Guidelines for Authors
Boise State University welcomes proposals for nonfiction books of popular scholarship about Idaho and the West. We prefer an email word attachment to the appropriate series editor. Proposals can also be mailed to Boise State University, Publications Office, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725-1135.
Generally, a book proposal should include:
- A tentative book title and your contact information
- A two- or three-page summary of the book's content and scope.
- An argument for the book's importance. What would it contribute? How would it compare with other books in print?
- A proposed audience, market, or readership. Who might purchase the book? Who might review it?
- An annotated chapter-by-chapter table of contents. Include a tentative word count for each chapter.
- A sampling of graphics such as maps and illustrations, if any. Low resolution JPEGs or photocopies are fine.
- A best-case and worst-case timeline for completion of the research and writing.
- A word-count estimate of the manuscript's length. If you prefer to estimate in pages, assume 250 words per double-spaced typescript page.
- A sample chapter or excerpt, if available. If not, authors can provide a previously published book or recently published essay.
- A resume or curriculum vitae.
Adapted from the University of Virginia Press "guidelines for authors."
