A step-by-step guide to crafting a compelling scholarly book
proposal-and seeing your book through to successful publication
The scholarly book proposal may be academia's most mysterious genre. You
have to write one to get published, but most scholars receive no
training on how to do so-and you may have never even seen a proposal
before you're expected to produce your own. The Book Proposal Book
cuts through the mystery and guides prospective authors step by step
through the process of crafting a compelling proposal and pitching it to
university presses and other academic publishers.
Laura Portwood-Stacer, an experienced developmental editor and
publishing consultant for academic authors, shows how to select the
right presses to target, identify audiences and competing titles, and
write a project description that will grab the attention of
editors-breaking the entire process into discrete, manageable tasks. The
book features over fifty time-tested tips to make your proposal stand
out; sample prospectuses, a letter of inquiry, and a response to reader
reports from real authors; optional worksheets and checklists; answers
to dozens of the most common questions about the scholarly publishing
process; and much, much more.
Whether you're hoping to publish your first book or you're a seasoned
author with an unfinished proposal languishing on your hard drive, The
Book Proposal Book provides honest, empathetic, and invaluable advice
on how to overcome common sticking points and get your book published.
It also shows why, far from being merely a hurdle to clear, a
well-conceived proposal can help lead to an outstanding book.
