it to us with as much background information about the project as you can provide at this time, specifically a preliminary table of contents if available, and a sample chapter. You will come away with a clear understanding of the elements required to build a strong book proposal, how to identify when you are ready to submit, and what to consider when choosing a publisher.
You may use the form below to send us your proposal. The core of the publishing process is the book proposal. Please pay attention to the required fields in the form below. Crafting a convincing book proposal the chronicle of higher. I think my next move is, after your suggestion, to write a couple of papers from my thesis, write a book proposal too, and just sit on the book proposal for six months of so, tweaking it as i go along. See, for instance, indiana university press below, which mixes both approaches. Writing a book proposal may not be exactly like appearing on a realitytv.
How to write a nonfiction book proposal with template. Our book proposal guidelines can be found in the form. University publishers, such as harvard university press and university of california press, are great resources. Part of that process is learning how to write book proposals for academic publishers. Ok, having established the necessity of writing a book proposal from early.
Posted in book proposals and contracts, landing your tenure track job, promote yourself. Check the websites of scholarly presses for their submission guidelines. So i have a decent idea of what constitutes a good proposal for an earlycareer academic. Academic studies press is an independent scholarly publisher devoted to advancing knowledge and understanding in the humanities and social sciences. Oxford university press remains a department of the university, and all proposals must be. Or, perhaps you want to write your first academic book on an entirely different subject. We do, however, consider book proposals that have their origins in dissertation research and are suitably revised. Written for academic authors seeking publication by university presses, this is a. If particular scholarly or professional organizations. In preparing your proposal, bear in mind that the mit press needs to know as much as possible about your book, including its scope, its intended audience, and how we can promote the book to that audience. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, you can find information on the process below.
We at carolina academic press welcome your book proposals for titles in law and other academic areas. Some publishers will give you a timeframe usually 34 months after which you can write to follow up on your proposal submission. If you are associated with a college or seminary and have an academic manuscript, you should submit it to the attention of the academic editor. The books introduction and twothree sample chapters or full ms. A guide for firsttime academic authors, 2nd edition, edited by eleanor harman et al. If you would like to submit a proposal, please read our author guide to ensure it fits our.
While uc press editors prefer electronic submissions, you may send hard copy proposals to editors name at the uc press mailing address. And they help authors turn great ideas into great books. May 28, 2017 the most common book proposal sections. Information for authors to writing and publishing their academic research. Yale university press editors yale university press. Suny press does not publish unrevised dissertations. Best known throughout the international scientific community for the superior quality content of its publications, academic press extensive list of renowned authors includes leading experts in the scientific world, nobel prize winners, and honored scientific researchers. Overview describe your book in two or three paragraphs 500 wo. If you have a book project that fits our list and profile as an academic publisher, please send a brief proposal to the appropriate editor. Commissioning editors take various factors into account when making their decision. If you would like information on how to submit a book proposal, you can read our guide here. While theres no single best way to write and assemble a book proposalit will depend on the category, the author, and the publishers submission guidelinesthe following sections appear in almost every book proposal. You can find guidelines below regarding what to include.
Do not send a complete book manuscript instead of a book proposal. How to submit a professional book proposal guilford press. A clearly written, well argued proposal enables an editor to best determine whether or not your proposed book is suitable for the publishing program she oversees. How to write a winning academic book proposal enago. Few university presses that i know of will give an advanced contract to a firsttime book author based on an academic book proposal. The most important aspect of this onepage description is. Unless you are famous and have publishers soliciting manuscripts from you, you likely will have to submit a formal academic book proposal to an academic press to have a hope of publishing a book with such a press. With our outstanding, opinionleading authors and series editors, we continuously strive to enhance understanding through our monographs and critical companions, improve the.
Pay attention to what each press wants, and tailor accordingly. The oup editor will invite comments on your outline from a number of academic. More than anything else, firsttime academic book authors ask. You can consider this a draft preface, except that you should avoid the tiresome practice of taking the reader through a chapterbychapter description. Email the form, together with any supporting material, e. A book proposal for an academic press has seven basic components. Crafting a convincing book proposal chroniclevitae.