Submissions

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Proposal Preparation Checklist

This proposal includes:
  • General description of the proposed book including:
    • a brief overview of its subject matter
    • why it is needed/useful
    • who the intended audience is
    • how it would differ from any similar titles already on the market
    • how it contributes to the existing body of scholarship.
  • Statement connecting the proposed book to the scope of Books@Atla Open Press.
  • Prospective table of contents with brief chapter summaries and indication of noteworthy features (appendices, translations, datasets, etc.).
    • If the proposal is for an edited volume of undetermined chapters, a draft call for chapter proposals may be submitted in lieu of a prospective table of contents.
    • If the proposal is based on a terminal degree thesis,
      • include a description of the revisions and modifications planned to make it appealing to Atla Open Press’s readership
    • If the prospective table of contents includes any previously published content,
      • include a full citation and written rationale for why it needs to be included in the work.
      • attach a copy of a signed author agreement for the previously published material documenting that the author has retained the right to publish the prior work in subsequent open access publications under a CC-BY-NC license.
  • Expected completion date or desired date of publication.
  • Statement of experience/readiness by the proposer.
    • For all proposals include relevant work experience, presentations, and publications leading to this proposal.
    • For edited volumes also include relevant experience managing a publication project of this nature and any past experience working collaboratively with co-authors or co-editors.
    • For multimodal digital monographs also include relevant skills and experience with digital publishing or creating enhanced and interactive texts.
  • Names and contact information for three individuals with relevant expertise in the subject matter. These individuals may be asked to act as peer reviewers of the proposal or advanced readers of the manuscript.
  • A declaration of any Conflicts of Interest
  • A declaration of any use of Artificial Intelligence
  • Writing sample that is a chapter or introduction excerpt of at least 2000 words or an excerpt from a previous publication by the proposer.
  • CVs or resumes for the proposer and all other known authors and/or editors, including full names and contact information.

Proposal Guidelines

Books@Atla Open Press Scope

Books@Atla Open Press is interested in proposals that represent new and creative research on topics that impact what theological and religious studies librarians do and how they do it. Proposals on tangentially related subjects must make a case for why the proposed book would be relevant, germane, and important to theology and religious studies librarianship.

We accept proposals on a rolling basis for:

  • Single-author monographs
  • Multi-author monographs
  • Edited volumes
  • Book series
  • Multimodal digital monographs

The members of the Books@Atla Open Press Editorial Board solicit and generate ideas for new books and are available to advise on the book proposal process. Prospective authors and volume editors are encouraged to contact the editorial board in advance of submitting a full proposal for help or guidance in developing a book idea.

Books@Atla Open Press does not publish: 

  • PhD dissertations
  • DMin projects
  • other terminal degree theses

To be considered for publication, the above type of works must be revised or otherwise modified to make them appealing to the wider audience to Atla Open Press’s readership.

We do not accept full manuscripts before a proposal has been accepted.

Proposal Submission Instructions

To submit a proposal: 

  1. Register and log into our Open Monograph Press (OMP) submission system.

  2. On the Submissions page click “Make a New Submission” in the blue box.

  3. In the Submission form that opens:
    1. select the type of submission you are making
    2. choose a series if relevant and categories
    3. review and acknowledge the submission checklist
    4. upload your files
    5. add details about your submission

NOTE: If there are multiple authors, only one needs to complete the submission process.

Proposal Review Process

  • Proposals are reviewed by the editorial board within 6-8 weeks after submission for their fit with the vision, mission, and scope of Atla Open Press. 
  • Proposals deemed within scope are sent out for peer review. The peer review process may take an additional 1-2 months.
  • After a final editorial decision is made, a notification will be sent to the proposer from OMP.

If your proposal is accepted, you will be invited to proceed with developing a full manuscript per the terms of the author agreement and manuscript preparation guidelines, which you will receive alongside an expected timeline for completion and review of your manuscript. 

Please note that acceptance of a book proposal does not guarantee publication. All manuscript submissions undergo an additional editorial review for alignment with scope and Atla Open Press standards.

 

Costs

Atla Open Press is committed to a peer-reviewed open access publication model without article processing charges, article submission charges, or other author fees.

 

Copyright Notice

Authors grant Atla an exclusive right of first publication, display, and distribution, while retaining all other rights. All Atla Open Press publications are released under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC license.