Aspen Publishing is seeking authors for law school publications as well as for undergraduate textbooks in Paralegal/Legal Studies, Criminal Justice, Business Law, and other undergraduate law-related courses. If you are interested in authoring a law school publication, continue reading. If you are interested in authoring an undergraduate publication, please click here.

Law School Publica​tions

Proposal Writing an​d Precontractual Review Information

Thank you for your intere​st in becoming an author. Below is some general information about the Aspen Publishing precontractual review process and suggestions about proposal writing.

Precontractual Review

The purpose of a precontractual review is to secure feedback from the market about the project in question. Typically, the best reviewers are experienced teachers and/or scholars in the area in question, familiar with the dominant competing works in the field; reviewers often represent prospective adopters for the book. We commission four to six reviews and solicit suggestions for reviewers from the authors of the proposal.

The review package typically consists of a proposal and table of contents—sometimes a sample chapter or chapters. We find that the chances of quickly getting an unqualified response from reviewers are maximized when we send a strong, persuasive proposal and a very detailed table of contents. A letter from Aspen Publishing stating the subject and purpose of the book and asking questions about the book's approach, content, organization, and pedagogy accompanies these materials. It typically takes 4 to 6 weeks to receive a full set of reviews.

A predominantly positive set of reviews allows acquisitions editors to present the project to our New Product Committee. Their approval enables us to offer a contract for publication. 

The Proposal

A proposal often begins with a brief one-paragraph introduction stating in the broadest terms what you are proposing, followed by an account of your impetus for embarking on the project. The "impetus" section can include your perceptions about the salient characteristics of the course in question and their impact on the approach or design of your project. This can lead to a description of how you think the course could be taught more effectively or your concept of the "ideal book."

It's useful to provide a brief analysis of the competing books in the area. This competition analysis is an important element of the proposal because it reminds reviewers of the strengths and weaknesses of books they've used and of the fact that there might well be a need for a new book.

The competition analysis leads naturally into a description or "overview" of your own project. This section likely will tie in with what you've already said about how you think the course should be taught. This portion of the proposal reviews content, but also comments on the approach or philosophy that underlies your organization, content, and pedagogy. Reviewers usually find a "guided tour" of the book very helpful. 

Proposal Outline

1. Introduction - One paragraph briefly stating what you are proposing.
   
   
2. Impetus - Your perceptions about the salient characteristics of the course and what this means for the approach/design of your project.
   • What obstacles to understanding do students face?
   • How do you find students learn this subject most easily?
   • What do you think is important for students to carry away from the course?
   • What role does the course in question play in a student's law school education?
     
     
3. The Ideal Book - or - How you think the course could be taught more effectively.
• What approach do you think is most effective in presenting the material for this course?
• What do you see as the essential content of the course?
• Most effective organization? 
• Pedagogy and learning goals you plan to use. 
4. Competition Analysis - Discussion of the approaches leading books embody or have embodied.
• 3-4 leading competitors - brief analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. 
• How do these books represent a development in the course area? 
• Description of your book vis-a-vis the competition. 
• How does your book represent the next logical step? 
• What special needs does your book represent? 
5. Project Description. 
• Overview - This section likely will tie in with what you've already said about how you think the course should be taught. 
• Approach 
• Content 
• Organization 
• Learning goals
• Pedagogy 
• Estimate of the book's length.
• Guided Tour - Although a table of contents (as detailed as possible, given the early stage of the project) will accompany the proposal, reviewers usually find a "guided tour" of the book very helpful. An annotated table of contents is a very useful format; such a table of contents reviews content but also comments on the approach, philosophy, or specific features that underlie your organization, content, and pedagogy. You might consider a brief paragraph or two for each chapter or—even better—a brief paragraph or several sentences to describe the unique or characteristic content/approach/pedagogy for each of the major sections within each chapter. 
• Organization - Annotated Table of Contents. 
• Content - Reviewers respond well when then are given the selection of primary cases - the cases that are excerpted at length.
• Pedagogy - It can be helpful for reviewers to know. 
• Your tentative plans for using various types of excerpted materials. 
• How much expository text you anticipate writing. 
• Your plans for notes, questions, or problems.
• Your rationale for case editing.

Table of Contents

The more specific and detailed your table of contents is, the more useful reviewers’ responses will be. Depending on the nature of your project, you may want to create a conventional table of contents—in outline format with graduated levels of headings—or you may want to create a table of contents that combines an outline format with annotations that present your rationale for content, organization, or pedagogy.

If you do an annotated table of contents, consider embedding into your annotated table of contents some questions directed to the reviewers. Such questions can engage reviewers and elicit very useful responses on issues about which you may be uncertain. 

Sample Chapter or Chapters

In addition to providing a sample of your writing style, a sample chapter will offer the reviewer a clearer idea of how you are able to implement the concepts and ideas in your proposal. 

Teacher's Manual

A good teacher's manual can greatly enhance a book's appeal to prospective adopters. Please include in your proposal what you would foresee including in such a manual. In recent years, we also have found that Web sites created by authors for their books have generated a great deal of interest. If you think a Web site would make your book more attractive to adopters, please include a description of what the site would contain and how often you would update it. Is there anything else that you would consider adding to your teaching package (e.g., additional problems, sample documents, or PowerPoint slides)? 

Thanks again for your interest in Aspen Publishing. Please contact me with any questions.

Joe Terry
Vice President, Publisher
Aspen Publishing
Tel: 978-239-3330
E-mail: joe.terry@aspenpublishing.com

Undergraduate Publications

Proposal Writing and Precontractual Review Information

Thank you for your interest in doing a proposal. Below is some general information about Aspen Publishing's pre-contractual review process and suggestions about proposal writing. A typical proposal will be between ten and twelve pages plus a short writing sample.

Precontractual Review

The purpose of a precontractual review is to secure feedback from the market about the project in question. Typically, the best reviewers are experienced teachers in the particular subject area, familiar with the competing works in the field; reviewers often represent prospective adopters for the book. We generally commission five reviews.

The review package typically consists of a proposal with table of contents and a short writing sample. We find that the chances of getting an unqualified response from reviewers are maximized when we send a strong, persuasive proposal and a detailed table of contents. A letter from AP asking specific questions about the book's approach, content, organization, and pedagogy accompanies these materials. It typically takes about six weeks to receive a full set of reviews. 

A positive set of reviews allows me to present the project to our New Product Committee. Their approval enables me to offer a contract for publication.

Proposal Outline

1. Introduction - One paragraph which briefly states what you are proposing.
   
   
2. Project Description
• Overview - This section will expand upon the brief description. 
• Approach and Pedagogy - It can be helpful for reviewers to know:
• Plans for review questions, or problems
  - Do you plan on including any cases or case studies?
  - Will you include charts, graphs, definitions, photos etc? 
• Student Supplements – Online Resources, Additional Cases, CDs etc.
• Estimate of the book's length and format.
• Teaching Materials - A good teacher's manual is imperative to greatly enhance a book's appeal to prospective adopters in the college market. Please include in your proposal what you would foresee including in such a manual. We also encourage the development of a testbank, PowerPoint slides, other online teaching support, video and audio supplements etc.
3. Organization - Detailed Table of Contents 
• The more specific and detailed your table of contents, the more useful reviewers' responses will be. Depending on the nature of your project, you may want to create a conventional table of contents--in outline format with graduated levels of headings--or you may want to create a table of contents that combines an outline format with short descriptions that present your rationale for content, organization, or pedagogy.
4. Course Overview – What course or courses could this book be used in? Is this normally an elective or a required course? Your perceptions about the salient characteristics of the course.
   
   
5. Unique Aspects or Selling Points of this project – Please provide a short paragraph or bullet point listing the key marketing or selling points that distinguish your book from the competition (even other Aspen Publishing products, if applicable). 
   
   
6. Author Information – Please provide a short bio, a paragraph or two, for each author.
   
   
7. Competition Analysis - Discussion of the approaches leading books embody. 
• 2-3 leading competitors - brief analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.

Writing Sample 

We encourage you to submit a sample chapter with your proposal. A writing sample will offer the reviewer a clearer idea of how you are able to implement the concepts and ideas in your proposal. 

Please contact me with any questions. Thanks again for your interest in Aspen Publishing, 

Joe Terry
Vice President, Publisher
Aspen Publishing
Tel: 978-239-3330
E-mail: joe.terry@aspenpublishing.com