Editors' Bulletin

ISSN: (Print) 1752-1742 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/edbl20

How to Write a Book Proposal for Routledge

Research

Terry Clague

To cite this article: Terry Clague (2006) How to Write a Book Proposal for Routledge Research,
Editors' Bulletin, 2:1, 8-11, DOI: 10.1080/17521740701702040

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/17521740701702040

Published online: 19 Nov 2007.

Submit your article to this journal

Article views: 2450

View related articles

Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at

https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=edbl20
Editors’ Bulletin
Vol. 2, No. 1, 8
11, April 2006

How to Write a Book Proposal for

Routledge Research

TERRY CLAGUE

Research Editor, Routledge

Routledge Research is a multi-disciplin- tions on emerging subjects. To maintain

ary publisher of research-level books for
the academic audience. Whilst the pub-
lishing programmes of many of our
rivals concentrate only on core text-
books for students, Routledge is fully
committed to a broad range of publish-
ing models including a large number of
research-level books. In the last decade,
we have published over a thousand titles
and we are actively commissioning high-
quality book proposals from authors
across the world in the following subject
areas: Asian Studies; Business and Man-
agement; Economics; Education; Geo-
graphy; History; Linguistics; Media and
Cultural Studies; Middle East and
Islamic Studies; Philosophy; Politics;
Religion; Sociology; Theatre and Perfor-
mance Studies; and Tourism.
this high quality of publishing, all Rou-
tledge books are peer-reviewed and
manuscripts are worked on by our
skilled production team, leaving our
authors to concentrate on the writing.
All Routledge Research books appear
in one of our numerous prestigious series
and are advertised via our website, our
range of catalogues, leaflets and flyers,
at relevant conferences and in relevant
journals. Routledge Research series in-
clude:
. Routledge Studies in Small Business
(Series Editor, David Storey, War-
wick Business School)
. Routledge Leading Linguists
(Series Editor, Carlos Otero, UCLA)
. Routledge Studies in Ethics and Moral

Routledge’s many excellent research Theory

level publications consist of a variety
of different types of book from single-
authored research monographs, through
multiple-authored overviews of key
issues within a subject, to edited collec-
The process for getting a book published
through Routledge Research is a fairly
straightforward one, albeit with a num-
ber of important stages:

Correspondence Address: Terry Clague, Taylor & Francis, Albert House, 1
4 Singer Street, London, EC2A
4BQ, UK. Email: Terry.Clague@tandf.co.uk

1752-1742 Online/06/010008
04 # 2006 Taylor & Francis

DOI: 10.1080/17521740701702040
How to Write a Book Proposal for Routledge Research

1) Writing the Proposal

A typical book proposal will contain a statement of aims, a detailed chapter list
with a synopsis of each chapter, a description of the target audience for the
book, and if possible some sample chapters (or even the entire manuscript). The
entire proposal is usually around five pages in length without the sample
chapters and is submitted via email to the Routledge Research editor.

2) Submitting the Proposal

The proposal will be read by the Routledge Research editor who may discuss it
with other editors and marketing colleagues within Routledge and possibly
with a series editor if that is appropriate. They may feed back areas that need a
little work for the proposal to be ready for external review.

3) The Review Process

The proposal will be sent to several experts in relevant subject areas across the
world. Ideally we’d receive at least two reviews at this stage. These reviews are
shared with the author who has a chance at this stage to feed back any thoughts
or queries about comments raised by reviewers. Depending on the comments
raised by the reviewers at this stage, there are different options for what
happens next.

4) The Decision

The proposal, along with all of the reviews and the author’s response, will be
considered by the Routledge Research editor. The next stage will be either to:

a) Recommend publication of the book to the Routledge Editorial board.

b) Request the proposal is revised and resubmitted. This would be in the event
that the idea for the book is good, but there are a few areas that need to be
changed or tightened up.
c) Reject the proposal. This would be because, after consideration, the book
does not fit into the Routledge Research list.

Upon recommendation of the book to the Routledge Editorial Board, it is

likely we will offer an initial contract and that the editorial board will have
suggestions about the book, such as a possible change to the title. Once the
green light has been received from the Routledge Editorial Board, a final
contract will be sent out to the author.

9
How to Write a Book Proposal for Routledge Research

5) Under Contract

Routledge Research authors receive guidance from the publisher with regard to
how the manuscript needs to be prepared. Whilst the book is under contract,
the Routledge Research team will keep in touch with the author to discuss how
the work on the manuscript is progressing and to offer help where necessary.
Our books are advertised early on after they have been signed up.

6) Delivery

Once the author has finished his or her work on the manuscript and submitted
it to Routledge, the publisher will be in contact to clear up any queries with
regard to the project and go through some administrative tasks required before
the book can be put into production.

7) Production

At Routledge we have an experienced production team who will guide our

authors through the production process.

8) Publication

Once the book is published, the hard work of selling it really gets going. We
expect to sell the book internationally with the majority of our sales coming
from overseas. To achieve this, we market the book individually via catalogue
entries, review copies to relevant journals, and copies to relevant conferences
amongst other things. We also market our series both in print and electro-
nically via the Internet.

9) Post Publication

We hope to reprint the majority of our books within 18 months of the date of
publication. This process takes a matter of weeks and means that it is extremely
unlikely the book will go out of print. We also release a significant minority of
our most successful Routledge Research books as paperback editions, should
the opportunity arise.

In keeping up with changing technol- Routledge’s commitment to publish-

ogy, the vast majority of Routledge pub-
lications are also available electronically,
as e-Books. Particularly popular with
libraries, these electronic versions of our
publications are fully searchable and add
a new dimension to the dissemination of
high quality, cutting-edge research.
ing high quality research in book format
is long standing and continuing. Com-
missioning editors are actively seeking
out new book proposals, and academics
with an interest in submitting a book
proposal should contact the appropriate
editor in their subject area:

10
How to Write a Book Proposal for Routledge Research

Terry Clague Andrew Humphrys

terry.clague@tandf.co.uk andrew.humphrys@tandf.co.uk
Business & Management/Economics, Military and Security Studies
Accounting & Finance
Stephanie Rogers
Heidi Bagtazo stephanie.rogers@tandf.co.uk
heidi.bagtazo@tandf.co.uk Asian Studies
Politics
Dorothea Schaefter
Ben Holtzman dorothea.schaefter@tandf.co.uk
ben.holtzman@tandf.co.uk South and Central Asian Studies
Social Sciences
Joe Whiting
Max Novick joe.whiting@tandf.co.uk
max.novick@tandf.co.uk Middle East and Islamic Studies
Humanities

11