Book Proposal Tips

10 Steps to an Effective Book Proposal

Writing a scholarly book proposal can be intimidating. Here is a breakdown (plus a free downloadable checklist) of the 10 steps involved in putting together an effective book proposal to submit to university presses and other scholarly publishers.

Pitching a Digital Project to Scholarly Publishers

I often hear from authors wondering how to pitch their digital research. This post includes some opportunities for digital publication at university presses.

Sample Chapters — What Publishers Really Want

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about when to send sample chapters with a book proposal, which sample chapters to send, and how long they should be. This post also covers how to revise journals articles for inclusion in a scholarly book.

How to Come Up with Comparable Works for Your Academic Book Proposal

It can be difficult to understand what publishers mean when they ask for “comps” or “comparable and competing titles” in their book proposal guidelines. This guide demystifies this part of the book proposal process and offers some tips on how to effectively position your book in relation to other titles.

How to Land a Publisher for Your Interdisciplinary Book

It can be difficult to figure out how to find the right publisher for a scholarly book that traverses multiple fields or disciplines. This post includes answers to some of the most common questions I receive about pitching and writing book proposals for interdisciplinary books.

The Essential Building Blocks of an Academic Book Proposal

Do you know what the essential building blocks of a scholarly book proposal are and why they’re there? Here is a quick guide to the key components with explanations of their functions and intended audiences.

How to Write Chapter Summaries for Your Book Proposal

Chapter summaries — sometimes called an annotated table of contents — are key elements in a book proposal. I break down what to include in your chapter summaries in order to make the best case for your book with publishers and peer reviewers.

The Easiest Way to Get Your Academic Book Proposal Rejected and How to Avoid It

Fit plays a major role in the evaluation of a book proposal. Here are some ways to discover if your academic book manuscript will match up with your list of presses before you send out your book proposal.

How to Get Usable Peer Feedback on Your Academic Book Proposal

Not every scholarly writer has access to a developmental editor, but a colleague could be just as helpful. Here are some questions to help you guide your peers towards giving you effective feedback on your academic book proposal.

How to Tailor Your Academic Book Proposal for Different Publishers: What to Change for Each Press to Press and What You Can Leave Alone

Can you submit the same academic book proposal to different publishers? This post discusses what to change from press to press and what you can keep the same in each version of your academic book proposal.

Don't Be TOO Timely: Why "ripped from the headlines" isn't the best pitch strategy for scholarly books

Scholarly books rarely have the most timely hooks...for good reason. This post discusses how relying on recent headlines can hurt your academic book proposal and some other ways you can use current events to your advantage when it comes time to promote your book.

Are You Sure You Know What a "Trade Publisher" Is? Let's Clear It Up

Different kinds of publishers prioritize different kinds of texts. Books by academics are published by university presses, commercial academic presses, and sometimes trade presses. So where should you send your book proposal? Here is a breakdown of where your academic book manuscript might fit and might not.

10 Quick Ways to Work on Your Academic Book Proposal between Teaching, Meetings, Surviving a Pandemic, and Having a Life

How do you maintain momentum on your goal of publishing an academic book while juggling all your other responsibilities? Here are 10 low-stress things you can do to make progress on your book proposal even while chaos explodes around you.

Should You Pitch Your Book Proposal Before You Finish Your Academic Book Manuscript? Or Should You Write the Full Manuscript Before Submitting the Proposal?

Whether you submit your book proposal before or after your academic book manuscript is finished largely depends on your personal preferences, circumstances, and target presses. Here are some questions to consider to help you decide.

To Mention Your Dissertation or Not When Pitching Your First Book to an Academic Publisher

Your first academic manuscript began as a dissertation. But should you acknowledge this? This post offers some insight into how publishers perceive dissertations and what you can say in your book proposal.

How to Write a Project Description for Your Academic Book

A compelling project description plays a major role in placing your academic book project with a publisher. Here is a flexible template to help you organize the main points and address the crucial questions editors and peer reviewers will have about your book manuscript.

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