What Kinds of Books Does Texas Tech University Publish?

Texas Tech University Press, in business since 1971, is currently signing nonfiction titles in natural history and the natural sciences; eighteenth-century and Joseph Conrad studies; studies of modern Southeast Asia, particularly the Vietnam War; costume and textile history; and all subject areas relating to Texas, the Great Plains, and the American West, especially biography, history, memoir, and travel. In addition, the Press signs one invited poetry manuscript annually and occasionally a regional novel with national appeal. You may wish to contact us for a current Press catalog to review our list.

Although all titles must pass a rigorous review in terms of substance, many of our published titles address or embrace a general readership. Titles in this category must be well written and focused on their specific subjects as well as be carefully researched and substantiated, but they must not become too deeply entrenched in theory and analysis or jargon.

How to Submit Your Proposal

To submit a book proposal to us, you should send a two- to four-page typed outline or annotated contents indicating the nature and scope of each chapter and any significant appendixes. Your proposal should also include an introduction, a minimum of two sample chapters, and a cover letter with the following:

• Your working title
• Anticipated manuscript length and number and kind of graphic materials, if any
• Your description of and estimate of the size of the audience toward which you are directing the book
• A comparison of your book to others published on the subject, explaining why you think your treatment of the subject is unique
• A brief autobiographical summary telling us why you are qualified to write this book, and the nature and scope of your research.

Make sure you list your complete address (including e-mail, if any), with a daytime phone number. If you want your material returned, enclose an addressed return envelope with sufficient postage. You can expect an initial response within eight weeks of our receipt of your proposal.

When Your Book Is Considered

If we are potentially interested in publishing your book, we will send you an Author Questionnaire and request additional manuscript samples. Your answers to this questionnaire are crucial to our decision and—should your book be accepted—in the preparation of promotional materials. All titles that merit further consideration are also reviewed by outside readers as proposals and/or manuscripts and must be approved by the Texas Tech University Press Editorial Committee.

Sales and cost estimates, and a price recommendation, will be worked out by our marketing and business departments. The final decision to publish will be based on these estimates, your proposal or complete manuscript, your responses to the Author Questionnaire, and comparisons with similar proposals received. We will inform you of our decision as soon as possible—usually within two to three months after we receive the additional materials and information requested.

The Contract

We will offer you a contract upon approval of the project by the Editorial Committee. We may pay a standard royalty as a percentage of actual receipts from sales of books, subsidiary rights, and licenses. Agented authors should be aware that we insist on direct communications with the author during the consideration process.

We may offer an advance contract to authors with proven publishing track records. Manuscripts contracted in this way must be reviewed by outside readers and must be approved by the Texas Tech University Press Editorial Committee before the contract is considered final and in force.

What About the Manuscript?

A scheduled date for completion of your complete and final manuscript (including all ancillary materials: illustrative matter, permissions, etc.) will be specified in your contract. Failure to meet this deadline may result in the removal of the book from our production time-table. This will delay, and may even prevent, its eventual publication.

Hard copy should be submitted on 8½" x 11" sheets, printed 1½-spaced and consecutively numbered. The entire manuscript should be in a single computer file unless you have made other arrangements with us. Manuscripts should be at least 200 pages in length unless we specifically agree to fewer. Proposals and final manuscripts must be word-processed and in matching hard copy (Microsoft Word for Windows is the word processing program of preference).

Coordinating Work on Your Book

After contracting, we will schedule your book for preproduction development through the editorial department as soon as we receive your complete and final manuscript. The Press cannot provide anything beyond normal press-level editing; therefore, if substantial revision is necessary, your manuscript will be returned to you. If your final manuscript is acceptable, the Press will engage a copyeditor to make corrections and suggestions for improvement, send you hard copy to check, and clear with you directly any questions that arise about the manuscript.

The book will not be put into production until the sponsoring editor determines that all reasonable manuscript refinements have been made. Your sponsoring editor is your representative on our publishing staff and will be eager to talk with you at any time, not only about your current book, but also about future writing projects you may have in mind.

Once your copyedited manuscript enters production, we will keep you informed on our progress in its prepress development. A production schedule will be set and you will be informed as to when you will receive first, and if necessary, final page proofs to check. When you receive final page proofs, you will have time to prepare (or engage a professional to prepare) your index, to be delivered on disk to the Press with your returned page proofs.

Generally, the Press receives printed and bound books roughly two to four months after the book is sent to the printer, depending upon the nature of the book and the location of the printer. Your publication date is not the date the Press receives or is able to ship your books, nor the day you receive advance copies. It is a carefully planned date set in consideration of marketing plans and the earliest available date your book can appear in the stores. The marketing department will work closely with you to establish the most desirable release date.

Send all inquiries, proposals, or requests for catalogs to:

Texas Tech University Press
2903 4th St. Box 41037
Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
Toll-free: 800.832.4042
Local: 806.742.2982
Fax: 806.742.2979
E-mail: ttup@ttu.edu