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ATD Press Submission Guidelines

ATD Press welcomes proposals from prospective authors with new and innovative ideas that fit into our current publishing program.

Key to the publisher and author relationship is a willingness to partner with ATD Press to ensure your book reaches its intended audience, and that the investment made by you and ATD Press pays off.

Please read carefully the following instructions and pointers before submitting your proposal to us. These guidelines will ensure that your proposal is given a fair and objective review.

Visit ATD Press and examine the types of book we publish and market:
Spend time on the ATD Press page or check out our recent catalog. Does your book proposal reflect the subject matter and approach of these titles? ATD Press publishes books of interest to our core market of talent development professionals, including trainers and those who manage and direct training programs. We also focus on general business topics and skills development topics such as project management, leadership, strategic planning, career development, organization development, and consulting.

Put together your book proposal.
Please complete and submit the ATD Book Proposal Template along with the following:

  1. A summary of your book. Draft a one-page summary that gives us a detailed look into what your book will look like from start to finish. It should touch on your intended audience, who they are, and why the book will excite them.
  2. An annotated outline or table of contents for your book. This critical piece of the proposal helps us see exactly what's in each chapter of your book and how each one flows into the next. It should contain chapter headings and section headings within chapters; beneath each chapter heading, write a few paragraphs explaining what the chapter will cover. Describe any recurring components in and across your chapters.
  3. Sample content. Provide the following from your book as a writing sample: an introduction and an interior chapter. The introduction should cover what your book is about, why it is needed and by whom, what it will help readers learn or do and how, and a preview of chapters and other unique aspects. The interior chapter should be chosen to be representative of the typical chapter that’ll appear in your book.
  4. Competing works. Research what comparable books exist in your subject area and identify 3-5 books. For each list the author, publisher, date it was published, and page count; develop a one-paragraph description of the book; and include another paragraph of analysis explaining how your book will differ and stand out against it.
  5. Your bio. More than just a copy of your current resume, your bio should state clearly why you are the most ideal person to write this book and sell it to its intended audience. Demonstrate your marketability and reach.

Submit your book proposal document.
Gather all of your book proposal materials and email them to [email protected]. We monitor this inbox regularly and our book editorial and content team will be in touch.