"The Book Proposal Book: A Guide for Scholarly Authors is not just a compendium of abstract advice; it's a structured program-complete with worksheets and concrete tasks-that takes readers through each step of researching and writing a proposal that will sell their book to an editor at a scholarly press. The handbook is premised on the fact that an effective proposal doesn't merely describe a book project-it makes an active case that the manuscript should exist in published form because it has the potential to reach and appeal to actual readers. The Book Proposal Book works though the implications of this premise, showing authors how a focus on audience and usability must inform every element of their pitch. Readers of this handbook will learn how to both write a complete book proposal and confidently navigate the scholarly publishing process from pitch to contract to publication. Moreover, they will gain invaluable insight into their own research and the message they want to share with the world"--