After we have a good book concept, we work with you to develop an outline or chapter-by-chapter description of the book's contents. We also decide how we will present the material (such as with step-by-step direction).
Once we have a good outline and sample demonstration, we propose the book concept to a review board for final approval. If approved, we then negotiate a contract. We offer contracts for both flat fee and royalty agreements. Your acquisitions editor can give you more information about our contracts.
Our books are in bookstores, craft specialty stores and art supply stores across the U.S. and Canada. Finally, we aren't just a group of editors and designers; we are a group of craft enthusiasts and artists, just like you. We understand what it is you hope to accomplish with your book because it's the same thing we would want to see in a book we buy ourselves.
Creating a book will take time, effort, and real commitment, but the rewards are worth it. Besides the obvious satisfaction and pride you will feel when you see your best work in print, there are other rewards:
Decorative Painting + Home Decor
Click here to download a PDF of the North Light Decorative Painting + Home Decor Book submission guidelines, or read on.
Submission Guidelines for North Light Books
Accepting submissions in the following subject areas:
Decorative Painting and Home Decorating, especially paint-related techniques such as faux finishing; stencilling; wall murals of all sizes (trompe l'oeil, scenic, realistic, and decorative); hand-painted furniture; and decorative painting on accessories such as lampshades, frames, tableware, etc.
Other Home Décor subjects, including how to create window treatments (minimal- or no-sew); pillows and other soft furnishings; choosing color schemes; choosing and arranging furniture and accessories; doing home makeovers on a budget; decorating in cottage styles, vintage chic and other traditional (mainstream) styles. No modern, commercial or industrial styles, please.
General how-to books on basic home decorating for beginners may also be considered if they offer fresh approaches and innovative ideas in a fun and easy-to-read format. No serious or academic texts for design professionals, please.
HINT: Before submitting your book idea, please do some research on the competing books in the marketplace. Study the books in the Home Decorating section at your local chain bookstore and also at the large, national home improvement warehouse stores and discount membership stores. Find out who your audience is by watching the current popular cable TV shows on decorating and home makeovers, and reading the special interest magazines on home decorating on the newsstands.
How to Submit Your Book Idea
- Via Regular Mail (preferred): Send at least 10 - 20 photos or slides of your recent work in a decorative painting and/or home décor subject area listed above. Include a cover letter describing your book idea, who your audience is, and your background and expertise in this field. If you have been previously published, please include samples. If we cannot use your submission, all your materials will be returned to you. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. If your submission seems right for our readers, we will contact you within a month of our receipt of your package.
- Via E-Mail: We use Mac computers with color monitors. Scan your photos full-size and send each one separately as a jpeg file attachment. In the title block, say what the subject is (e.g., "Tuscan scene"), not the surface or location. In the e-mail message, describe your book idea, who your audience is, and your background and expertise. If you've been previously published, state the publication and year.
Mailing Address:
F+W Publications
4700 E. Galbraith Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45236
Attn: Kathy Kipp
E-mail Address: Kathy.Kipp@fwpubs.com
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Fine Art
Click here to download a PDF of the North Light Fine Art submission guidelines. Thank you.
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Graphic Design
Click here to download and print or save a PDF of these submission guidelines.
Why should you publish with HOW?
With nearly 3,000 titles in print and nearly a century of publishing history, F+W (HOW's parent company) is proud to be one of the largest enthusiast book publishers in the world. F+W readers make this rich tradition of publishing possible. Across subjects, age, gender, or geographic and economic demographics, readers share one common characteristic: passion. Whether it's a passion for novel writing, painting, collecting or design, F+W book titles encourage readers to express their creativity, gain expertise and achieve self-fulfillment.
HOW Books is known for helping professional graphic designers forge successful careers by providing business advice and creative inspiration. We've recently broadened the line to offer inspiration, advice and entertainment for creative people everywhere. Look here (www.fwbookstore.com/category/how/a) to get a better idea of the kinds of books we publish.
HOW is much more than a line of books. HOW is also a bimonthly magazine, a popular website (HOWdesign.com) and three national conferences, where we promote all our books.
Like all big publishers, F+W has a dedicated sales team that gets our books into all the major stores, both chain and independent, around the world. Unlike some of the largest publishers, however, F+W is still small enough to give each of our books the attention it deserves.
How can you submit a book idea to HOW?
Step 1: Email your idea to the HOW acquisition editor Megan Patrick (megan.patrick@fwpubs.com)
To start, you can simply send a paragraph outlining the basic idea for your book and why you think you're qualified to write it.
Step 2: If the HOW team thinks the book might be a good fit for the line, we'll ask you to send more materials. Here's what we'll need:
- An outline or table of contents
- One or two sample chapters
- Sample images
- An author bio
We'll also talk with you about the format of the book and how much time you'll need to work on it.
Step 3: The acquisitions editor and HOW team will work on determining if the book has a place in the market, and the format it should take.
Step 4: The acquisition editor will create a formal presentation document called a PI sheet (or project information sheet) and submit it to get on the schedule for the weekly publishing board meeting. The publishing board is made up of people from nearly every part of the book division, including sales, marketing, production, editorial and management. The board approves or denies all book proposals based on whether they think F+W can do a good job selling the book.
Step 5: Once the book is approved, the acquisition editor will start the contract process by submitting a contract request to the editorial director or the contracts manager. That person will then create a proposed contract and send it to the author to negotiate the details. Once all parties agree to the contract terms, work on the book can begin.
What should you expect once your book is published?
In almost all cases, HOW books authors are paid an advance against royalties, which means they are given a specific amount of money based on the number of books the publishing board thinks the company can sell in a year. The advance is typically paid out in thirds-one third upon signing the contract, one third upon turning in early materials and the final third when the completed manuscript is accepted. Once that initial sales number is reached, the author will continue to earn money in royalty checks. (However, since no one can predict how a book will do on the shelves, don't quit your day job!)
Since most HOW books are visual in nature, we create pre-publication sales spreads with sample text and images for our sales people to take to buyers at the major bookstore chains and other book distribution companies. We will need some materials very early from you to create these sales spreads. A specific deadline will be included in your contract.
Before the book hits store shelves, if you compile a list of outlets you think would be good to send review copies to, we'll work with our publicity manager to send them out.
Once the book nears its release date, the acquisition editor will determine how to promote the book in the magazine, on the website and at the conference. Some books are suitable to excerpt in the magazine, which can offer potential readers a nice sampling of what the book contains. Other books make good conference topics if the author has some speaking experience. The HOW website, blog and email newsletters also offer several avenues for promotion.
We've found that authors who are willing to maintain their own websites or blogs in support of their books are much more successful than those who aren't. In fact, the most successful authors are the ones who are constantly on the lookout for promotional opportunities, be it speaking engagements, being a source for an article or just reaching out to your own network to get the word out.
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Scrapbooking
Memory Makers Books is looking for innovative scrapbook designers to add to our lineup of bestselling authors.
Memory Makers Books is a premier publisher of scrapbooking and papercrafting books. Our technique and idea books are created for savvy scrapbookers and paper artists—with skills from beginner to advanced—who love fresh ideas, great techniques and stellar pages.
We're looking for authors who:
- Have a signature style and something to share.
- Know what's hot and going to be hot.
- Can create great pages. And who take good photos and can write pretty well, too.
If that's you, contact us. To submit your book idea, please provide the following:
- A 40-word synopsis of what your book is all about
- A tentative outline of the book that includes a list of chapters and techniques you'd like to include (FYI: the books are normally 128 or 144 pages in length)
- 10 or more pieces of art (jpegs, color photocopies or transparencies are fine) that illustrate the subjects or techniques you want to cover in the book (the book would require between 60 and 120 total pieces of art)
- A brief biography of you, including teaching gigs, design team work, published art and anything else that illustrates your qualifications for writing a book
- Clippings of work you have had published
Send all of the above, to:
Christine Doyle, Editor
Memory Makers Books
4700 E. Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236
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Woodworking
Click here to download a PDF of the Popular Woodworking Books submission guidelines, or read on:
David Thiel, Editor
F+W Publications
4700 E. Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, Ohio 45236
Phone: 513.531.2690
About Popular Woodworking Books:
Popular Woodworking publishes how-to woodworking books that use photos with captions to show and tell the reader how to build projects. Technical illustrations and materials lists supply all the rest of the information needed. Currently emphasizing woodworking jigs and fixtures, furniture and cabinet projects, smaller finely crafted boxes, all styles of furniture. De-emphasizing woodturning, woodcarving, scroll saw projects.
Freelance Facts
- Publishes trade paperback originals and reprints
- Publishes 10-12 titles/year
- Receives 30 queries/year
- Receives 10 manuscripts/year
- 50% of books from first time authors
- 95% of books from unagented writers
- Pays 10–20% royalty on net receipts
- Offers $3,000-5,000 advance
- Publishes manuscript 1 year after acceptance
- Accepts simultaneous submissions
- Responds in 1 month to queries
- Book catalog for 9x12 envelope and 6 first-class stamps
- Manuscript guidelines for 9x12 envelope and 6 first-class stamps
Submission method: Query with SASE and
- Proposal package
- Outline
- Transparencies
- Reviews artwork/photos as part of manuscript package.
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Writing
Click here to download a PDF of the Writer's Digest Books submission guidelines.
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