The Writing Process

A Guide for Authors

When books are contracted we provide authors with a booklet entitled Publishing with Palgrave Macmillan: A Guide for Authors. This provides a comprehensive guide to all aspects of preparing a typescript and to the way in which we work with authors on the production, publication and promotion of their books. A PDF version of this guide is available: Publishing with Palgrave Macmillan.

• Part One provides authors with a general introduction to Palgrave Macmillan and the departments with which authors will be working.
• Part Two gives authors full information on how to set out their work and on our house style.
• Part Three provides a checklist to consult before the delivery of a typescript and explains the publishing process after the typescript has been delivered.

During the writing process, please feel free to contact your editor with any queries or questions. We understand that books 'evolve' and hence are interested to hear any development. Importantly do keep us up-to-date with any changes or potential problems which may mean you are unable to meet your deadline for submitting your draft typescript.

Contributed volume - If you are a book editor of a contributed volume, you may find this advice helpful.

Using third party material in your work

If you have used ANY material in your manuscript from a third party, i.e. not created or written by you, or reproduced any previously published work of your own please use the following documents to help determine whether you need to secure permission to re-use it. If permission is required, it is important that this is formally sought and received in writing (e-mail is acceptable).

PLEASE NOTE: Permissions clearance can be time consuming and costly. As the author it is your responsibility to ensure all third party materials are cleared for print and electronic use in your book BEFORE submitting your final manuscript. Try to minimize the number of items within your book that will need to be cleared and we recommend that you avoid poems, song lyrics and stills from films or TV programmes as these are particularly difficult to gain permission for and often very costly. Of course, if you have any concerns or queries, your editor will be happy to discuss permissions issues with you and give advice.

Information and Guidance

The best available Copyright advice can be found by clicking here.

(This booklet is from an external website that offers industry-wide guidance.)

Permissions Clearance: What Needs to be Cleared (Word)  
This document gives information about copyright, fair dealing, costs, and adaptation of material

Step by Step Guide to Clearing Permissions (Word)  
This document takes you through the various steps in clearing permissions

Text template for permissions application (Word)   
A sample letter to be used when applying to re-use material

Web resources (Word)  
A starting point for helping you locate various rights holders, including links to major academic publishers

How to Compile Acknowledgements (Word)
Acknowledgements must be included in the preliminary pages of your book once permission has been granted. Also ensure any 'conditions' of permission being granted are inserted, e.g. stating 'Reproduced with permission'.

Permissions Tracker (Word)
This is a template spreadsheet that can help you keep track of the permissions you need to clear.

FAQS - Frequently asked questions about copyright and permissions

Reusing your own work published by Palgrave
Please note that we require notification if you plan to reproduce your work in a new publication, journal or teaching materials, so that we can protect the Work/Contribution against unauthorized or infringing uses, which are increasingly common in the digital environment. We take protection of intellectual property seriously, and in order to take action against unauthorized use it is necessary for us to have an accurate record of authorized uses. Your co-operation in this regard is much appreciated. Please contact rights@palgrave.com with details of your proposed reuse.

Tools and tips
www.getdropbox.com - a clever tool that allows multiple users to work on and update one copy of a file across different PCs, instantly. Useful for author teams working on the same documents.

http://docs.google.com - Google docs allow multiple edits and collaboration on online documents, without downloading any software.

(Palgrave Macmillan is not responsible for the content of external websites).