SHRM Book Proposal Guidelines
Got a great idea for a book that advances HR thought leadership or helps HR professionals solve problems, improve skills, implement new processes, or understand and apply new information?
We'd love to hear from you!
Please complete a Book Proposal by responding to the questions below and sending it (and accompanying materials) as a Word attachment to books@shrm.org.
Or mail it to:
Book Acquisitions, Editorial Department
Society for Human Resource Management
1800 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Thanks – we look forward to hearing from you!
BOOK PROPOSAL QUESTIONS
The Basics
What is the book about?
Why is the topic important?
Who will buy the book and why?
Why are you the person to write it?
About the Book
What is the proposed title and subtitle?
How would you describe the book in one or two sentences (think: elevator pitch)?
How is the book organized (please provide a table of contents and short chapter-by-chapter descriptions)?
When will you submit a completed first draft of the manuscript?
How many double-spaced, typewritten pages do you anticipate the manuscript to be?
What are the three main competitive works (title, author, ISBN, and how the proposed book is different or superior)?
Will the manuscript be reviewed by HR experts or business leaders before you submit it? How does your book support or reflect the SHRM HR competencies?
About the Author
Can you tell us more about yourself? (Briefly tell us about your career, reasons and expectations for publishing a book with SHRM, and why you are the best person to write this book.)
Have you had other books published?
How have these sold? How did you market them?
Do you have any connections who would help support the book with endorsements?
About the Audiences
Who are the main and secondary audiences? (Please specify disciplines, affiliations, and positions/titles.)
Is there potential for college adoptions? If so, please list relevant courses and related titles.
Will the book appeal to HR professionals around the world?
About Marketing & Sales
How many books would you expect to sell in the first year of publication?
How many of these would be driven directly through your networks?
Where are people most likely to purchase your book (for example: SHRMStore, Amazon and other online retailers, bookstores, conferences, workshops, or other events)?
How do you anticipate working with SHRM to market and promote the book?
How would you help get out the word about the book? Please consider the following ways to promote and sell your book and expand and quantify as it applies to your marketing platform:
- Public Speaking – Please list recent and upcoming public speaking, training, or workshops. Please include dates, topics, audience demographics, and estimated size. Approximately how many people are you in front of in the course of a year?
- Writing – Do you write newspaper columns or blogs or make regular appearances on radio or television? Do you write for magazines, newspapers, or journals?
- Publicity – What connections do you have with the media? Can you list people/publications who might be able to review the book? Do you plan to hire a publicist?
- Social Media – Please provide details about using your professional social media activities to promote the book, including information about how you use Twitter, LinkedIn, SHRM Connect, Facebook, your professional website, etc.
- E-mail – What e-mail marketing could you do to promote the book? What is the size of your e-mail list?
- Corporate – Will your company or institution help promote the book? Please provide details of the activities it would undertake on behalf of the book. If you or your company would buy copies of the book to resell, use in promotions, or give away to clients, is there a number you would be able to commit to purchasing?
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