Monograph

How to change a thesis into a book

• A strong introduction that lays foundation for the arguments
• Highlight the author’s contribution (author’s voice) rather than the scholarly apparatus – reduce the footnote referencing
• Strong arguments in accessible language.
• Avoid using too many quotes (editors/readers want to ‘see’ author’s voice)
• Avoid heavy academic jargon
• Theoretical framework must be present throughout the book/chapters
• No literature review (but strong historiographical analysis may be required in some disciplines/fields)
• Streamline the number of case studies/examples
• Thesis covers one small area in lots of detail, whereas a book might have a wider scope with a lower density of examples/case studies)
• Supervisors and viva examiners a good source of advice
• Avoid epigraphs! (or you will need to secure permissions)
• Make sure to obtain permission for images: apply for funding early on.
• Have the courage to submit the manuscript-there is no perfect book!

Contents of a book proposal

• Introduction
• Identify what makes your book unique, what is your original contribution to knowledge and why it would be a good fit for the publisher/series
• Scope/aim of the project
• Methodology/theoretical context
• Breakdown of chapters and possibly a chapter outline
• Sample of one chapter (if required)
• Estimated length of the monograph, and word-count for each chapter
• Identify the readership (primary and secondary readership)
• Identify the geographical regions where the monograph may be more relevant (if applicable)
• Keywords (5 to 10)
• Consider adding a cover letter outlining relevant experience and core idea
• A sense of other books published on similar areas/themes
• Proposed timetable for completion

NB monograph can be standard length (c.80,000-100,000 words) or a short monograph (eg 25,000-50,000) [see Palgrave Pivot]

Edited Volume

Contents of a book proposal

The proposal should be detailed and informative while avoiding specialized language and disciplinary jargon. All proposals should contain the following information:

• Approximately 1500 words describing the volume’s main aims and points of interest, what makes it distinctive, what it adds to the field of study
• A detailed chapter plan, including descriptions of chapter content of approximately 300 words each. Recommend having both an introductory chapter and a conclusion. Note that a book might be accepted on the basis of these chapter summaries alone, so these need to be representative of the final product.
• Be clear about the key themes to be considered by contributors
• Number of illustrations
• Comparable books already published
• Potential market/readership (what disciplines might it speak to?)
• List of authors + affiliations + job titles
• Timetable for completion
• Projected length
• Curriculum vitae of editor(s)
• Possible that a workshop structure will add cohesion and so chapters speak to each other. Consider pairing up chapters in draft form to facilitate dialogue.
• Suggestions of peer-reviewers (some publishers)

What makes a good proposal?

• Cohesion of the book - are the chapters in dialogue with one another? Are there clear thematic groupings or argumentative threads running across subsections?
• Identifying a clear gap in current scholarship that this collection will fill
• Rationale for the choice of essays
• Enough detail in the chapter summaries to be convincing: you might get a contract just on this basis
• An identification of a target and possible additional audience
• Have a range of contributors (career stage, gender, geographical spread, discipline)
• Clear sense of how this edited collection contributes to the series you’re pitching it to
• Also, a sense of how the proposed volume relates to your own field of research especially if you are a doctoral/post-doc candidate
• A realistic timeline

Key things to think about

• How will this monograph/edited collection situate you as a scholar in your field? How will people who read this book remember you?
• Who is your audience, and which publisher(s) and series best suit that audience?
• What makes your idea/intervention memorable and important? (Communicate this in the proposal!)
• Where do you want to see yourself in the next 5-10 years? What does it imply in terms of publishing your work and, therefore, your choice of a publisher?
• Have a contingency plan in place in case of contributors in an edited volume drop out.
• If you are considering submitting the proposal as part of a series, consider how it fits in with the other titles.
• Whether you practically have the time to carry out the project such that it does not overtake your other research work (esp for an edited vol.)
• Which referencing style works best for this collection/your field generally? How are you going to ensure that contributors follow the stylistic guidelines?
• If working with others, set clear deadlines + guidelines. Send out regular updates to all on progress with the volume (both before and after acceptance). This will help contributors plan their time.