Publish with PRP

In addition to titles by first time authors, we have also published many books by experienced authors who have previously worked with larger publishers.  There are a number of good reasons why you should consider allowing Professional Resource Press to develop your valuable manuscript into a published book:

• Unlike other publishers, all PRP acquisition and series editors are experienced practicing mental health professionals.  We use other mental health specialists as consulting editors when we feel manuscripts need additional editorial expertise.  At the present time, all of our editors are professional psychologists.  We feel we have a definite edge in understanding and managing your manuscript to produce the best possible presentation of your ideas.  Our editors can provide detailed constructive feedback and collegial support to help you throughout the editorial process (from rough outline to final published manuscript).  We publish a limited number of new titles annually and each new project gets our personal attention.  Our files contain numerous letters from authors thanking us for our special attention to their manuscripts.  All of our editors and managers adhere to the highest ethical standards of the American Psychological Association; you can rest assured that all marketing and promotion of your title will be ethically appropriate.
• As a small publisher, we carefully control the entire book production and promotion process.  This means less chance for slip-ups or a breakdown in communication.  Unlike most larger publishers, we encourage author involvement throughout the editorial and production process.
• PRP's promotional materials receive rave reviews from both our customers and our authors.  We work with outstanding artists and designers to produce the best possible advertisements and marketing materials.  You will always be proud of the ethically appropriate and effective advertisements, announcements, newsletters, and catalogs that feature your work.  Our limited production of new titles allows us to prominently feature all new titles in our targeted mailings, small (6-8 page) newsletters, seasonal catalogs, and journal/newsletter advertisements.  Your valuable book will never be lost in the fine print of a hefty catalog.
• Many of our authors take advantage of our special author discounts and sell large quantities of their titles when they present workshops.  Others circulate our individualized book announcements/order forms for their titles or arrange for workshop sponsors to sell their books.  Unlike larger publishers, we can respond very rapidly to requests for announcements, posters, and special book shipments.
• One of the most effective means to market professional books is direct mail (i.e., catalogs, emails, and specialized mailings to appropriate mental health professionals).  We have developed and maintain the nation's largest, most accurate, and up-to-date mailing list of practicing mental health professionals (over 100,000 names).  In addition to current customers, we continuously mail promotional materials to our in-house list of licensed psychologists, clinical social workers, school psychologists, marriage and family therapists, related mental health professionals, clinical training facilities, and mental health centers, hospitals, and specialized training/treatment programs.  Since we control the primary mailing list that is used to market our publications, we can target mailings to the specific professionals who are most likely to buy your book.  Although we are a small company, we have a mailing list that is highly regarded (and rented) by many of the nation's largest publishers.  When we find other publishers of applied resources with quality customer lists, we also "trade" names and use their lists to expand our market.  Sales of some of our titles are enhanced through mailings utilizing lists from professional associations and special clinical interest groups.  We also prominently exhibit our titles at a number of national, regional, and state association conventions. In short, PRP is extremely effective in marketing its titles.
• Our customers recognize the consistently high quality and usefulness of our titles, appreciate our reasonable prices, and report remarkable satisfaction with our customer service.  Our reputation as a quality publisher will help sell your book; our customers trust us and assume that our new offerings will provide the same level of assistance in their practices as the prior titles they purchased.  In other words, you will profit from the company you keep.
• We work hard to maintain the satisfaction and loyalty of our customers.  All orders are shipped within 2 working days; we offer an unconditional 30 day guarantee on everything we sell (very little is returned); and our highly personalized customer service is consistently praised on the customer feedback cards that accompany every order (e.g., "I can't believe how fast I got my order, I'm used to waiting 4 to 10 weeks - and sometimes longer . . . You made a mistake on my order, but made things right immediately . . . Your staff is knowledgeable, courteous, professional, and very helpful . . . Keep up the good work . . . I really like doing business with you. . . .").  Colleagues who are interested in your title will never dread ordering from us and you will never hear complaints about your publisher if you publish with PRP.
• Most authors want to see their ideas widely disseminated.  Our books are distributed through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor, Associated Book Exhibit, and many national and regional booksellers.  Our titles have also been adopted by several national book clubs.

SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU WRITE

Among the ranks of practicing psychologists (and other health care professionals) are many frustrated potential authors.  The Professional Resource Press would like to encourage you to write, but we also caution you to be realistic about publishing.  Preparing even a brief manuscript requires discipline and can be time-consuming.

• First, it is important to determine if you are really serious about writing.  An obvious question is, do you have something important to share with others?  Will it add in some significant way to information that is already available?  Are you willing to devote the time and energy required to write and revise a manuscript?
• Second, if you are serious about getting published, it is important to consider realistically how to organize your efforts.  You will probably need to schedule regular blocks of time for manuscript preparation.  It may be best to get away from the stresses of your office for this purpose.  Unless you make writing a regular priority, it probably won't get done.  Also, you should prepare your manuscript on a computer, preferably IBM compatible, because we (and most publishers) require that a copy of your work be submitted electronically.
• Third, it is important to plan your manuscript carefully.  You should have specific goals and objectives for your writing.  Your manuscript should be based on a well-formulated outline.  Manuscripts should make use of descriptive headings and subheadings.  Paragraphs should be carefully organized to follow in a logical sequence, and redundancy should be avoided.
• Fourth, it is important to write clearly.  Sentences should be concise and avoid unnecessary jargon.  Also, it's usually best to avoid excessive use of quotes or underlining for emphasis.  It is essential that you obtain a copy of the current Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association; almost all publishers in the behavioral sciences require that manuscripts adhere to "APA style."

PREPARING YOUR BOOK PROPOSAL

Below is an excellent guide for those who are considering writing a book.  (Portions were  written by Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, and adapted here with her permission.  Dr. Kennedy-Moore has written or co-authored four books.  Her website address is: www.eileenkennedymore.com.)

If you want to write a nonfiction book, first decide who your audience is.  Parents?  Professionals?  Students?  Teens?  It's very hard to write for more than one of these groups at the same time - they want different things from a book - so you are better off targeting one group.  Then imagine that audience, what their concerns are, what they want from the book, what they appreciate, and so on.  This will help in deciding what should and shouldn't be included in your book.  Remember that our company, Professional Resource Press (PRP), only publishes books for professionals.  No self-help guides.  No titles for parents, teens, or high school or undergraduate students.

Next, make a "mind map" to brainstorm about the whole book.  Write the main topic in the center of a paper, then draw branching lines out from the center with subtopics and subsubtopics.  This will help you see how your ideas fit together; where you have a lot to say; where you don't.  You may discover that what you thought was a subtopic is actually the main topic and vice versa.

Once you have a sense of your audience and your topic, write a proposal that makes the case that 1) you have an idea that is big enough for a book, not just an article; 2) people will want to buy this book; and 3) you are qualified to write it.  The proposal is necessary for the submission process, but it is also a great exercise for organizing your thoughts.

DO NOT write the whole book before submitting a proposal, because most publishers will want to have some input concerning your tone and focus.  The AUTHOR QUESTIONNARE section of this Guide tells you what Professional Resource and most other publishers need to consider your proposal.

WHERE TO PUBLISH

After you've written a proposal and a sample chapter, and revised both until they are as polished as possible, it's time to submit.  You will need to make some decisions about where your book best fits.

• Be careful to avoid scammers: you should NOT have to pay to have an editor or agent read your materials.
• Go to a good source to find out more about your options for publishers.  Talk to other authors, go to the publisher's website (ours is www.prpress.com), or consult a good directory.  One of the best resources for finding appropriate publishers, acquisition editors, and just about anything of importance to publishing is Literary Marketplace (LMP) (www.literarymarketplace.com/).  Addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses are included as well as lots of other great information about every US publisher.  It is considered the "Directory of the American Book Publishing Industry." LMP is very expensive; however, you should be able to find a copy in any fairly large library.  Another source of information on getting published is an inexpensive niche guide that Larry Ritt, PRP's president, wrote several years ago for Division 42 of APA.
• If you are going for an academic publisher, you can submit directly.  For professional and academic works, you do not need an agent.  Agents are primarily helpful if you have a lay audience book and want to deal with a very large publisher (e.g., Simon & Schuster).
• Expect rejection.  It's just part of the process.  Your proposed title may not "fit" with the other titles that a publisher has already published.  The publisher's market may not mesh with your title.  Do not expect much feedback if you are rejected; most publishers receive too many proposals to respond to every one.  PRP tries to respond promptly (within a week or two); many publishers are somewhat slower.  Be patient.

OPTIONS FOR PUBLISHING WITH PRP

Remember that PRP doesn't publish: 1. Self-help books; 2. Books without an applied professional focus; 3. Novels or other works of fiction.

The Professional Resource Press offers a wide variety of publishing formats for sharing your expetise with professional colleagues.  These include brief contributions for inclusion in our Practitioner's Resource Series of highly focused clinical guidebooks; full-length hardbound and paperbound books; ebooks; DVDs; and CD-ROMs.  The following sections will provide more information on these options.

Book Proposals for the Practitioner Resource Series

• This series presents an excellent opportunity to write a short book on a specific clinical or consulting topic.
• Manuscripts for the Practitioner's Resource Series are typically 60 to 100 double-spaced pages in length.
• Each manuscript includes a detailed table of contents (in lieu of an index), an abstract, no more than 50 selected references, and very few figures or tables.
• Subjects on specialized topics outside of the editor's areas of expertise may be reviewed/edited by one of our consulting editors.
• The emphasis in this series is to keep quality very high, topics timely, and costs to the buyer as low as possible.  Given the current economic realities of mental health practice, this seems essential.
• Authors of titles in this series receive a royalty as specified in the standard author's agreement that is issued after a proposal/manuscript is accepted.  Royalties are less than the royalties on longer and more expensive works.  There are never royalty advances.

If you would like to submit a proposal for a title in this series, please send a detailed outline of your proposed book according to the above guidelines.  In the letter that accompanies your proposal, please specify that this is a Practitioner's Resource Series submission.

Titles in this series are vigorously marketed through special promotions, specialized mailing, and prepublication reviews.  A number of titles in this series have been adopted as supplemental graduate texts or selections for national book clubs.

Other Book Proposals

The way in which you present a book length manuscript or an idea for a book to a publisher is extremely important.  The guidelines outlined by Dr. Kennedy-Moore and Dr. Ritt should be followed.

Depending on the topic, you might consider editing rather than authoring a book.  Edited books present a unique opportunity to constructively integrate diverse but related ideas and perspectives concerning an important topic.   Editing is considerably different from authoring a book, and the editor is faced with the task of helping numerous authors, who may not know each other, work together to produce a well integrated volume that systematically covers a topical area.  Edited works are sometimes criticized because they tend to be uneven in their style and content.  Good editors carefully conceptualize the objectives for their book, invite appropriate authors to meet those objectives, provide detailed guidelines to insure consistency of style and format across chapters, and then provide editorial guidance and direction to all of the authors as they outline, write, and revise their chapters.  From our perspective, it is much more difficult to produce a quality edited book than a book with a single author.

Please send these materials and the information in the Author Questionnaire to Lawrence G. Ritt, PhD, Professional Resource Press, P.O. Box 3197, Sarasota, FL 34230-3197.  If you have any questions or need additional information before you submit your book proposal, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Ritt.

STYLE AND CONTENT CONSIDERATIONS                                           

      Authors should keep in mind that the primary readers for most of our books are practitioners as opposed to academicians or researchers.  In terms of writing style, we encourage a concise, professional, but not overly formal manuscript.  For example, writing in the first person is acceptable.  Also, bear in mind that our readers are likely to be interested in an author's practical clinical experiences and brief case examples.

      All manuscripts are examined for suitable style and accurate content.  Comments are frequently solicited from consulting editors who have special expertise in the content area.  Manuscripts that do not meet our standards may be returned for revisions or rejected at our discretion.

      Efforts to write clearly and accurately early in the manuscript preparation  process can prevent frustrations after an author submits his or her manuscript to our editors.  We want the first draft of the manuscript we receive to represent the author's best effort.  This is very important!  Many of our authors arrange to have their manuscripts critiqued by one or more professional colleagues throughout the writing process; the quality of manuscripts we receive is usually much higher when the author has subjected his or her work to this type of careful review and critical feedback prior to sending us his or her final work product.    

      ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONCERNS

      All authors must be aware of the ethical and legal issues involved in authorship.  These include such important considerations as confidentiality, plagiarism, copyrights, and libel.  A publisher cannot assume legal responsibility for what you write, and it is up to you to insure that your manuscript carefully considers the rights of others.  For example, it is important that you avoid unnecessary or unjustified statements which might raise questions about the character, judgment, morals, or ethics of another individual.  Please refer to the ethical guidelines and ethical casebooks for your profession for specific guidance regarding appropriate presentations of your material.  Please rest assured that we attempt to assist our authors in meeting their ethical and legal obligations; however, we do not accept responsibility for any statements or actions by our authors that are illegal and/or unethical.  The Professional Resource Exchange/Professional Resource Press aspires to meet the highest ethical standards of the American Psychological Association and publishing trade in the promotion and marketing of our titles.

      Permission to Reprint Material.   If your work incorporates previously published or copyrighted material, you are responsible for delivering an assignment of copyright or satisfactory authorization to reprint the material.  In general, we recommend that authors seek permission to reprint quotes or recognizable paraphrases of more than 250 words from any single source.  NOTE: Some publishers (e.g., Guilford Publications) require permission for any reprinted material regardless of length.  Permission should also be obtained for all tables and figures from other sources.  This would apply even to material you have authored if the copyright is held by someone else.  It is impossible for us to check the source of everything an author writes; therefore, you need to assume responsibility for obtaining appropriate copyright consents and waivers.  Permission forms are available through our Sarasota office, and we are quite willing to help authors who have questions about this process.    

      CONFIDENTILITY

      For a variety of legal and ethical reasons, it is extremely important that authors protect the identities of individuals who are the subjects of case illustrations.  Changing an individual's name may not provide enough protection when citing case examples; information that might lead to disclosure of an identity could be something as simple as the notation of a specific profession, location, or age.  Therefore, we recommend that authors obtain written permission from clients before preparing case examples for publication.  In all cases, any clues that might disclose a client's identity should be modified.  It is also advisable to note in the preface or on the copyright page that identifying information has been changed to protect the confidentiality of individuals discussed in case examples.

      MANUSCRIPT STYLE

      For the sake of consistency, we ask all authors to follow the general style specified in the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.  Major elements of APA style include the citation of references in the text (no footnotes, please!), the format of the reference section at the end of the manuscript or chapter, and the appropriate use of headings and subheadings.  Also, authors should avoid the use of sexist language. In most instances, this can be accomplished by use of plural forms of pronouns and verbs or phrases such as "he or she."  Please do not use words such as "s/he" or "he/she."  In general, it is important to write clearly and have your manuscript well-organized.  The "Author's Manuscript Checklist" of this guide should be helpful as you prepare your manuscript.  Additional detailed instructions for manuscript preparation are also provided after a proposal has been accepted.

      ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION

      We always need three printed copies of your manuscript.  In addition, we require authors to submit a copy of their manuscript electronically.

      Prepare your manuscript in an IBM-compatible format and send us a copy of your manuscript files on CD-ROM or as an email attachment.  Please include the following information:

• Your name and the title of your contribution.
• The exact name (and version) of word-processing software you used (e.g., MS Word and version).
• In addition to the file(s) of your manuscript created by your word-processing software, we sometimes need ASCII file conversions of the manuscript (particularly if not created in MS Word).  If you (or your typist) do not know how to convert/save to ASCII format, you might consult one of your computer guru friends for assistance.  He or she can show you how to convert your files and can also help you confirm that the ASCII conversions actually occurred.  ASCII is a universally convertible format for use when nothing else works; although ASCII files contain all of the text in your manuscript, they do not include the format information or control codes (e.g., centering, bolding, etc.) that is available when we convert from documents prepared with an acceptable word-processing program.  Therefore, we will use the file(s) from your word-processing software if we can convert them.  If you are in doubt about whether your files can be converted, please send us a sample text file and we'll try to convert it.

AUTHOR'S QUESTIONNAIRE

To consider your proposal, our editorial staff needs:

• The following information on each author/editor: Name, Address, Home & office telephone numbers, fax number, email address.
• A CV or resume for each author/editor.
• If this is an edited work, include potential contributors, their professional positions, and other pertinent information on their proposed  topics.
• Proposed number of double-spaced pages for your manuscript.
• Several suggested titles for your final book.
• Briefly describe the objectives of the proposed book.
• What special expertise do you have on this topic?  (Include information from your CV, a description of your training and experience in the topic area, information about any workshops, teaching, and/or supervision where you have presented materials similar to the contents of your proposed book, etc.)
• An overview of the topic in general and why this book is needed.  Think of the blurbs on the back or inside flaps of books.
• A discussion of your overall approach and why/how this addresses the pressing need you've identified.
• An annotated  table of contents or outline of the book.  Write a paragraph about what you will cover in each chapter. (e.g., "One of the biggest problems facing blah, is blah.  This chapter presents practical, yet often overlooked strategies for blah.").
• A sample chapter.  It's a good idea to write a chapter from the middle of the book because it will be more representative, and it is usually easier to write the first and last chapters after you've written everything else, so you know the key themes and direction of the book.
• What else have you published?  (Although previously unpublished authors are welcomed, the editor would like to review a sample of your writing on this or a related topic.  If previously published articles are not available, please submit a workshop or course handout or similar materials.)
• It is essential that you follow the guidelines of the current Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association in your writing.
• List the names, titles, and addresses of at least five persons you know who are knowledgeable regarding the topic of your proposed book but are not close colleagues/relatives of the author(s).  If we accept your proposal, we may ask you to contact these individuals for reviews or brief comments on the manuscript (PRP will arrange to send them galley copies).  With their permission, we may use their reviews/comments as advertising blurbs.  Please try to list individuals who have high name recognition or titles of prestige in the area.
• Potential Market:

Please send these materials to Lawrence G. Ritt, PhD, Professional Resource Press, P.O. Box 3197, Sarasota, FL 34230-3197.  If you have any questions or need additional information before you submit your book proposal, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Ritt at lgrprp@gmail.com or by phone at 941-343-9601.

AUTHOR'S MANUSCRIPT CHECKLIST

This brief checklist is designed to call your attention to common author oversights.  We suggest that authors read it before they begin work on a manuscript and again before the material is submitted for publication.  You may wish to include additional items to remind yourself of issues that should be addressed before you submit your manuscript.

• Is the manuscript complete, including all chapters, forms, figures, and so on?  Missing items should be detailed in the cover letter that accompanies your manuscript.
• Is the manuscript neatly typed in double-spaced format, with ample margins for questions and editorial comments on all four sides?
• Have you carefully proofread the entire manuscript for clarity,accuracy, and completeness?
• Is the manuscript well-organized with appropriate headings and subheadings?
• Have you carefully checked to make sure all necessary references are included in the reference section?
• Are all references cited according to the current Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association with complete journal names instead of abbreviations?
• Have you obtained written permission to use previously published material, including tables and figures?  Permission forms for reprinting materials should be included with the manuscript.
• Has all possible identifying information been changed in case examples?  Do you have necessary permissions in your files to cite case examples?  Do you have necessary permanent forms included in the manuscript?
• Are three good copies of the manuscript carefully wrapped in a cardboard box or Tyvek envelope suitable for shipping?
• Have you kept at least one complete copy for your own records to protect against loss in shipping and to answer editorial queries?
• Have you included an electronic copy of your complete manuscript?
• Does the editor and the Sarasota corporate office have your current address, phone number, fax number, and/or e-mail address?

THE STEPS TO A PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT

• Author submits prospectus and questionnaire for PRP review.  If accepted, signing of a contract that specifies mutual responsibilities and expectations.
• Author prepares his or her manuscript.
• Submission of completed manuscript to your PRP editor.
• Editorial review of manuscript for completeness.  The editor may return the manuscript to the author for revision.
• The editor submits the edited/revised manuscript to the managing editor in Sarasota.  Copy editing of manuscript by PRP staff insures appropriate and consistent style.
• Formatting of the copy edited manuscript by PRP, as well as revision of manuscript as submitted by the author.
• Manuscript returned to author for queries, corrections, and possible revisions responsive to concerns raised by the copy editor or managing editor.
• Corrections and revisions entered on PRP computers using type-setting software.
• Final manuscript returned to author by the managing editor for proofreading and corrections.
• Final corrections entered on PRP computer, preparatory to production of final proofs.
• Final page proofs of manuscript returned to author for preparation of an index/indices.  Note: This step is not required for titles in the Practitioner's Resource Series.
• Seeking Prepublication reviews.
• Printing of book in its final form.
• Distribution of book.

At times, this process may be modified.  To keep the process on schedule, it is very important that authors set aside time for prompt correction of edited manuscripts and for preparation of any required index/indices as soon as the other work is completed.

Copyright 2012 by Professional Resource Press.  No reproduction, duplication, or dissemination is permitted without explicit written permission from Professional Resource Press.

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