What is Bloomsbury Publishing?
Bloomsbury Publishing Group Plc is one of Europe's leading independent publishing houses. It has a stellar list of non-fiction and fiction titles, and is a leader in media and electronic reference publishing and children's books, including the wildly successful Harry Potter series. Bloomsbury falls into three divisions: Adult, Children, and Academic and Professional.
What is different about Bloomsbury Academic?
The imprint is committed to working closely with the academic and library community to maximise the opportunities afforded by digital access to content. Bloomsbury Academic publishes research-led publications online on Creative Commons licences, thus allowing open access to the full content immediately upon publication. We believe greater exposure online will increase rather than decrease print and ebook sales.
What is a Creative Commons (CC) licence?
CC licences enable copyright holders to grant some or all of their rights to the public. In the case of the CC non-commercial licence, which we use, licencees (i.e. readers) are granted the right to copy, distribute and display the work on a non-commercial basis. See the CC Website for more information.
Why can I access the full text of some titles and only two chapters of other titles?
You will be able to access the full text of all CC titles. To find out more about CC, click here. For all other titles, we are only permitted to show you a sample of the text.
Who retains copyright in the work?
The authors do. In some cases, a funder may insist on holding the copyright, but we do not ask for the copyright from anyone. We will enter into a contract that gives us the rights we need to publish online on a CC non-commercial licence. We retain control over any commercialisation of the content – such as printing and selling physical books - from which authors earn royalties.
Where can I find out more about copyright and contracts?
How do I submit a proposal?
There are two ways to submit a proposal:
- Write an e-mail or letter enclosing a short outline and a CV and send to one of our commissioning editors.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Are you looking to commission book series?
Does Bloomsbury Academic undertake the usual publishing functions such as peer review, editing, formatting, marketing, production and distribution?
Yes. We impose the same standards expected of any world-class academic publisher. Manuscripts that pass the editorial selection process will be peer reviewed, edited and formatted. Each title is marketed and sold globally.
What work do I have to do to prepare the manuscript? How much support will I receive for this from Bloomsbury Academic?
You will need to submit your manuscript in electronic form. We will provide guidelines, and help from our production department where necessary.
Will Bloomsbury Academic typeset and design my book?
We will design and format the book from the digital file you produce and which we have copyedited.
Will there be possibilities of updating my work?
Yes, absolutely. We want to take advantage of the digital medium with you.
Is this like the open access model for journals where authors (or their institutions) have to pay for the publishing process?
No, Bloomsbury Academic finances the publishing process and expects to recover its costs through sales of print copies.
Will I be paid a royalty?
Yes. Royalties will be modest, but we would like to see our authors receive financial reward for their works. Royalties will be negotiated with an editor in the usual way.
Will I still get some free copies on publication and be able to purchase additional copies at a discount?
Yes, as agreed in your contract you will receive free copies on publication and you will be eligible for 40% discount on any books published by Bloomsbury.
What will the hardcopy book look like, and how will it be produced?
A key factor that makes this economic model work will be to keep tight control of inventory. Your book will be produced first in a short print run and then by the new digital print on demand (POD) methods which allow for runs ranging from one to a few hundred at sensible unit costs. Both methods produce the same high quality look as is expected of a world-class academic publisher.
Will you only publish in hardback, or will it be available in paperback too?
Sometimes there is a demand from a significant number of individuals for the most important books to be available in paperback. If the numbers work, we'll make it happen.
My book is a textbook. Will it be available in paperback?
Yes, of course.
How soon after publication online will physical copies be available?
We aim to publish both simultaneously.
How soon after the UK publication date will the book be available in the US?
It is standard for titles to be published in the US two months after the UK publication date. However, we are endeavouring to move to simultaneous publication.
Can I include illustrations in my book?
In principle yes, but the details will need to be discussed between you and your editor.
Are there limits on the book size?
Our current book sizes are: 5.5 x 8.5" (216 x 140mm) 6 x 9" (229 x 152mm) 6.14 x 9.21" (234 x 156mm) 7 x 10" (254 x 178 mm).
Is there any limit on extent?
Please discuss with your editor if you expect the length of your book to exceed 120,000 words.
Can I add additional materials online to supplement my work?
Yes. Your work can either be a stand-alone volume, or part of a larger body of research output, such as databases. We like links.
Can I include works in other media such as video and podcasts?
Yes. Whatever you think will enhance the utility of your work will be of interest to us.
What will my book sell for?
The recommended retail price will be in line with other academic publishers.
Will my research book be available as an ebook as well as online in html format?
Yes, we will ensure that your book is available in a multiplicity of eformats and through a variety of appropriate channels.
How do I buy a Bloomsbury Academic ebook?
You can buy our Open Access titles from this site in both PDF and ePub format. These titles are also available to buy from Amazon for the Kindle, and through our other e-book distribution partners.
How do I access the ebook I have purchased?
Once you complete the checkout process, your book will be available to download from the Overview tab for that title. Please note you must be signed in to see the Download eBook button. The ePub file can be read on a number of mobile devices but please check your particular device for compatibility. Both formats can also be read on your desktop using the free Adobe Digital Editions software which can be downloaded from here [http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/].
Will my textbook be available as an ebook?
Not yet, but we are currently looking into the best business models for selling etextbooks.
Why do you believe libraries will still buy my research-based book when it is available on the Internet free of charge?
Librarians know that the physical book is still the most economic format for multiple use of research publications. The real cost of single copy printouts that often end up in someone's desk drawer is remarkably high when true overheads are taken into account. Librarians also like the extra metadata we provide when they purchase our ebooks.
Some people still like physical books, and some librarians are worried that digital formats are changing so quickly it won't be possible to read today's ebook with tomorrow's technology. Nobody knows for sure what the future holds – but for the time being we feel our hybrid model serves best.
Will my book be on display at conferences?
Yes, we want your work to receive high exposure on all fronts. See our conference list.
Will you send out review copies of my book?
Yes. Reviewers have the option of receiving an ebook or a printed copy.
Can you ensure availability even if sales are low?
Yes. Your book need never go out of print.