Main reasons publishers reject coffee table book proposals, and what makes them say yes

If you want to publish a coffee table book through a publisher you will need to submit a proposal outlining your idea. Publishers get sent hundreds of proposals each year for all manner of topics. The publisher and their editorial team have to sift through the proposals and select the ones they feel are: a good fit for the publishing house, culturally relevant, address a growing area of interest and in most cases commercially viable.

Your book proposal therefore has to appeal to what the publisher is looking for. This means understanding the main reasons publishers reject coffee table book proposals. To help you we share 5 of the main reasons that make a publisher say no.

1. An unprofessional proposal

A poorly planned and presented proposal is likely to be rejected. Publishers look for clarity. They want the information laid out clearly in a format that is easy to follow and enables them to quickly pick out the main points of what your proposed book is about.

What makes them say yes: Follow their submission guidelines and take care when putting your proposal together. Consider using a professional template or investing in professional design help.

2. They’re already publishing a similar book

With the amount of submissions they receive a publisher may have already purchased a book similar to your topic. So purchasing an almost identical book may not make commercial sense for them.

What makes them say yes: Do your homework to see what books are due to be published and look for ways to highlight what makes your book different. How to Publish a Coffee Table Book shows you how to do this.

3. The topic of interest has peaked

Coffee table books typically reflect what is happening in culture at any given moment in time. This could be things that are happening in the present or things from the past that have become fashionable again. As the popularity of a particular subject or trend gathers steam the market becomes saturated and eventually readers lose interest and publishers have already moved on having identified what’s next.

What makes them say yes: Your book proposal needs to highlight what makes your book timely and relevant. You need to show the publisher why they should care about the topic, and why your target reader would too. Publishers are keen to take advantage of emerging cultural trends, so be aware of what is happening around your chosen book topic and explore the ways that you can link your book to them.

4. The intended audience is unclear

One of the main reasons for creating a coffee table book is to give or sell it to an interested audience, whether that’s family, friends or the general public. No matter how brilliant it is, without an audience, your book will become irrelevant languishing in storage boxes.

What makes them say yes: A publisher is a business, so they do consider commercial appeal in the book proposals they review. Ensure your proposal clearly shows who the target audience for your book is, demonstrating why they would be interested in your book and how your book benefits them.

5. They don’t publish books related to your topic

This point is self-explanatory. Sending your coffee table book proposal to a publisher that doesn’t specialise in your topic area or type of book is an immediate cause for rejection. The commissioning editor is not going to spend their time reading something irrelevant to them.

What makes them say yes: Submit your book proposal to the relevant publisher, so spend some time identifying who they are. How to Publish a Coffee Table Book takes how through the process of finding relevant publishers.

If you are looking to get a publishing deal How to Publish a Coffee Table Book dives deeper into composing and sending publishing proposals to publishers. If you feel you need guided support to create your proposal we also offer a Create Your Book Proposal service, get in touch to find out more here.

– Tapiwa Matsinde

[Image credits: The image shown belongs to Cup of Couple via Pexels. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]