Where to go from here?

So I wrote (and revised) a draft of about 90% of a book manuscript this summer (6 of seven chapters), as well as a full (4 page) book proposal. I also got four people to read the manuscript, and the feedback I received was very positive on the whole. However, I've been sitting on it because I don't quite know what to do, given my situation. 

I've been told before (see the comments section here) that in order to get one's proposal accepted by a top press, one should:

1. Do a lot of informal leg-work (converse with editors) to feel out potential interest.
2. Publish a lot in top journals, or
3. Work in a top research university, or at least
4. Have someone in a position of influence "go to bat" for you.

I've also been told that books are expected to be 80-110K words. However, mine right now is at 60K, in large part because I wanted the book to be relatively short (though, with at least one more chapter, and revisions, I could certainly see the manuscript passing the 80K mark -- so this is probably just a temporary issue).

Anyway, given the things I've been told above, it seems to me that I should *not* send out my book proposal to publishers yet, or, if I should, that I should at most "test the waters" by sending a proposal to just a couple of places. Given that I have some stuff under review at some tip-top journals, and seem to have gotten pretty close to getting one accepted in one recently, I'm hoping -- optimistically, of course -- that if I land an article or two in a top place, I'll be in a much better position to get top presses to seriously consider my proposal. However, is this really that wise? I could, of course, end up waiting forever.

Anyway, I'm just not quite sure what I should do at this point. While the manuscript is still rough, I feel really good about it on the whole -- about its arguments, and about the entire project it engages in -- and again, I've received favorable early returns. If anyone has any helpful tips or thoughts, I'd be very appreciative!

Comments

[Rachel]

Just send it! An interested editor may say, "This looks interesting, but I'd like it to be at least x thousand words. Shen you've re-structured the proposal to meet this change, send me the first half of the manuscript." Or something like that. Or they may just say 'no.' If it's not critical for you that it land at a "top" press like OUP, CUP, HUP, then you can send it out to 4-5 presses at a time, and it'll likely find a home somewhere. But do aim for the best press you can.

I saved one of the top presses for my book proposal just in case there was some feedback that made me change/improve the book.

[Anon]

I'm not trying to divulge private information (and if I am doing so unwittingly, you obviously shouldn't post my comment), but I think you mentioned that your manuscript is focused on Kantian ethics. If that's correct, you might consider presenting the central line of argument at some forum with lots of Kantian Ethicists in attendance or ask someone in that world to read the manuscript before sending it out. If I'm right about the topic, then you'll want some sense of the range of responses that experts (i.e., likely manuscript reviewers) will have to your main thesis.

If you've already published something on the general topic, I agree with Rachel: send it out! If you haven't published in this area, then perhaps it makes sense to wait until one of your papers on this topic comes out (unless you need the book for a job or promotion, in which case you should send it out already!)

[anon]

One worry about the "just send it" approach: Taking a shot and missing means you lose a chance you might have later. (Even emailing an editor about it counts as taking a shot.)

With journal publishing, that happens too (if you miss, you're done), but the difference here is that book editors don't just care about the content, but care about who the author is. In a book proposal, part of selling the book is about selling yourself as a author whom people will read. Book publishers need to sell books, so anything you can do to establish yourself helps you get a yes.

When book publishers ask people to read a manuscript proposal, they regularly offer something like $250 in credit at the press or $125 in cash. If they ask someone to read a full manuscript, they offer more. So, that's one reason why so many book proposals get a desk rejection from the editor--it costs the press money to review your work.