submit a proposal
Manuscript Requirements
What to expect when you submit a manuscript to Anglican House Publishers:
- Submit your proposal (and manuscript, if it’s written) according to the “Requirements and Suggestions” criteria below to submissions@anglicanhouse.org.
- Upon submission of the requested materials, you will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 1-2 business days.
- Our Acquisitions Team meets at the end of each quarter, and reviews manuscripts submitted up to four weeks before the end of the quarter.
- Following the quarterly meeting, you will receive written notification as to whether the manuscript may be submitted for further review. If the proposal is accepted, you will be asked to submit the entire text of the manuscript.
- Anglican House will offer an author contract for the publication of accepted manuscripts.
- Anglican House will proceed with editorial revisions, lay-out and proof-reading.
You may withdraw your manuscript at any stage of the process up to this point by notifying Anglican House to that effect.
Anglican House Book Proposals: Requirements and Suggestions
I. General Criteria for Submissions
Send materials in electronic format. Do not send hard copy.
All requirements of the proposal should be prepared using Times New Roman 12-point or 14-point type or a similar serif font.
Double-space your material, retaining ample margins.
Combine chapters unto one document and consecutively number your pages throughout.
Do not send original manuscripts, photos, artwork, etc. Send photocopies instead. We cannot be responsible for lost originals.
Sub-title
Author’s Name
Date
Author’s Contact Information
B. PREMISE
A two or three sentence statement of your book’s basic concept or thesis. Usually it identifies the need for the book and then proposes a solution.
C. UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION
How will the reader benefit from reading your book? What can the reader expect to “take away” after reading the book?
D. OVERVIEW
Communicate the book’s overall flow with a general outline. What you want to convey here is broad outline for the sections of the book (e.g., Part I, describe the problem/need; Part II, present the solution; Part III, how to apply the solution). Your chapter-by-chapter synopsis (see V. below) is a separate attachment.
E. MANUSCRIPT
Status of manuscript: is it started, how many chapters are written? Are there any charts, graphs, tables, illustrations, photographs, etc.? Anticipated length in manuscript pages or word count. Anticipated completion date.
F. ARTWORK
While there may be matters of design and illustration in your manuscript, do not include any illustrations with your proposal.
III. The Market
A. AUDIENCE
Who is the intended reader of the book? Is it a women’s book? A men’s book? Will it appeal to readers of a certain age? Is there a particular theological orientation? What are your reader’s frustrations, motivations, felt needs? Why would the reader want to buy your book?
B. PLATFORM
Does the writer have any affinity groups that will help in the marketing such as a regular broadcast platform? What newspapers and magazines do you subscribe to? What magazines do you read? What TV or radio programs? What organizations do you belong too? How many people do you speak or write to in a 12 month period?
C. RELATED AND COMPETING WORKS
List the author, title, and publisher of the main related or competing works. Describe why they are not adequate to meet the need you have identified. How will your work differ or be superior?
IV. THE AUTHOR
Your background as it relates to the work. This includes professional, academic, or personal qualifications that support the work. Include a description of previous writings, if any, and how well they did. Indicate if previous writings are available upon request. Describe those things you can do to help promote the book, including important contacts, speaking engagements, articles based on the book, media opportunities and anything else that could help. What are your current outreaches? How many people do you reach through each one? How many people hear or see your “message” in a twelve-month period?
V. CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER SYNOPSIS
This needs to include section titles and chapter titles with a two or three sentence description under each chapter title of what will be covered in that particular chapter.
VI. TWO SAMPLE CHAPTERS
This is the only way you can demonstrate your writing ability. These chapters don’t have to be the first two in the book; they don’t even have to be consecutive.