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Proposal guidelines

Overview

The proposal you submit will be the basis upon which we judge your book’s suitability
for publication. The following guidelines are designed to help you prepare your
proposal so that it successfully provides the information required to assess the viability
of your work as a book.

Please note that anything you provide to us may be sent to reviewers as part of the
review process (including your CV) so please indicate any personal information you
would like removed prior to the review process.

What are we looking for from an author and a book?

About you

Are you an active member of the community for which you are writing?
You don't need to have published a book before, but we do expect you to have
published articles or papers in journals or relevant publications recently.

Who are you working with?

Co-authors (or co-editors) can bring a variety of perspectives to the project and lessen
the individual workload. We recommend a team of up to three people who have worked
well together previously and have complimentary expertise.

We welcome proposals for cohesive edited collections with a strong theme and
consistent quality through all chapters. We will not accept unrevised conference
volumes. Please discuss contributors with your Commissioning Editor and be prepared
to provide a likely list and secure interest early on.

We aim to reflect an even gender balance and a diversity of racial, ethnic, and cultural
backgrounds across our contributors where possible.

Are you going to be available to write, submit and support production of your book?
Please review our Overview of the book publishing process to understand what you are
signing up for, what to expect from us, and what we’ll expect from you.

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We will agree a realistic manuscript delivery deadline with you in your publishing
agreement. Keeping to this is essential as publishing at the right time is vital to the
book’s success. Please stay in touch throughout the manuscript preparation phase.

There will be a short period between your submission and our formal acceptance of
your final manuscript, during which your Editorial Assistant will check everything is
present and correct. Please be prepared to answer queries and have your manuscript
returned for revisions. The more prepared you and your manuscript are, the quicker
and easier this period will be, so please follow our author manuscript preparation and
submission guidelines to ensure you and your manuscript are ready.

Your input will be required consistently throughout the production process (between
manuscript submission and publication), so please plan accordingly for this. Please see
the Production guidelines for more information about the production process and what
is expected of you.

Are you prepared to compose your manuscript in accordance with our agreement
and in line with our guidelines?
We will agree the specifics of your book with you in your publishing contract, including
the delivery deadline, the manuscript word count and number of illustrations, and your
other responsibilities (such as securing permission to use any previously published or
third-party material).

You can access our author guidelines covering the whole book publishing lifecycle at
any time on our website. These include detailed instructions for composing your
manuscript and supporting material and delivering everything to us when the time
comes.

We recommend that you review the Submission checklist ahead of writing your
proposal so that you are entering into the project with full understanding of what we
expect you to deliver.

Note that all references, notes, and bibliographies or reference lists are included
in the agreed word count.

Can you produce a high level of written English?

Being well-written is an essential component of a quality publication. Your work will
undergo copyediting, but this will not cover extensive language re-writing. You may wish
to consider using Editing Services. Please discuss with your Commissioning editor if you
are concerned.

About the book

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Is there a clear demand for your book from an academic or professional audience?
While some of our books may have wider trade appeal, we do not primarily publish for
a general audience.

We recommend you read our Overview of our products, customers, and readers to
learn about the kind of books we publish, how they are purchased and used, and by
whom.

Have you drafted or published any part of your book already?

We welcome proposals for books in all stages of writing, but a well-written proposal is
more important than existing or draft material to begin with. Be prepared to revise
anything you have already written.

A limited amount of previously published material is usually acceptable; please consult

your commissioning/acquiring editor to confirm for your case. Keep in mind that you
will be responsible for securing appropriate permission to use any previously published
material (including your own) ahead of final manuscript submission.

Writing your proposal

If you have not yet been in contact with T&F about your book, please get in touch with
the relevant Commissioning Editor. They will likely provide you with a specific proposal
form suitable for your subject area and book idea.

Here is a list of common or probable components of a proposal form to help you start
considering your proposal:

• Author/Editor names and affiliations

• Suggested book title (see also Making your work discoverable)
• Book description
• Keywords
• Table of contents
• Chapter abstracts and keywords
• Information about contributors (edited collections)
• Length and schedule
• Illustrations
• Advanced features (e.g. equations, special characters, etc.)
• Status of manuscript (e.g. “idea only” or “complete draft”)
• (CRC Press STEM authors only) Intention to use LaTex
• Breadth of market
• International appeal
• Primary audience

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• Secondary audience(s)
• Relevant courses/organizations that may use your book
• Competing and related titles (including pros and cons vs your book)
• Third-party material
• Potential reviewers/referees
• Information on current or potential funding (e.g. for Open Access publication)
• Supporting material (e.g. CV)
• Online resources (textbooks for student audiences only)

Submitting your proposal

Please email your proposal as a Word document or compatible format) to your

Commissioning Editor along with any supporting material (such as your CV).

Please only submit your proposal to one editor at a time. If, upon receipt, the editor you
have contacted feels it would sit better elsewhere, they will pass it on.

Note that draft or sample material is only helpful in support of, but not as a substitute
to, a comprehensive proposal form.

How we evaluate your proposal

Assessment by Commissioning Editor(s)

Your proposal will be looked at closely by the most suitable Commissioning Editor. They
will consider several questions, such as:

• Is the content of this book of a high academic standard?

• Is there a market for a book on this subject?
• What evidence is there for this market?
• If there is a gap in the market, is this the right book to fill it?
• Will the book sell internationally?

If the editor is satisfied at this stage, then the proposal will be evaluated by experts.

Review by independent specialists

It is our policy to peer review all proposed book projects before offering a contract,
including Open Access proposals.

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We ask a carefully selected group of respected specialists in the relevant field to give us
independent advice on the content, quality and potential market for a finished book
based on your proposal.

We aim to reflect an even gender balance and a diversity of racial, ethnic, and cultural
backgrounds in our reviewers where possible.

For textbooks, we aim to use reviewers that regularly teach the course relevant to the
proposed book. We try to avoid reviewers that have a close connection to the proposed
book or its authors, or that have authored a closely competing book.

We normally solicit 2 or 3 reviews. This process usually takes six to eight weeks but can
take longer depending on the availability of reviewers.

The questions we ask of reviewers are not dissimilar to those we ask in the proposal
form, and may include the following:

• What do you consider to be the main strengths of the materials you have been
asked to review?
• Are there any missing topics or additional content you would suggest?
• Does the organization look sensible to you?
• Does this material intrigue you enough to want to have this book on your shelf?
• What other books are you aware of in this area, and how do they compare to this
book?
• Are you confident of the quality of the sample material presented?
• What is your overall impression of the proposed book?

We are seeking constructive criticism for your manuscript. Reviewers are chosen
because they have expert knowledge in the field, and they should be providing
comments that will help you shape your manuscript to bring value to the marketplace.
Not every book idea is a winner. But in many cases, the idea can be reworked.

Your Commissioning Editor will discuss the reviews with you and may ask you to
respond to remarks or make revisions. If any suggestions seem unfair or irrelevant,
your Commissioning Editor can go back to the reviewer to clarify or accept your rational
reasons for dismissing the comments. If there is a consistent feeling that certain topics
should be added or changes made, we are likely to expect them to be address before
accepting your proposal.

Publishing Committee approval

If the reviews have been positive, your Commissioning Editor submits your proposal,
the reviews and additional information on projected production costs and revenues the
Publishing Committee (or Editorial Board) for consideration.

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The Publishing Committee consists of Commissioning Editors and Publishers (who

manage teams of Commissioning Editors), and occasionally Editorial Directors,
Marketing Representatives and Sales Managers.

Few proposals are rejected altogether, though many are provisionally approved
pending revisions. Otherwise, upon receipt of approval from the board, your editor will
let you know and will offer you a publishing contract.

For information on the rest of the publishing process, please see this overview.

Rejections

We must be selective for our readers. If we feel that a book author or editor is not
qualified in a particular area, if we note plagiarism, if reviews are poor, if a book author
or editor has expectations that we cannot meet, if the market is too saturated with
competitors, or if the material or concept is outdated or too niche, we may reject a book
proposal. Your time is extremely valuable, as is ours, so we try to make smart decisions
that are mutually beneficial.

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