Q. What kind of experience does a CRC Press book author or editor need?
You don’t need to have published a book previously. However, your work should have been published in journals recently and actively, as we are seeking book authors and editors who are prolific and part of the community for whom they are writing.
Q. How do I determine the type of book I want to write?
Textbooks and references mean different things to different book authors and editors, so here is a quick guideline to consider when writing a book for CRC Press:
- Primary Textbook: Written for a core course and will be the only book used for the course. Homework problems, solutions manual, PowerPoint slides, and any electronic ancillaries are expected and necessary.
- Secondary Textbook: The course may be emerging and not a core course. Ancillaries are very useful, but the adoption potential is smaller because it is not a mandatory course.
- Reference: The book will be purchased mostly by academic libraries, researchers, and those working in industry who need an application-oriented book that includes fundamental knowledge and applications.
- Professional: Written for professionals working in the field who need a ready reference for a solid understanding of the topic.
- Monograph: A special or niche topic that is dedicated to a particular, narrow-in-scope area.
- Edited/Contributed Reference or Handbook: Chapters written by experts from around the globe, specifically for this book. This is not a collection of previously published papers.
- Text/Reference: A combination of a textbook and a reference. Normally this type of publication does not have homework problems and is used by professionals or for a graduate-level course.
Q. Where can I find book proposal guidelines?
Please see "Step 1: Write Your Book Proposal" on the How to Publish with Us page of this website.
Q. Why do book proposals get rejected by CRC Press?
We have to be selective for our readers. If we feel that a book author or editor is not qualified in a particular area, if we note plagiarism, if reviews are poor, if a book author or editor has expectations that we cannot meet, if the market is too saturated with competitors, or if the material or concept is outdated, we may reject a book proposal. Your time is extremely valuable, as is ours, so we try to make smart decisions that are mutually beneficial.
Q. What kinds of questions are reviewers asked about my book proposal?
Questions include: What do you consider to be the main strengths of the materials you have been asked to review? What do you like about the approach and selection of topics? Does this material intrigue you enough to want to have this book on your shelf? What other books are you aware of in this area, and how do they compare to this book? Are you confident in the materials presented? What is your general overview of this book?
Q. Must I incorporate reviewers’ suggestions I don’t agree with?
This depends. If the suggestions seem unfair or unrelated, your acquiring editor can go back to the reviewer and clarify information. If only one out of five or 10 reviewers thinks you should completely restructure your book, the odds are in your favor. However, if the consistent feeling is that topics are to be added or deleted, it is worth giving in to this.
Q. How many reviews are really necessary?
This depends on if the book is a textbook or reference, what kind of competition it’s up against, how many related titles the publisher has to sell with the book, and your input. We seek out reviews from around the globe, and some are more detailed than others.
Q. Can a bad review hurt my chances of getting published?
It may. We are seeking constructive criticism for your manuscript. Reviewers are chosen because they have expert knowledge in the field, and they should be providing comments that will help you shape your manuscript to bring value to the marketplace. Not every book idea is a winner. For some areas, a saturated market exists, and the proposed book does not provide added value. But in many cases, the idea can be reworked. Don’t give up! Restructure the proposal, invite colleagues to help formulate a more succinct proposal and table of contents, accept the comments of the surveyors, and try again.
Q. Are you still interested if my book manuscript is already done?
Yes! We will put your book proposal and a few sample chapters through the review process for you and work swiftly to provide you with a publishing decision.
