TIPS FOR BOOK PROPOSALS
TIPS FOR BOOK PROPOSALSTIPS FOR BOOK PROPOSALS
TIPS FOR BOOK PROPOSALS
A proposal is the most effective method by which to tell a prospective
editor/publisher about your work. 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. An introduction or excerpt
from your manuscript is not a substitute for a proposal. This may well run 10-20
pages.
Not every good proposal is precisely the same but here are some elements that
good proposals include:
Overview
OverviewOverview
Overview
A working title/subtitle for your project.
A brief description of your book in which you explain the argument and lay out
the arc of your book.
Write this in the style in which you intend to write your book.
What kind of contribution is the work? Be more specific than “a contribution to
the literature.” Talk about what kind of contribution your analysis will make to
understanding the issue.
Annotated table of contents
Annotated table of contentsAnnotated table of contents
Annotated table of contents
Provide a chapter outline, including a descriptive paragraph on the key points,
themes, and arguments of the material to be covered in the chapter.
Sources
SourcesSources
Sources
This need not be comprehensive but say what kinds of archival documents, oral
histories, collections, etc. you are drawing on. A select bibliography at the end of
the proposal can also be helpful.
Market
MarketMarket
Market/Audience
/Audience/Audience
/Audience
Discuss the intended audience for your book. Is it written primarily for scholars
(if so, what discipline(s)), professionals (if so, what fields), students (if so, what
level), or general readers (non-academic audience that has demonstrated interest
in the topic of your book). If particular scholarly or professional organizations
would be targets, identify them. Be as specific and realistic as possible. Few
books appeal to all of these markets, and you run the risk of appearing naive to a
potential publisher. There is nothing wrong with identifying a particular subfield
and saying that your book is a monograph intended for specialists in this area.
Comparable/competitive books
Comparable/competitive booksComparable/competitive books
Comparable/competitive books
List three or four similar titles (including author, title, publisher, publication
date) and how your book is like/unlike these. It is always impressive to an editor
if you mention a book on that publisher’s list.
Nuts and bolts
Nuts and boltsNuts and bolts
Nuts and bolts
Anticipated details of finished book—number of words (include text, notes, and
bibliography), number and type of illustrations you hope to include. A ms of
100,000 words will produce a book of c. 300 book pages, an optimal length. Also
give a sense of status and timetable—where the ms is at the moment you are
writing and when you estimate having a complete ms.
Also in your
Also in your Also in your
Also in your submission package
submission packagesubmission package
submission package:
::
:
Cover letter/letter of inquiry
Your c.v.
Sample chapter (optional)
Cover letter
Cover letterCover letter
Cover letter
● If you have letterhead for an institution you’re at, use it.
● Make sure your contact information (including e-mail) is clear.
● Address letter to an editor by name (and make sure the name matches the
publisher). Do not send your proposal to a general mailbox. Follow the
guidelines on the publisher website and do not send an attachment if the press
asks you not to do so.
● Give title of your work and a succinct description.
● If you’ve met or been in contact with the editor before, say so.
● Briefly state your qualifications.
● Be honest about the status of the manuscript.
● Describe the state of play—is it a solo submission or a multiple query? If this is
a multiple query, you must tell editors this. Not all presses will allow multiple
submissions.
● Make explicit the purpose of the letter.
If you have a subvention, this is a good place to mention this.
If you have unique timetable requirements (i.e. your tenure clock is ticking very
fast; important anniversary), this is a good place to explain.
For more information on putting together a stellar book proposal and navigating
the publishing process, consult William Germano,
Getting It Published: A Guide
for Scholars and Anyone Else Serious about Serious Books
, 2
nd
edition (University
of Chicago Press).
Susan Ferber
Executive Editor, History
Oxford University Press
