If your manuscript is written and you are seeking to submit it, we will usually require the following:

1. The manuscript printed on A4 paper in a legible font (10pt or larger)
2. A brief author CV
3. A critical literature review, analysing the relationship between the book and other similar or potentially competitive books either published or in the course of being written
4. A note from you detailing any revisions you intend to make and the approximate length of time you expect to take to make them

If the manuscript is not yet written and you are seeking a contract to write it, we will usually require the following:

1. A table of contents
2. A brief description of the book (150-300 words)
3. A critical literature review, analysing the relationship between the book you are planning to write and other similar or potentially competitive books either published or in the course of being written
4. A brief author CV

What will happen to your book proposal?

Complete manuscripts are initially assessed in-house. We also seek the opinion of referees in most instances.

Though we may not always be able to read the entire script, we will let you have, usually within one month, our opinion of its suitability for publication together with any suggestions for revision or enlargement/shortening.
If we think the manuscript is publishable and that it is suitable for our list, we will notify you of this and outline the terms of our offer to publish.

If we think that the manuscript is possibly publishable but that we need a second opinion then we will engage one or more suitable experts as referees. This stage may take up to 3 months. We will only ask you to wait this long for our decision if we are of the view that the script is prima facie suitable for our list and that, if the review is a favourable one, we will offer to publish.
If we think that the work is not suitable for the list, or is not publishable in its present form and we do not wish to consider it further, then you will be notified of this within one month. The script will be retained and destroyed after a further month unless you request its return in writing.
If you are submitting a proposal for a book which is as yet unwritten then we will follow the same steps outlined in 1-4 above, assessing the proposal in-house and making use of expert referees when necessary.
In general we are not in favour of simultaneous submissions being made to other publishers, and prefer to deal with manuscripts on an exclusive basis. In return we undertake to complete our review process in a timely fashion and not to keep authors waiting unnecessarily. In exceptional circumstances we may accept simultaneous submission to another publisher, but you must tell us at the time of submission that the manuscript is also being submitted elsewhere so that we can decide at that point in time whether or not we wish to commence our own review process.