Whether you’re trying to publish your first book or your fifth, figuring out how to navigate the process successfully can be mysterious and challenging. In this Feb. 7, 2025, roundtable, area university press editors demystified the process by discussing the questions they most often hear from authors and answered questions from the audience.

Among the questions they addressed:

  • How do I find the publishers most likely to be interested in my project?
  • When’s the best time and what’s the best way to approach an acquisitions editor?
  • What goes into a book proposal and what makes a proposal most likely to succeed in convincing the press to invite the manuscript?
  • Can I send proposals to more than one publisher at a time? What about the full manuscript?
  • How long should I wait to hear back from an acquisitions editor?
  • How does the peer review process work and how long does it usually take?
  • What happens after my manuscript is accepted…or rejected?
  • What about contracts? When should I expect to be offered one and what should I look for in it?
  • Is it okay if I’ve already published some articles out of my book manuscript?
  • I published my first book several years ago. What should I be mindful of this time around? What does it mean if my previous publisher won’t publish my newest manuscript?
  • What happens after I submit my final manuscript? Why does it take so long for the book to be published?

Featured Guests

  • Moderator: Heather Stauffer, Syracuse University Press
  • Panelists:
    • Rebecca Colesworthy, SUNY Press
    • Laura Fish, Syracuse University Press
    • Sonia Kane, University of Rochester Press
    • Meagan Levinson, Cornell University Press

Special thanks to Catherine Cocks, Director of Syracuse University Press, for bringing this group together.