Please understand that it can take two months or more to evaluate your book proposal. 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 agent michael. Jul 02, 2015 how to write a book proposal posted on july 2, 2015 by karen kelsky 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. Proposal submission policy oxford university press. Dissertations online dissertation proposal, phd dissertation. Jul 29, 2011 there are several books available on writing book proposals. Your book proposal is the vehicle to provide us with a clear and succinct idea of your project. Oct 23, 2018 few university presses that i know of will give an advanced contract to a firsttime book author based on an academic book proposal alone.
We can generally accommodate minor changes in length i. How to write cover letters for books and papers, so see samples, formats, and get tips in this free video clip. Please add a onetwo sentence short description of the work as well. In that respect, the thesisbychapter format may be advantageous, particularly for students pursuing a phd in the natural sciences, where the research content of a thesis consists of many discrete experiments. Apr 17, 2015 one definition that can be used for the academic book is that it is a longform publication, as opposed to a shortform publication like an article, and is the result of indepth academic research, usually over a period of years, making an original contribution to a field of study. How to write a book proposal posted on july 2, 2015 by karen kelsky 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.
Potential authors should include a cover letter, a copy of their cv or resume, a prospectusproposal, and sample chapters from the work if available. This description may be used later for promotional purposes. Please identify the genre and your purpose in writing this book. The primary way that academic presses make money is through the sale. In january 2010, i started writing my first book proposal. Within those 1015 pages, you must convince an agent, editor and publishing team that you and your book deserve a place on the shelf based on several key factors.
Sample book proposal appendix b writing successful. A prospectus is the core element of a nonfiction book proposal process that pitches your idea for a new publication. What is the ideal length for a nonfiction book proposal. Ready to prepare your first academic book proposal, but confused about where to start. Few university presses that i know of will give an advanced contract to a firsttime book author based on an academic book proposal alone.
It will ask you for a covercopy length description 250 or so words, which, in engaging and. It should include a brief cover letter addressed to the appropriate editor, followed by a clear, concise description of the project and a rationale for its publication meaning its scholarly. I like this one because it contains ten reallife proposals that sold. We pride ourselves on employing only the very best writers in the industry, so you can be confident that the writer we assign to your dissertation will have the necessary experience and academic qualifications for your subject and that the customised dissertation they research and write for you will be of the highest academic standard. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, you can find information on the process below. The anticipated manuscript length, including words per chapter and total words. The following guidelines are designed to ensure that your proposal reaches us with as much relevant information as possible. The study of green grass is popular among agrostologists. In contrast to conference or, to a lesser degree, chapter proposals, a book proposal introduces your qualifications for writing it and compares your work to what others have done or failed to address in the past. 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. 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. Electronic submission is preferred, but paper proposals are acceptable.
Unsure about what should be in an academic book proposal or what information academic book proposals usually contain. Apr 27, 2011 in january 2010, i started writing my first book proposal. Here i provide generic suggestions for what should go in an academic book proposal, and then suggest a method for writing such a proposal. Crafting a convincing book proposal chroniclevitae. Whilst i was academic publishing director at continuum i often felt frustrated by the amount of repetition involved in academic publishing. Jan 21, 2008 how to write cover letters for books and papers, so see samples, formats, and get tips in this free video clip. May 11, 2009 if you analyse the contents of a typical bookshelf in an academic library, you will notice that many of the books are between 272 and 320 pages in length. 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. While you may be asked to write on a series of potential topics, there are similarities in all of the possible subjects. Sure, some parts of psychology and economics and other fields are not book. Nov 25, 20 just trying to reduce a thesis chapter to book length is rather like trying to jam a weeks clothes into an overnight bag it doesnt fit.
It will ask you for a covercopylength description 250 or so words, which. What are some examples of university press proposal guidelines. Keep in mind that even academic publishers expect you to adhere to several basic elements of a book proposal guidelines as follows. The literary agents guide to writing a nonfiction book proposal by andy ross. 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 book proposal. A conference proposal will typically consist of an introduction to your topic, which should not amount to more than onethird of the length of your submission, followed by your thesis statement and a delineation of your approach to the problem. The proposed books topic and your rationale for writing it. In the world of book publishing, it is difficult enough for known authors to get their books published, but even. This ones short and tothepoint, and the last time i. You must assess your ability to promote the book and know the market that you target in all its statistics. Clarity is paramount when determining the structurelayout of your dissertation. In this age of information overload, short pieces of writing have an impact disproportionate to their size. The reality of writing a good book proposal the chronicle of.
It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. Guidelines for a book proposal for an academic book. How to write a winning academic book proposal enago. Brief description in one or two paragraphs, describe the work, including its. It should include a brief cover letter addressed to the appropriate editor, followed by a clear, concise description of the project and a rationale for its publication meaning its scholarly significance, its appeal to both specialists and generalists, and any qualities that distinguish.
Posted in book proposals and contracts, landing your tenure track job, promote yourself. Mar 22, 2011 in this blog post, i provide generic suggestions for what should go in an academic book proposal, and then suggest a method for writing such a proposal. In this blog post, i provide generic suggestions for what should go in an academic book proposal, and then suggest a method for writing such a proposal. Oxford university press oup welcomes submissions of book proposals in the core areas in which we publish. Submitting a complete proposal to intervarsity press. The reality of writing a good book proposal the chronicle. 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.
It will ask you for a covercopylength description 250 or so. This is your chance to pitch the book to our editorial, sales, and marketing people. Wondering how do you write a research proposal for academic writing. Meanwhile, i set up a website dedicated to sharing everything i was learning along the way about pitching books and managing an academic. If you analyse the contents of a typical bookshelf in an academic library, you will notice that many of the books are between 272 and 320 pages in length. Craft the proposal to excite the editor with your take on your subject, and reassure the editor as to your sales. Ok, having established the necessity of writing a book proposal from early. Crafting a convincing book proposal the chronicle of.
The book itself will be as long as 510 papers but the proposal itself usually only includes a sample chapter and some overview material. Writing a winning book proposal a communications program. The most important aspect of this onepage description is the argument you will set forth. May 28, 2017 a book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. How to write a winning academic book proposal enago academy. If you wish to suggest the names of experts in your field whom you believe to be ideally suited to evaluate your proposal, you may provide their names. Some academics forget that when they send in manuscripts and book proposals. Adhere to a particular citation style, such as chicago, mla, or apa. As always, check with colleagues in your discipline about whether this is actually the case with your target presses. The golden extent for many publishers is 288 pages about 90100,000 words without tables or figures. Mar 25, 2015 how to write a great manuscript cover letter march 25, 2015 by amy benson brown, academic writing and publication coaching llc leave a comment writing a compelling cover letter to submit with your manuscript is more important than most authors realize. Although the term prospectus is usually reserved for scholarly works, some academic publishers, such as harvard university. A book proposal is usually no longer than 10 pages.
Submitting a proposal on the academic oxford university press website. Academic and trade presses have far different requirements with respect to writing style e. Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to. Written for academic authors seeking publication by university presses, this is a helpful. Apr 02, 2012 what is the ideal length for a nonfiction book proposal. Dec 04, 2014 here i provide generic suggestions for what should go in an academic book proposal, and then suggest a method for writing such a proposal. A book proposal for an academic press has seven basic components. Crafting a convincing book proposal the chronicle of higher.
If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please follow these guidelines. Guidelines for submitting a book proposal pluto press is always interested in receiving proposals for new books. Reasons for writing, proposed length, and amount of illustration. Here you say that the estimated length of the final manuscript will be anywhere from 70,000 to 150,000 words. Just trying to reduce a thesis chapter to book length is rather like trying to jam a weeks clothes into an overnight bag it doesnt fit. While it is not uncommon for thesis writers to use nonstandard forms of academic writing autobiography, interview, extensive use of images, fiction and. If, while writing your book it becomes clear that the agreed length is unworkable, please let us know as soon as possible. Doing preliminary research on your own motivations 1. Since these proposals are of greater length, the publisher will require you to delve. Do not send a complete book manuscript instead of a book proposal. 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. It is basically outlining proposed research on an academic subject and outlining any types of procedures for quantitative or qualitative research on a subject. There are several books available on writing book proposals. An introduction or excerpt from your manuscript is not a substitute for a proposal.
As always, check with colleagues in your discipline about whether this is actually the case with your target. A book proposal argues why your book idea is a salable, marketable product. A book proposal also provides you with the opportunity to include information such as a mission statement, a foreword by another authority, or special featuresfor instance, humor, anecdotes, illustrations, sidebars, etc. A fully developed proposal consists of the following. Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an editor or agent which is how it works with novels, you write the proposal first. So i have a decent idea of what constitutes a good proposal for an earlycareer academic.
Writing a book proposal may not be exactly like appearing on a. In that respect, the thesisbychapter format may be advantageous, particularly for students pursuing a phd in the natural sciences, where the research content of a. In this post i answer all these questions and more. Not counting your two to three sample chapters, your nonfiction book proposal should be no longer than 1015 pages. Meanwhile, i set up a website dedicated to sharing everything i was learning along the way about. How to write a book proposal for an academic press get a life, phd. If you would like to submit your proposal by email, please check with the.
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