3 Factors to Consider Before Writing an Academic Book Proposal: A Guide for Aspiring Authors 

As an academic, you’re used to writing papers for publication in academic journals. While you can gain significant prominence in your field through these works, you’re not likely to capture the attention of the general public. For that, you need to publish a book. Luckily, it’s perfectly possible to transform your academic materials into a book palatable to a non-expert audience. 

So, you’re an academic with a great idea for a book, or perhaps you’ve already written one and are now looking to get it published. How do you proceed? If you want your book available in bookstores across the country, you’ll need to land a publishing deal. You can always self-publish, but this is much less prestigious and unlikely to garner you a lot of attention. 

The first step to securing a publishing deal is to write a book proposal. If all goes well, it can convince a publisher that your project is worth investing in. How do you convince them beyond simply pitching your idea? There are multiple factors at play when it comes to writing a strong academic book proposal. Beyond them, this document is indicative of your professionalism, so it should not only be persuasive but also well-written and error-free. A poorly written book proposal doesn’t inspire much confidence in your manuscript—even if your idea is great, the publisher will reject it on the assumption that the execution will be subpar. 

For a polished and compelling academic book proposal, reach out to our team of expert academic editors, who have helped countless authors get their books published.

Here are three essential factors you should consider before writing your academic book proposal. 

1. The market

First, consider the academic book market. What’s in demand? What isn’t already covered? Publishers look to invest in exciting new ideas, in projects that delve deeply into emerging theories and novel research methodologies. Obviously, you’ll need to adjust your content for a lay audience, but publishers want topics that are likely to electrify general readers and rack up sales. In other words, your book proposal needs to explain why your project has great commercial potential. At the end of the day, sales are all the publisher cares about, so you have to demonstrate why regular people would want to buy your book.

If you’re a researcher, you may want to write a book detailing your unique research methodology. Perhaps you’re primarily a professor, in which case you can write about your teaching techniques. In either case, as an expert in your field, you can present interesting developments in your area that might interest a general audience, particularly if you can link the research to people’s daily lives or provide practical advice in some way.

Ultimately, to secure a contract with a publishing house, you need to not only display your professionalism and competency but also prove that your book will flourish in the market. 

2. The publishers and editors

Once you’ve considered the market, your target audience, and the reasons people would want to buy your book, turn your attention to the publishers and editors who will be in charge of your project.

Start by gathering feedback on your idea. You can do this in a number of ways, both virtually and in person. For instance, you can contact the commissioning editor of a publishing house you’re interested in working with by emailing them with a light pitch of your idea to see if it resonates with them. You can also attend industry conferences and approach publishers there. Discuss your project and ideas with them and see what they say. Forging connections with publishers and other industry professionals is a great way to pull ahead of the competition when you formally submit your book proposal—just mention the connection in your proposal. If the publisher remembers you, they’re more likely to consider your book, as long as their impression of you is positive.

Another strategy is to reach out to the editors and publishers of your favorite academic books for further feedback. Taking into account the opinions of industry experts can prove invaluable for discovering what projects they’re after. This will then help you write a proposal that casts your book in the right light. If you’re hesitant to contact them because you don’t expect them to respond, you have a point there—they might not respond. Then again, they might. Taking a chance and reaching out to influential people can be life-changing, so it’s worth a try.

3. The content

Once you sit down to write your book proposal, make sure the content aligns with any guidelines the publisher has set out. It may be your book and your research, but the publisher gets to dictate the content.

A standard academic book proposal should include the following information: a summary of your project; a self-introduction; a brief outline of the book, including chapter titles; your target readership (including possible university-level courses that might adopt your book if it’s a textbook); a projected word count; and a timeline for your manuscript delivery. This means you should devote ample time to fleshing out an outline and a general vision for your book before you start reaching out to publishers.

After submission

Once you’ve submitted your proposal, the commissioning editor will assess whether your project is worth pursuing. Provided they get positive feedback from other academic reviewers, they will then present your proposal to the publishing house at large. If it is approved, you’ll be offered a contract, but you may be asked to make changes, so be prepared to compromise—this is part and parcel of working with a publisher, whose primary concern is the commercial viability of your book.

Taking all these factors into consideration can help you write a compelling proposal that addresses the academic book market and the expectations of editors. Landing a publishing deal is hard, and there are never any guarantees, but these tips will boost your chances of success. Before submitting your proposal, make sure it’s polished and error-free. Use our combined proofreading and editing service to be confident that you’re sending out a proposal that argues your case as convincingly as possible.