Fifth Floor, University Corner, University of the Witwatersrand, Jorissen Street, Braamfontein,

Johannesburg, South Africa

P Wits, !"#", Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 11 717 8700/1
www.witspress.co.za
Dear Author/Editor(s)
Publishing query submission guidelines
Thank you for considering Wits University Press for publication of your
anuscript! "n the subission process# $e do not generally consider full
anuscripts upfront! "nitially $e re%uire a proposal# $hich is put before the
publishing coittee! &hould the coittee 'nd that your proposal 'ts our
publishing prograe# $e $ill re%uest afull anuscript!
(our proposal should include the follo$ing ites# subitted to us in electronic
for as a Word docuent)
1. The provisional book title
2. *urrent curriculu vitae of the author/s or volue editor/s# including
address# telephone nuber# eail and current position!
3. Synopsis
A brief description of the book (+,,-./, $ords)! Even if your book is on
a speciali0ed sub1ect/thee# your description should be intelligible to a
non-specialist audience!
The estiated length of the anuscript (in nuber of $ords)!
The estiated nuber of illustrations# photos# tables and 'gures# aps
and appendices# etc! We generally print in black and $hite but if there
are speci'c re%uireents for colour# please indicate your reasons!
The Table of *ontents $ith brief descriptions of each chapter!
An introductory chapter and a saple chapter (about 2, pages
altogether)!
Pro1ected copletion date of the anuscript and subission to Wits
Press!
Details of any deadlines $e should be a$are of (e!g! key events#
conferences# donor re%uireents)!
Please note that $e do not consider dissertations or theses! "f your $ork is based
on your PhD $e $ill only send it out for revie$ once adapted into a book
anuscript and suitable for a $ider audience!
4. Readership and Marketing
As the author of the $ork# you are acutely failiar $ith the readership and
audience! "n order for us to a3ii0e the potential of prooting your $ork
please provide us $ith as uch inforation as possible)
Please provide a t$o-sentence suary (no ore than 4/ $ords)
e3pressing the scope and thee of your anuscript! Please ephasise
any key selling points for the acadeic arket you are targeting!
"nclude $hat area of studies your anuscript falls into e!g! literary
criticis5 ethnographic studies# heritage studies# politics# urban
studies# developent studies# trade# art/photography!
Please provide a list of at least three copeting or siilar titles (please
do not say that there are no other copeting $orks! We need to get a
sense of ho$ your pro1ect $ould be copeting for the end purchaser6s
attention and oney)!
&pecify if there is prescription potential (tertiary university courses
and/or special institutes# think-tanks and 789s)!
Provide a list of acadeic or professional associations $hose ebers
ay have an interest in your book! "nclude professional eetings $here
your book $ould be suitable for display# for e3aple) Annual :eeting of
the African &tudies Association (A&A)# The ;istorical &ociety# etc!
<ist +, appropriate 1ournals $here $e could subit the publication for
revie$! "nclude 1ournals $here your $ork has been previously
published! Please note any special circustance regarding 1ournals or
ne$spapers (i!e! relationship $ith book editor/revie$er# etc) that $ould
increase the likelihood of revie$!
Please provide naes of recogni0ed authorities on the book6s sub1ect
atter $ho you believe $ould be interested in providing pre- or post-
publication coents for prootional purposes! Please include
coplete postal and eail addresses!
5. Additional information
"ndicate $hether sections of the book have been published (e!g! 1ournal
article# book chapter# etc) and if you are $illing to revise the chapter# if
need be and source perission fro the original publisher to re-
publish!
An indication of any funds you can contribute to the publication or any
institutions $hich ay be interested in purchasing bulk copies at a
discounted rate!
An indication of $hether you are subitting your anuscript
siultaneously to other publishers# in &outh Africa or abroad!
&uggest suitable peer revie$ers! Please note that there should be no
con=ict of interest in your recoendations! The 'nal decision of
appointing revie$ers is that of the publishing coittee and your
suggestions $ill be taken into consideration!
9nce $e have received a coplete proposal as above# it goes before the publishing
coittee! This coittee only eets t$ice a onth and $e address proposals in
the order in $hich they are received! As $e have any subissions# yours ay not
necessarily be put for$ard at the ne3t coittee eeting! Please be patient as $e
follo$ $hat is a standard publishing procedure# $ith a very busy prograe and a
sall tea!
" hope to let you kno$ $hether $e6ve decided to subit your anuscript for peer
revie$ $ithin t$o onths fro the date of receipt of proposal! We follo$ 7>?
guidelines on peer revie$ procedures# and a decision to publish $ill only be ade

after t$o readers6 reports fro e3perts in the 'eld have been received! ?inding
suitable revie$ers can be di@icult and tie-consuing# and there are often further
delays as $e $ait for reports! We ay stop the process if $e can6t 'nd suitable
readers after a nuber of approaches# or if they do not deliver! Please note that a
decision to go ahead $ith peer revie$ does not necessarily ean that $e6ll publish
even if the reports are favourable# as $e are able to publish only a liited nuber
of books every year! ;o$ever# if your anuscript does not suit our list or strategic
direction# $e $ill endeavour to infor you of this as soon as possible!
Please note that $e do not publish certain categories including 'ction# poetry#
otivational $riting# spiritual or religious inspiration# esoteric and D"(/self-help!
To 'nd a suitable publisher for these categories# $e advise you consult the free
online directory of the Publishers6 Association of &outh Africa $$$!publishsa!co!0a
(ou can also visit our $ebsite $$$!$itspress!co!0a and click on the link
Apublishing $ith Wits UPB for our online proposal for!
(ours sincerely
>oshan *ader
Commissioning Editor