While your CV will indicate that you are qualified to write on the topic of the book, the prospectus should answer such questions as:

• What is the overall purpose of the book?
• Who is the intended audience? How will the book benefit them?
• What will be the theoretical and empirical basis for the book? (For some books, particularly edited ones, there may be more than one theory represented; if so, indicate the range of theories that will be represented.)
• How does your approach fit into contemporary theory, research, and application in your area of study or practice?
• If you were marketing your book to your audience, what other major selling points would you emphasize?
• Are there competing books in the same topic area? If so, what books would be the major competitors with yours? What makes your book different or unique? What would make the consumer buy your book instead of these others?
• How long do you plan the book to be? (For edited books, we would also like to know the approximate page length of chapters.)
• When do you anticipate completing the first draft?

The prospectus should also include an annotated table of contents, describing each chapter in a paragraph or two. For authored volumes, including a sample chapter can also be helpful but is not essential. For edited volumes, the names and affiliations of proposed chapter authors are needed, with indications as to whether the authors are already committed to write the chapters or when you plan to approach them. It is also useful for us to know what instructions chapter authors have been given (or will be given) for writing their chapters.

If you need clarification regarding any of these points or have other questions, please feel free to call us at 202-336-5792.

Thank you for your interest in APA Books. We look forward to receiving your book proposal.