4.1 Purpose
Rupkatha Books welcomes proposals for original, high-quality scholarly publications that make significant contributions to research, teaching, public knowledge, and interdisciplinary scholarship.
4.2 Proposal Requirements
A complete proposal should normally include:
- a completed Book Proposal Form;
- a concise overview describing the aims, originality, scholarly contribution, and intended readership of the proposed publication;
- a detailed table of contents with chapter summaries;
- one or more representative sample chapters or, where available, the complete manuscript;
- brief biographies of the author(s) or editor(s), including institutional affiliations and ORCID iDs where available;
- information regarding the anticipated scholarly impact of the publication; and
- details of any research funding, institutional support, or collaborative partnerships relevant to the project.
Additional documentation may be requested where necessary to facilitate editorial evaluation.
4.3 Originality
Proposals must represent original scholarly work.
Authors should disclose whether:
- any part of the work has been published previously;
- related versions are under consideration elsewhere;
- the project is based on a thesis or dissertation;
- preprints or earlier editions exist; or
- significant AI-assisted content has been used in preparing the manuscript.
Such disclosures enable a fair and transparent editorial evaluation.
4.4 Evaluation Criteria
Book proposals are evaluated on the basis of:
- originality and intellectual contribution;
- scholarly quality and methodological rigour;
- significance for the discipline or interdisciplinary field;
- engagement with current scholarship;
- ethical compliance;
- clarity of organisation and presentation;
- suitability for digital publication;
- international relevance and readership; and
- potential contribution to Open Access scholarship.
Editorial decisions are based exclusively on academic merit.
4.5 Editorial Evaluation Process
Book proposals normally proceed through the following stages:
- administrative review for completeness;
- preliminary editorial assessment;
- external expert review where appropriate;
- Editorial Board evaluation; and
- communication of the editorial decision.
The publisher endeavours to complete evaluations within a reasonable timeframe while maintaining rigorous scholarly standards.
4.6 Editorial Decisions
Following evaluation, a proposal may be:
- accepted in principle;
- accepted subject to revision;
- invited for resubmission following substantial revision; or
- declined.
Acceptance of a proposal indicates that the project is suitable for further development. Publication remains subject to satisfactory peer review and editorial evaluation of the completed manuscript.
4.7 Manuscript Preparation
Following acceptance of a proposal, authors should prepare the manuscript in accordance with the Author Guidelines and other relevant publisher policies.
Where appropriate, manuscripts should include:
- abstracts and keywords;
- complete references;
- permissions documentation;
- figures and tables;
- author biographies;
- metadata required for digital publication; and
- supplementary digital materials.
Authors are encouraged to incorporate digital resources, datasets, multimedia, or other supplementary materials that enhance the scholarly value of the publication.
4.8 Responsibilities of Volume Editors
Editors of collected volumes are responsible for:
- developing the intellectual framework of the publication;
- selecting qualified contributors;
- maintaining scholarly coherence and editorial consistency;
- coordinating peer review;
- ensuring compliance with publisher policies;
- obtaining necessary permissions; and
- maintaining effective communication with contributors and the publisher.
Detailed responsibilities relating to authorship and editorial ethics are set out in the Authorship Policy and Publication Ethics Policy.
4.9 Translation and Special Projects
Proposals involving translations, digital editions, multimedia publications, or other specialised scholarly projects should include any additional documentation necessary to demonstrate:
- copyright status and permissions;
- scholarly significance;
- technical feasibility;
- long-term accessibility; and
- contribution to international scholarship.
Such proposals may undergo specialist evaluation appropriate to their nature.
4.10 Funding and Institutional Partnerships
Authors should disclose any research funding, publication grants, institutional support, sponsorship, or collaborative publishing arrangements associated with the proposed publication.
