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Submitting a Book Proposal
Pre-submission
Before you submit a proposal it is a good idea to do some research on the publishing house you are approaching. What other titles do they publish? How would your book fit in with the rest of the list? Have a look through their catalogs and try to get a feel for the types of books they are focusing on, particularly in recent years. If you think your book has trade appeal, then sending a proposal to an academic publisher may be a waste of time. We often receive proposals that we have to reject purely because they are unsuitable for us, not necessarily because there is anything inherently wrong with them.
The proposal you submit will be the basis on which we decide if your book is suitable for publication. It is important to remember that we receive a huge number of unsolicited proposals, so it is essential that your proposal is well organized and provides all the information we need. Ideally the proposal should be around 3–4 pages long—editors just don’t have time to read pages and pages of information so stick to the main points.
Your proposal should include the following:
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The rationale behind the book
Start with a few paragraphs explaining what your book is about, the main themes and objectives, and why the book is needed. How does your book differ from the books that are already on the market? Why should people choose your book rather than a competing title? The editor who considers your proposal will ask several questions: Is the content of this book of a high academic standard? Is there a market for a book on this subject? If there is a gap in the market, is this book the right one to fill it?
NB Think carefully about the title of your book: make sure it is clear to the editor what it is about. A witty title may seem like a good idea, but your proposal is unlikely to attract an editor’s interest if the subject matter is unclear.
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Detailed synopsis of the book with chapter headings
Succinctly describe what your book is about. How will it be structured? How is it intended to be used? You will need to provide a list of working chapter headings with a paragraph on each to explain what you plan to cover in each chapter. Are you intending to include visual material in the book (maps, photographs, tables, etc.)? If so, how will these add value to the book? Illustrative material can be expensive to reproduce in a book and is not always appropriate for some titles. How many thousand words in length will your book be, including all notes and bibliographic references? Again, think carefully about how long the book needs to be for the intended market—most of our books are 80,000–100,000 words in length. Finally, include your expected delivery date—please be as realistic as possible.
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Make an assessment of the market for your book
Who is the book aimed at? Who will buy it? What academic level will it be read at (A level, undergraduate, postgraduate, etc.)? Is the subject area of the proposal widely taught? Any course information you can provide will also be helpful. Would your book appeal to international markets?
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A list of the main competing titles
Evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. What will make your book better than the titles already available?
Once you have submitted your proposal, it will be carefully considered by the most suitable editor. If the editor decides that the proposal is worth pursuing, it will be sent out to be evaluated by academic specialists in the field. The academic reviewers will give us their advice on the content, quality, and potential market for a finished book based on your proposal. If the reports are positive, the editor will put together a written proposal, including your proposal, the reviewers’ reports, and projected manufacturing costs and revenues. This will be presented to the editorial board at a weekly publishing meeting where it will be discussed and either approved, rejected, or provisionally passed subject to certain revisions.
Annamarie Kino
Assistant Editor
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