Submission Criteria

Editorial Selection

Elite Books evaluates proposals sent in by authors frequently. We are looking for authors with a basic understanding of the publishing process, outstanding public speaking and media appearance skills, and the commitment to spend substantial amounts of time making their work a success. Proposals are evaluated in about one month. If we believe that your project fits our profile, we will call you to discuss the possibility of working together. Please mail your proposal to the address below.

To have your project evaluated, please send the following items:

• Author Biography. What makes you qualified to write on this subject?
• Table of Contents
• Summary. One page description of book, such as you would find on the back jacket.
• Chapter by Chapter synopsis. 1 paragraph for each chapter.
• Target Markets. To which specific groups of people is this book targeted? Click here for worksheet to help you plan.
• Similar and Competing Titles. Title, Publication Date, Publisher, Price, & Ways in which proposed title differs from the other books, Units Sold if known.
• Two or three sample chapters
• A self-addressed stamped envelope, if you would like your material returned.

The Proposal as Business Plan

It costs Elite Books at least $40,000 to publish a new book, and we look closely at whether we can make a return on that investment. That means selling 5,000 to 10,000 copies. A proposal is, in the financial sense, a business plan being presented to a publisher by an author, asking the publisher to invest $40,000 or more in a product (a new book) that has never been proven in the marketplace before. Authors who actively promote their books through speaking engagements, professional appearances, and media interviews are much more likely to produce sales of 5,000 to 10,000 copies than those who do not. Authors with a community (a company, practice, group, or organization) that can guarantee sales of 2,000 to 3,000 copies give a publisher a strong financial basis to proceed, as well as a "word of mouth army" to spread the news about the book. When combined with distribution through Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other national sales outlets, the author's community and promotional efforts are vital to the book's financial success. They are an integral part of a convincing business plan.

Time Frame

Within four weeks of receiving an your proposal, we will give you a sense of whether or not we think that your manuscript fits the profile of the kind of author and project we are looking for. Sometimes we will suggest major revisions to the manuscript; other times the work required may be minor. From the time the manuscript is finished, it takes nine to eighteen months till the book is in print.

Self Publishing Services

Our sister company, the Author's Publishing Cooperative, offers a complete suite of services to authors who have made the decision to self-publish, rather than publishing through a conventional publisher such as Elite Books. Self-publishing authors fund the entire publication and marketing process themselves, but then also enjoy the publisher's share of the book's proceeds in addition to the author's share. An author working with the Author's Publishing Cooperative has access to an excellent team of publishing professionals, who manage the entire publication process, resulting in a professionally produced, marketed and distributed book. Click the link for full information, including prices, budgets, and a list of the steps a book goes through on its way to publication.

Address

MAIL: PO Box 442, Fulton, CA 95439
PHYSICAL: 2168 Francisco, Santa Rosa, CA 95403