Please find below guidelines for presenting your publishing proposal. By following these guidelines you will be able to focus more clearly on what you propose to write and enable us to make a more accurate and speedy assessment of its viability.

The key points to bear in mind are:

• who you are writing for
• the structure of the book’s content, and
• how you can offer something different from competitive titles.
  

1. A 300-500 word description of the aim and scope of the publication (i.e. features and benefits for the reader; intended style; topics covered; why is there a need for such a book? etc). Is there a gap in the currently available literature? Does it present new findings? Is it topical?
2. A detailed contents list - chapter headings with a synopsis of each chapter.
3. An outline (one or two paragraphs) of the target market/readership for the book. Who are you writing the book for? What size approximately (in numbers) is the market? At what level are you writing? (For someone new to the subject or an experienced practitioner). Will the material be suitable for the international market or more useful to a certain regional readership? Would it appeal to a US audience? Is it appropriate for a particular course/qualification i.e. does it have adoption potential and if so how many students attend such a course?
4. Details of any comparable/competitive books and why yours offers something different. An analysis of their strengths and weaknesses would be most useful.
5. The length of the book you envisage writing (estimated wordage). Would illustrations be provided in digital or hard copy format? What word-processing package do you usually use?
6. Please give an indication of the time scale you would be working to. When could the final manuscript be ready?
7. Is there, in your view, an optimal time of year to publish? For instance textbooks are traditionally published in early spring.
8. Biographical details of the author(s), editors or contributors, giving information on present employment, experience relevant to the book and previous publications (if any).
9. Could you provide any marketing/sales support by way of clients/contacts/students/links with professional bodies? Do you have any media contacts that would help in reviewing the book or placing articles that could help to promote it? Will you be providing web-based support?
10. A sample chapter will help us to assess you proposal even more speedily.