Thank you for your interest in doing a proposal. Below is some general information about Aspen Publishers' precontractual review process and suggestions about proposal writing. A comprehensive proposal will be between eight and ten pages (plus writing sample).

Precontractual review

The purpose of a precontractual review is to secure feedback from the market about the project in question. Typically, the best reviewers are experienced teachers in the particular subject area, familiar with the competing works in the field; reviewers often represent prospective adopters for the book. We generally commission four or five reviews.

The review package typically consists of a proposal and table of contents, as well as a writing sample. We find that the chances of getting an unqualified response from reviewers are maximized when we send a strong, persuasive proposal and a detailed table of contents. A letter from Aspen Publishers asking specific questions about the book's approach, content, organization, and pedagogy accompanies these materials. It typically takes about a month to receive a full set of reviews.

A positive set of reviews allows me to present the project to our New Product Committee. Their approval enables me to offer a contract for publication.

The proposal

A proposal should begin with a brief, one-paragraph introduction stating in the broadest terms what you are proposing. The second section should be an overview of the course in question and how you think the course could be taught more effectively. In other words, describe your concept of the "ideal book."

It's useful to provide a brief analysis of the two or three leading competitive books in the subject area. This competition analysis is an important element of the proposal because it reminds reviewers of the strengths and weaknesses of books they've used and of the fact that there might well be a need for a new book.

The competition analysis leads naturally into a description or "overview" of your own project. This section likely will tie in with what you've already said about how you think the course should be taught. This portion of the proposal will comment on the approach or philosophy that underlies your organization, content, and pedagogy.

Proposal outline

1. Introduction - One paragraph which briefly states what you are proposing.
2. Course Overview - Your perceptions about the salient characteristics of the course and what this means for the approach/design of your project, including how you think the course could be taught more effectively.
3. Competition Analysis - Discussion of the approaches that the leading books embody, including two to three leading competitors and a brief analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.
4. Project Description
   • Overview - This section likely will tie in with what you've already said about how you think the course should be taught, including the approach and pedagogy. It is also helpful for reviewers to know:
     - Plans for review questions or problems.
     - Do you plan on including any cases?
     - Will you include charts, graphs, definitions, etc?
     
   • Estimate of the book's length and format.
     - Organization - Detailed table of contents.
5. Teacher’s Manual

Table of contents

The more specific and detailed your table of contents is the more useful reviewers’ responses will be. Depending on the nature of your project, you may want to create a conventional table of contents—in outline format with graduated levels of headings—or you may want to create a table of contents that combines an outline format with short descriptions that present your rationale for content, organization, or pedagogy.

Writing Sample

A writing sample will offer the reviewer a clearer idea of how you are able to implement the concepts and ideas in your proposal. We do not require a writing sample, but if you wish to submit one with the proposal we encourage you to do so. A six to eight page section of one chapter would be sufficient.

Teacher’s Manual

A good teacher's manual is imperative to greatly enhance a book's appeal to prospective adopters in the paralegal market. Please include in your proposal what you foresee including in such a manual. We also strongly encourage the development of a test bank or sample test questions.

Please contact me with any questions. Thanks again for your interest in Aspen Publishers.

David Herzig
Paralegal Acquisitions Editor
Telephone: 303-664-1412
Toll Free: 800.529.7545 ext. 4
E-mail: david.herzig@wolterskluwer.com