Guidelines for prospective authors
These guidelines can also be accessed in PDF format here.
If you would like to submit a book proposal, please address it to Francesca Ramadan by e-mail: f.ramadan@intersentia.co.uk.
1. BOOK PROPOSAL
Please provide the following information:
- A book description that informs the reader about the content and your motivation for writing/editing this book. What is the question you wish to answer? Why is it original? How does your book illuminate the unexpected or challenge readers in ways they don’t expect? Why should the book be published now? The book description should also include: the title of the book; the overall length of the publication (please provide a wordcount, including footnotes, frontmatter, backmatter, and so on); and the readership that you wish to reach. What is the market for your book?
- A critical literature review. How does the proposed book contribute to existing literature in the field? Within this, please also provide an overview of the competing literature in the market and the ways in which your book resembles or differs from these competing titles. How does your approach contrast that of existing books? What is the position of your book relative to the competition?
- Depending on the book’s progress, please provide either the entire manuscript or two to three sample chapters.
- A table of contents. If you are still in the process of writing the book, please provide abstracts for each chapter.
- If the proposed book is based on a PhD thesis, please provide detailed information on the planned revisions, including the time that will be required for the revisions.
- A brief author CV.
- An overview of suitable marketing opportunities. Are you a member of any associations, organisations, societies, corporations, public authorities/agencies, or institutions that would be interested in your book? Are there any conferences, seminars, symposia, webinars and conventions where you would like to see your book promoted, or any that you are speaking at? Do you have access to (electronic) mailing lists for events or other professional organisations (of which you might be a member) that we could also approach to announce the publication of your book? Are there any book prizes that you wish to be considered for?
- A clear statement that the book proposal is submitted to Intersentia exclusively (we may accept simultaneous submission to another publisher only in exceptional circumstances).
Please note that:
- Your book’s title cannot exceed 100 characters, including spaces.
- Your book’s subtitle cannot exceed 150 characters, including spaces.
2. REVIEW PROCESS
2.1. IN-HOUSE ASSESSMENT
Book proposals are initially assessed in-house. If we feel that the proposed book is in line with our quality requirements and fits our title list or subject areas that we intend to focus on, we will seek the opinion of peer reviewers.
2.2. PEER REVIEW
We usually ask peer reviewers to return their evaluations together with any suggestions for revision within six to eight weeks. This may take longer, however, depending on the peer reviewers’ obligations and commitments.
As soon as we receive the evaluations, we will send you an anonymised version and give you the opportunity to respond.
3. PRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION
If we agree to publish the proposed book, you will receive a formal offer of publication in writing.
Once the manuscript is submitted and accepted, and production begins, it will take approximately six months to produce and publish, depending on the length and condition of the text. If a language edit is required, the production time may be extended by up to four weeks.
Copy-editors (all English native speakers) will edit the Word files, and all corrections, suggestions or queries will be shown using track changes and/or the comment function. Once you have approved the edited Word files, proofs (PDF files) will be prepared.
4. MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION
Marketing the book begins in the very early stages of our collaboration, when we send out advance information sheets (AIs), and continues up to and beyond the book’s publication with flyers, emailings, newsletters and more. We have contact with journals who may be interested in publishing a book review. At the same time, we regularly attend conferences to promote our publications. All institutions and individuals we contact are carefully selected according to the specific needs of the book. Therefore, if the author wishes to provide suggestions of events at which to market their book, or journals, institutions and individuals to whom it may be of interest, we warmly welcome their input and will follow these up as appropriate.
Our local distributors in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia cover both the commercial and promotional side of book sales. Our combined efforts ensure that our publications reach all relevant potential customers ranging from (academic) book shops and libraries, universities, legal professionals, academics and scholars, students, NGOs, international organisations, government officials and more.
Working with Intersentia: the author experience
“I greatly appreciated the method used by Intersentia: proactive, straightforward, fast and meticulous. The efforts and patience of our editor, Ahmed Hegazi, were invaluable.”
- Saskia Peters
“Publishing a book with Intersentia is a very smooth operation. Accurate, timely and professional. Rebecca and her team did a marvellous job with an outstanding final result.”
- Prof. Rudy Aernoudt
“Working with Intersentia was a wonderful experience, I felt very well looked after. There was always someone I could speak to. And I was able to fully concentrate on my text because I knew that all the technical work was taken care of. The quality of the editing is superb and Intersentia was extremely quick in producing the book once I had handed in my text. I can recommend working with Intersentia wholeheartedly.”
- Georges Baur
“I can unconditionally recommend Intersentia as a reliable, highly cooperative and proficient publishing partner.”
- Samuel Zogg
“Excellent professional team, meticulous work and constant support throughout the whole editing process.”
- Anthi Beka
“Intersentia provides authors with highly professional work, efficient and friendly support and a very author-oriented approach.”
- Reinhard Bork
“I have had an excellent experience and would be willing to share my thoughts if needed.”
- Valeska David
“Very friendly and professional service!”
- Mary Guy
“To work with Intersentia as an editor and author is to undertake the kind of exciting and rewarding multi-stakeholder journey that publishing should be about. In the case of Intersentia the ideal is the reality! The whole journey reflected the excellence of the key players at Intersentia, from the Publisher and General Manager Ann-Christin Maak-Scherpe, to the Editor Rebecca Moffat with her phenomenal team of experts. I was the U.S. Fulbright Distinguished Chair of Public International Law in Europe when I first contacted them; and I now hope to be able to continue the collaboration. As a US-based editor author, my grade is the highest, “A+”.”
- Anja Matwijkiw
“The Intersentia team is extremely dedicated, efficient and supportive. A big thank you to you all!”
- Anat Keller
An Interview with our New Publisher: Francesca Ramadan
We are pleased to present you our new Publisher, Francesca Ramadan. Discover her interview.