Vijay Nicole solicits authorship in all areas of academic interest. The following points would act as a guideline for teachers, professionals or any aspiring writer.

The Book Proposal Form

The first step towards publishing is for the author to send a proposal to the publisher. Vijay Nicole provides a formatted proposal called the Book Proposal Form (BPF) which will request you for information like the broader theme of your project, its distinguishing features, market information, approximate length (in pages), table of contents, schedule of completion and your profile. You can download this form from the ‘Downloads’ section.

Guidelines to author/s for typescript preparation

Pre-proposal stage

  • Understand the scope of your work and draft a detailed chapter outline (table of contents) even before you start writing the script.
  • While designing the chapter outline, please take a look at the popular books in the market. Do look at the syllabi (if any) coverage of the content of the intended course.
  • Please do a comparative study of your work with the popular books in the market. Your competitive edge should not just be the style of writing and also include topical coverage, organisation of topics, pedagogy and/or any important feature, which distinguishes your work from the rest. Please provide us a comparative chart based on the above criterion.
  • You may even get opinion on the content from your mentors, colleagues and friends. Please try to get as many criticisms as possible rather than appreciation. This will help you to develop the content. Incorporate the suggestions provided.
  • Download the Book Proposal Form (BPF) from the ‘Downloads’ sections. Please do fill in the BPF and attach your comparative study chart, detailed Table of Contents (ToC), three sample chapters (significant of the entire work), along with the Preface. Send it to us at vni@vijaynicole.co.in for initial evaluation.

Submitting the script

  • Please avoid providing handwritten script (manuscript). The typescript should be word-processed with appropriate text, illustrations, diagrams, maps, instructional aids, and index.
  • Once we confirm our interest in your work and once you are completely satisfied with the draft script, please send the complete typescript to us. It is better to avoid reworking/modifying the content once you submit it to us.
  • Please avoid providing typescript in parts and in an unorganised form. Let the typescript be complete in all aspects like preface, detailed content, chapters with appropriate pedagogical features, reference, bibliography etc.
  • It is better that the author draws the figures (using Illustrator/Corel Draw) in a reproducible form. This will avoid the gap between the author/s visualization and the end product.
  • Do provide the figures/illustrations as a separate file (say in Corel Draw/illustrator) along with appropriate figure numbers/captions.
  • Equations have to be typed using the Equations Editor or any other method in which the equations remain editable. Please check whether the text material has appropriate cross-references.
  • Please understand that publishing is not an overnight process. Your typescript will have to go through a process of In-house study/analysis, peer reviews, comparative study, market survey, copy-editing, typesetting and two rounds of proofreading before it gets into printing.

Post-publication Stage

  • We require your help in the marketing of your book. Provide us with the database of your professional friends who can influence the sales of your book.
  • The author is the biggest salesman for his book. Please do spread word around about your book to your colleagues and friends that you have published a book. If you are not able to take pride in your work, who else will do?
  • Guest lectures/conferences are good opportunities to publicise your work. Understand that it is an appropriate arena for you to subtly market your book which a publisher can never attempt because it is not their domain.
  • Get reviews/criticisms/appreciations on the published book from your colleagues and mentors.
  • You can have your revision plan ready but provide time for the first edition to penetrate into the market and benefit both of us. Immediate revision after the first print is not desirable.
  • For the subsequent revisions it is enough if you send the additions/ deletions alone indicating the place of insertion (page no) with respect to the first edition of the book.