Book Proposal Submissions

Briefly explain what your book is about. What are its main themes and objectives? What are you doing differently, or in a more innovative way, or better than existing books?

Please list working chapter headings and provide a short paragraph of explanation on what you (or your contributors) intend to cover in each chapter. This may be all a reviewer of your proposal has to go on, so please provide a clear indication of the proposed content—a list of chapter headings alone is not enough.

• What is the estimated length (number of words) of your book at this stage? Does this include references and endnotes? (Note: The reference list for each chapter should be placed at the end of each chapter.)
• Approximately how many tables, diagrams, or illustrations do you plan to include in the book?
• Do you plan to include any material from published, copyrighted sources for which permission to reprint will be needed (e.g., text that exceeds “fair use” limits, graphic images, tables and figures, poetry or song lyrics)? About how much of this material do you plan to use?
• Will the book include material that is not published/copyrighted but for which releases will be required (e.g., interview data, transcripts, case studies, and the like, in which research participants are quoted verbatim and/or identified; artwork or poetry that is not created by the author(s)/editor(s), etc)?

• To which subject areas do you think this book would principally appeal? At whom is your book primarily aimed? Who will buy it? Who will read it? Are there any secondary audiences who might be interested in this book?
• Is it aimed at a professional, undergraduate, or postgraduate student audience? Does the book assume a fair amount of prior (specialist) knowledge, or does it introduce the topic?
• Please list a few courses where this book might be used or adopted, if applicable.
• Is the subject area of the book widely taught or researched? Is it a new or trending area?
• Would this subject have international appeal? If so, where, and why?
• What keywords would you use to describe your book? Please list 5–10 keywords, terms, or buzzwords that are associated with the subject of your book.

It is important that you are aware of your book’s place within existing literature, and that you are familiar with the competition of your proposed book. Please list any books that are either directly in competition with your book or could be related in some way. (Please include the following details: author, publication date, title, publisher, and price, along with a brief explanation of how your proposed book could improve upon or be different to the competing/related title.)

Which, if any, books are related and/or competitive? How is your book similar to or different from each of these books?

Why are you the right author(s)/editor(s) for this project?

• Do you anticipate the book being required, recommended, or supplementary reading on any academic courses? If so, at what level?
• Is it a relatively specialist/high-level scholarly volume?
• Are there any stipulations by your funding body or institution that require any of this material to be published Open Access?

In academic publishing, it can be vital to begin publicizing and marketing a book at an early stage—we would appreciate your input in the following areas, which may be helpful in evaluating the commercial viability of your proposed book:

• Key selling points: Please list at least three brief selling points that would make your book appealing to its intended audience.
• Societies and organizations: Do you belong to any societies, associations, or organizations that could be used for promotional purposes? Please provide a list. Would any of these societies or organizations be interested in purchasing a bulk number of copies of the book at a discount? Is the work reported in the book the outcome of any funded project? Can you suggest any institutional support for discounted bulk purchases of the book or for assisting in marketing the book?
• Journals: One key promotional tactic is to send review copies to relevant journals. Please list in order of importance the top five journals whose readership you think would find your book most interesting.
• Conferences: Routledge is represented at many academic conferences. Please give details of conferences or professional meetings where it could be useful to advertise your book.

We will select appropriate reviewers of our own choice, but we will consider inviting reviews from individuals whose opinion you feel will be particularly valuable. Please feel free to make suggestions. If the book has several distinct markets, try to recommend at least one reviewer for each. We aim to reflect cultural diversity and an even gender balance in our reviewers and commission reviews that truly represent the communities we reach—please consider this when making reviewer suggestions.

Authors do not receive payment or royalties under the NAEA–Routledge co-publication partnership. However, all editors and single book authors will receive complimentary copies of their published work and have the opportunity to participate in author events at the annual NAEA National Convention.

NAEA now partners with Routledge for the publication of our books. When your book proposal is submitted for consideration, it will first be reviewed by NAEA’s Professional Materials Committee (PMC). The PMC is composed of a cross-section of NAEA members who represent each NAEA Division and Region with experience in writing, publishing, various grade levels, including higher education, and vast experience in arts education fields. Four or five PMC members will blind-review and score your completed proposal based on a rubric that covers content, appropriateness, and marketability in relation to the perceived value of the proposed book within the field of art education.

If the PMC approves your proposal, it will then move on for a second round of reviews by a similarly experienced team of reviewers at Routledge. You will receive the results from each round of these reviews, which may determine if additional suggestions or recommendations may be needed before moving the proposal forward. A final report will be compiled from each round of reviews and presented to both the NAEA Board of Directors and the Routledge Editorial Review Board for final approvals. If approved for publication, a final contract will be presented to you before the production phase begins.

The length of this process can vary, but the normal publication process from acceptance, production, and publication takes approximately 6–12 months.

Successful proposals accurately articulate why the material is a needed resource for arts educators. It is important to describe your intended audience, the significance of your work to the field of art education, and how this relates to existing literature from other publishers.

You may be asked to revise your original submission to address PMC or Routledge reviewer suggestions or concerns. Unless otherwise specified, there is no time limit for resubmitting your proposal or manuscript.

This timeline will be determined by the publishers in accordance who will work with you, as well as the production team, on a reasonable timeframe.

Once your final manuscript and all files, images, and permissions have been submitted to NAEA and Routledge, you will receive updates on the production timeline from either the Routledge Commissioning Editor or NAEA Director of Publications. You will be notified of scheduled deadlines for each phase of publication.

You will work with the Routledge Commissioning Editor and/or production team to determine cover designs for your book.

Your images must be large and clear enough (usually 300 dpi or higher) for print quality, and you must provide all permissions as required before entering the production phase. Often images from museums or galleries require permission from more than one institution. Any related costs or required copies, are the sole responsibility of the author.

Jamie Klinger-Krebs, NAEA Director of Publications, is your main point of contact throughout the proposal review process. If you have questions about your proposal, the review process, or the stages of final publication, please reach out to Jamie via email at jklingerkrebs@arteducators.org.

NAEA and Routledge support new book sales through online and print advertising, mass email, social media, and published reviews. Books are sold via the Routledge and NAEA websites. You will also be invited to participate in author events in the bookstore during the annual NAEA National Convention. Copies of your books may also be marketed to other arts- and education-related organizations and review copies are provided upon request. As an author, you are an important part of marketing your work. You will receive proposed marketing text (upon request) and provided cover images to share via social media channels.