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If anyone is looking for best practices from a uni press editor, I’m available to answer your questions. Just DM me. In the meantime, here is a brief thread: https://twitter.com/isaacsoon2/status/1337037336970858496
1. Always check publisher websites. Most publishers will list what they are looking for in a proposal. Larger or more commercial publishers may have a proposal form they ask you to fill out. Do your homework first.
2. Style matters. Make it easy for the acquisitions editor to find the information they want to see. Label and organize things clearly. No fancy fonts or designs. Text only. Preferably in a Word document.
3. Give a one-paragraph summary in addition to a longer summary that is 1-2 pages, perhaps longer if necessary. Editors often need a brief description of the book, and if you provide one for them they will appreciate it.
4. If it’s not already clear in your description of the argument, be sure to point out what makes this book novel or significant. What gap does this fill in the current literature? What intervention does this make in the field? Discuss some of the important books in your field.
5. Young authors tend to oversell their projects, claiming their project is unprecedented, charts completely new territory, etc. Be enthusiastic and confident, but don’t make claims that a quick Google search could disprove.
6. Be specific and realistic about your intended audience. You are NOT writing for educated general readers. Anyone who claims as much will likely have their proposal rejected. Identify both primary and secondary audiences, if such a distinction is relevant.
7. List at least three to four books that are similar or competing. Provide a paragraph on what makes your book like/unlike. It’s not important if there are books on your exact topic. As editors we are also looking for marketing information about target audience & print details.
8. The chapter-by-chapter summary is most important part of the proposal. Don't skimp on this. Give full paragraphs describing the content of each chapter.
9. Make your chapter titles count. This is more important than the provisional title of the whole book, because it’s less likely to be changed. Invest your energy in good chapter titles and good chapter descriptions.
10. If you’re in history, a bibliography is more commonly expected. If you are in a field that does quantitative work, you'll want to discuss methods. Learn the standards in your field. Ask around.
11. Give specific manuscript details. Provide the length in words (ballpark figure is fine), NOT pages. Estimate the number of figures and illustrations, if any. Indicate whether you have permissions secured already.
12. Provide a realistic schedule for completion and a ballpark date for when you will submit the manuscript draft.
13. Always provide at least one sample chapter. The requirements for this will differ at different presses, but only seasoned authors can get away with just a proposal.
14. Provide a list of suggested readers (most presses will ask for this if you don't provide it) and contact info. Also indicate if there's anyone the editor should NOT ask to be a reader.
15. When contacting an editor, always address each acquisitions editor individually and by name. Do not send out mass emails to a bunch of editors—yes, I’ve received these.
16. Depending on how prestigious the press is and how formal the editor is (this is usually generational), you can decide whether sending a cover letter in addition to the proposal is worthwhile. I prefer the email to be the letter.
17. Always ATTACH the proposal. Do NOT copy and paste it into the email.
18. BE PATIENT. Most editors are drowning in a sea of emails, not to mention the many other manuscripts we are already working on.
19. But also don’t be afraid to follow up. It’s okay to check in after a couple weeks, but don’t act as if your project should take precedence over everything else on an editor’s plate. Don’t be the author who sends follow up reminders every couple days.
20. Finally, it's OK to submit proposals to multiple publishes. Just be up front about it.
Good luck!
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Good luck!
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