Rejection is definitely possible and normal when you’re trying to find a publisher for your academic book project, but it doesn’t have to mean the end of your hopes. This post provides answers to a few reader questions about what to do after receiving a rejection from a publisher.
J. asks: I was invited to submit my dissertation for review by a prestigious scholarly publisher who expressed interest in publishing it as a book. I did so, and recently received the peer reviews. While one review was very positive the other was far from, and indeed harshly so, and so the editor decided that they could not move forward. This was obviously painful; more so the negative review of my dissertation than the process being ended (I have to say that reading about your own process of your latest book helped me process this a little more). But the question I have is how you think this affects my next steps in trying to secure a publisher. It seems to me that I would have to disclose to other presses that this process happened and why it wasn’t continued and if I did so that it would negatively affect their possible interest in my project? I would of course take much of the review in mind for a new proposal, but nevertheless, it was also a fundamental disagreement with my theoretical approach which I do not believe in changing (if that makes sense).
My answer: The good news is that I don't think your experience at the first publisher will have any bearing at all on your prospects with other publishers. You don't have to disclose what happened. It sounds like that publisher was simply not the right fit, if they chose a reviewer who fundamentally disagreed with your theoretical approach.
Even if the publisher had said they wanted to move forward, you might have been the one to decide you didn't think the suggested revisions were in keeping with your vision for the book. So I wouldn't take this as any kind of reflection on your chances with another publisher.
I think you're wise to use what you can from the experience to improve your proposal and manuscript for another publisher (especially to revise it so that it looks more like a book than an unrevised dissertation), but then you can just start fresh with others.
K. asks: I recently went through the peer review process at a university press. I received two very positive reports on my full manuscript and my editor was very supportive of the project, but ultimately the press’s editorial board decided not to approve a contract for my book. I am hoping to approach a new publisher now, and my editor at the first press has offered to share the positive peer reviews with the editor at the new press. Should I take her up on this offer? Is this normal?
My answer: First, I’m sorry this unusual situation happened to you, as I’m sure it was very disappointing to go through the whole peer review process and receive positive reviews, only to not receive an agreement to publish your book.
I would definitely advise you to take your editor up on her offer to share the reports with a new publisher. That’s a normal thing to have happen, and your new editor will probably be appreciative.
While the reviewers must remain anonymous to you, your editor at the first press can share their names with the new editor. This will allow the new editor to seek the reviewers’ permission to use their reports in support of your book at the new publisher. The new editor may wish to solicit an additional report from a reviewer of their choosing before taking your project to their editorial board for approval. Hopefully the outcome will be better for you this time around!
Follow up: After I responded to K’s email, K. was able to take their manuscript and positive peer reviews to a new press. The new press asked the previous reviewers to make small additions to their reports offering their impressions of the book’s fit with the new press. The editor also solicited one additional statement from someone close to the new press. The manuscript did not have to go through another round of formal review, which allowed things to proceed quite quickly at the new press. After gathering these statements, the new editor presented K.’s project to the editorial board and K. received a contract. So the story had a happy ending!