Proposal Guidelines

Harvard University Press publishes scholarly books and thoughtful books for the educated general reader in history, philosophy, literature, classics, religion, law, economics, public policy, physical and life sciences, history of science, behavioral sciences, and education, and reference works in a wide range of fields.

All HUP books are published in English, with translation rights licensed to publishers in other countries.

We do not publish original fiction, original poetry, religious inspiration or revelation, cookbooks, guidebooks, children’s books, art and photography books, Festschriften, conference volumes, unrevised dissertations, or autobiographies.

Preliminary Research

Publishing involves a matching process between the particular strengths and styles of manuscript and publisher. For both authors and publishers, happiness and long life come when a book is matched with a publisher who has a strong list in its particular discipline.

So, before submitting a book proposal to Harvard University Press (or any other publisher), do some preliminary research:

• Who published recent books in your field that you especially admire?
• Which publishers’ websites describe books in your area that resemble the one you plan to write?
• Which publishers seem especially good at reaching the audience(s) you are aiming for?

Coming up with a short and focused list of possible publishers will save a lot of time and worry in the long run.

What Should Be in a Proposal?

Your proposal should give our editors and marketing staff—most of whom will not be specialists in your area—a clear and detailed idea of what your book will be about. The proposal should tell the Press staff why you are writing this particular book at this particular time in your own career, and more important, in the development of your field.

Questions to consider as you prepare a book proposal:

• What problems are you setting out to solve?
• What confusions do you wish to clarify?
• What previously unknown or unfortunately neglected story are you planning to tell?
• The “Passover question”: How is this book different from all other books?
• And, equally important: Why does that matter? To whom?

Possible audiences are as variable as publishers. Consider:

• Is your book for specialists in your field?
• Does your book focus on a particular area within a larger field?
• Is it a book that students might use, and if so, students at what level?
• Is it a “trade” book? (That is, one intended for general readers, those without specialized knowledge in your area?)

Whatever your answer, consider carefully the kind of approach, terminology, level of explanation, and scholarly apparatus that your book will need to make it most compelling for your ideal reader.

Successful proposals usually include:

• A narrative description of the proposed book’s themes, arguments, goals, place in the literature, and expected audience. State your argument concisely and clearly.
• A comparison of the proposed book to other books now available intended for the audience that you seek. (If you are writing a specialized monograph, it is not especially illuminating to compare it to a popularized treatment of the same subject.)
• A summary of your own professional experience, past publications, and relevant research, aimed at explaining why you are the right author for the book you intend to write.
• An annotated table of contents, with a brief description of the contents of each chapter.
• An estimate of the probable length of the book, the illustrations (if any) that you wish to include, the time it will take you to write it, and any possible complicating factors.

As a general rule, the more an author can show to a publisher, the stronger his position will be. If some chapters of the manuscript are already written, say so in your cover letter. (You should also note whether any chapters, or substantive sections of chapters, have been previously published.) However, you do not need to send full chapters with the initial proposal.

For more advice, we recommend:

• Getting It Published: A Guide for Scholars and Anyone Else Serious About Serious Books, by William Germano
• Thinking Like Your Editor: How to Write Great Serious Nonfiction—and Get It Published, by Susan Rabiner and Alfred Fortunate

Who Reads a Proposal?

Proposals are most likely to be read quickly when they are addressed (by name) to the appropriate acquisitions editor. Read more about their areas of interest and, if necessary, contact us to determine which editor would be most suited to your work. Editors may decline to pursue a proposed book. They may encourage the author to provide more information or send in the chapters that are already written. They may consult with outside reviewers, and they will certainly confer with other editors and members of the Press staff, before making any formal commitment. Bear in mind, then, that your proposal may be read not only by editors but by specialists in marketing and production, and answer any questions they may have (e.g., “Why are 50 b/w photographs necessary?”) as clearly as you can.

Where Should a Proposal Be Sent?

Please mark all proposals to the attention of the Editorial Department and send them by email or mail to:

Harvard University Press
79 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Email: [Email Address]

Back to top