To consider your idea for a new book, we will need to see a detailed proposal which addresses the following points:
Target Audience
Who are you writing this book for? This section of your proposal should address in detail the level of the reader, e.g. 1st year undergraduate, upper-level undergraduate, MSc students. For textbooks, you should provide typical course titles for which the book would be required or recommended reading.
Competition
At present, where do members of your target audience look for the information that will be contained in your book? If the current source is an existing book, try to provide title / author / publisher / year of publication information and then describe the distinctive features that will ensure the target audience buys your book in preference.
Rationale
What are the aims of your book and why is there currently a need for it? Are new courses appearing for which there are no existing books? Is a new technology replacing an existing one, making previous books redundant?
Contents
How will the book be structured? Try to provide a chapter listing with a short section of descriptive text to define the scope of each chapter.
Format
Provide an estimate of how large you expect your book to be when published, i.e. the number of pages required, plus numbers of figures (line and photographs). Please indicate if there is any necessity for colour. Is there a price point that the book should not exceed, does the book need to be large format, or would pocket-sized be better, do you have a title in mind?
Authors
Who will all the authors be and what makes them suitable to write this particular book? Copies of your current curriculum vitae and those of any colleagues who will be writing with you are a real help.
In addition to internal review at Scion, your proposal will be passed on to independent external referees in the relevant field who will be asked to comment on its content and relevance to the proposed audience. These comments will be sent to you and, if necessary, you will be asked to respond to them and / or to amend the proposal.
Scion likes to get involved as early as possible in new book ideas so that we can help make your idea a reality. If you would like to talk through your concept prior to preparing a full proposal, then please do contact Jonathan Ray.
Tel: + 44 (0) 1295 258577
Please send your completed proposal to:
Dr Jonathan Ray
Scion Publishing Limited
The Old Hayloft
Vantage Business Park
Bloxham Road
Banbury
Oxfordshire
OX16 9UX
UK