Industrial Press: Authoritative publishing for nearly 130 years… Thanks to our authors!
Industrial Press continuously expands our offering of professional and educational titles. Do you have ideas or suggestions? Are you ready to write an authoritative book in our market space? We encourage you to contact us now.
Industrial Press provides specialized and personal assistance in all stages of book publishing, from writing, editing, and layout and design to marketing and distribution. We give authors the individualized attention needed to produce quality publications, and we actively promote all our titles to national and international markets.
Please read our Guidelines below, then contact us to discuss your proposed project.
Judy Bass
Publisher
Guidelines for Your Book Proposal
Industrial Press welcomes your book proposal. Preparing one is the key step toward realization of your ideas. Think of the proposal as a business plan, but for a book. Written to convince others, the proposal enables us to evaluate the merits of your ideas.
Most authors claim that the process of building a proposal actually generated fresh thinking and better concepts. It’s the initial step in making the best possible book. The proposal needn’t be long. Three to seven pages is a typical range, hopefully accompanied by a sample chapter or two. Please consider the following elements and topics as you build your persuasive document:
A. Your Prospectus
The ideal prospectus includes a convincing rationale, a plan for development and a clear focus on the targeted market. A carefully thought-out prospectus also demonstrates your passion and vision — why you want to undertake the project.
Begin by telling us what your book is about. Talk to us as if we do not have expertise in your field. We need a firm, fundamental understanding of your main idea, why it’s important to others, and how you think it should be expressed in book form.
Next, consider addressing the following:
1. The Market
- Who will buy your book? We don’t expect you to be a marketing expert. However, we want to know as much as possible about who you believe will read your book (and why), and what occupational and/or academic fields they are in.
- Describe the potential readers. For example, readers could be individuals, professionals, academic institutions and their students, or all of the above. How big is the reader pool?
- What trade and professional organizations might show interest in your book? Be specific.
- What is the complexity level? Are you writing for technical students? Post-grads? Administrators? Practitioners in the field? All of them?
- Is there an academic element to this market? At what level? Your choices potentially span everything from high school trade skill development programs to college and university programs.
2. The Competition
- What are the major competing books? Perhaps some of them are in your personal library. Please cite author, title and year published. Include soon-to-published projects you may know about
- Please tell us about the strengths and weaknesses of these competitors. What advantages will your book offer? How will your book differentiate itself and become a positive addition to the market?
3. The Content
Describe your book’s content and how you plan to organize and present it. Include your current table of contents.
- Do you have a working title? Be sure to list it.
- If you’ve decided on a chapter structure or template (even a rough one), please describe it.
- If your vision includes a book series or supporting workbooks or exercise books, please detail the anticipated volumes. What are the successive titles?
- How about revisions? Would your content idea require periodic new editions to update your book? How often?
- What are the key features of the book? These might include elaborate drawings, mathematical expressions, clear photography, structured lessons and related exercises and tests, or computer-based practice.
- How will users of the book benefit from your content? It may be obvious to you; however, we want to understand how readers will benefit because it helps with marketing your book
- If you plan to include software (on a CD/DVD or as a download through our website), please describe it fully.
4. The Format
- How long is your manuscript? Using a standard page (8.5” x 11”), standard font and double-spacing, about how many pages will the manuscript span? Or you can estimate length based on the physical size that you believe will work best for your content. Your estimate may be a range, such as 6” x 9” pages, 300 – 400.
- What is your plan for artwork and illustrations (number and type of illustrations)? How will you prepare your photos and illustrations?
- Are there any special design considerations? These might include color artwork and photos, extensive use of mathematical expressions, etc.
- The text of your sample chapters and final manuscript must be in Word (or a compatible word-processing program).
- Illustrations and photos must be submitted in high-resolution files: 300 dpi or more for line art; 600 dpi or more for photos.
- All images must be original and/or come with written permission for reuse; new illustrations may be created. Discuss this with your editor.
5. The Schedule
How much of your manuscript have you completed thus far, including illustrations and photos (if any)? What’s your schedule for delivering the complete manuscript, including art?
B. Sample Chapters
Sample chapters are an important part of your proposal. While a thorough prospectus and table of contents explains your planning and intent, it’s the sample chapters that most clearly demonstrate whether or not your book’s potential is likely to be realized. Please include one or two chapters with your prospectus or provide a schedule for submitting them.
C. Curriculum Vitae (or resume) and Reviewer Suggestions
- What are your qualifications? They might range from “20 years on the job” to post-graduate degrees and extensive time in practice. Please include your curriculum vitae or detailed resume. Include work and teaching experience, degrees and affiliations, prior books, publications and awards.
- Be sure to include complete contact information!
- Your recommendations for reviewers, preferably drawn from your target market, or experts in the field.
Again, please send your proposal to our Publisher Judy Bass at jbass@industrialpress.com.