1-800-8-OLIVER
(1-800-865-4837)
Charlotte Square
5707 West 36th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55416-2510
Fax: (952) 926-8965
Authors interested in writing a book for The Oliver Press are invited to submit a proposal on a topic they believe may be a good addition to one of our series. Please note that we publish exclusively nonfiction, we do not read unsolicited manuscripts, and we prefer to receive proposals that fit into one of our established series.
We highly recommend that, before submitting a proposal, writers become familiar with the format of our books and the subjects on which we have already published. They may do so by exploring our web site or requesting a catalog from us, and by checking out several of our titles from a library. When submitting a proposal, please include a resume of previously published works and any applicable education or experience. In addition, we would like to see a writing sample, which should be as similar as possible in reading level, style, and subject to the book that is being proposed.
We respond to most queries within three months.
More detailed writers’ guidelines are available for three of our series of collective biographies:
Profiles
Innovators
Business Builders
Writers’ Guidelines for Profiles Books
Most of the books published by The Oliver Press belong to our Profiles series of collective biographies. Each Profiles title includes an introduction and a one-chapter biography of approximately eight people throughout history who have made an impact in a specific area of politics, science, business, exploration, or crime. The books are about 20,000 words in length, are intended for students in grades 5 to 9, and are sold primarily to schools and libraries.
Authors who would like to write a Profiles book should submit a short proposal that describes the topic they would like to cover with brief descriptions of about 12 people who could be included in the book. Be sure to emphasize the accomplishments and qualities that make these people the most noteworthy in their field and good candidates for inclusion in the book. Please include a resume of published works and applicable experience, and a writing sample as similar as possible in reading level, style, and subject to the book that is being proposed. Because our books are very specialized, writers should not submit unsolicited manuscripts or ideas that would not follow our established format.
Queries may be sent to:
Editorial Department
The Oliver Press, Inc.
Charlotte Square
5707 West 36th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55416-2510
Writers’ Guidelines for Innovators Books
The Innovators series from The Oliver Press explores major scientific and technological breakthroughs by focusing on the scientists or inventors who made them. Each title includes an introduction about the field, seven chapters (each covering an innovator and his or her innovation), and an afterword that brings the book up to date and speculates about future developments in the given field. Examples of chapters in Genetics: Unlocking the Secrets of Life are “Thomas Hunt Morgan and the Chromosome” and “Har Gobind Khorana and the Synthetic Gene.” The books are about 20,000 words in length, are intended for students in grades 5 to 12, and are sold primarily to schools and libraries.
Authors who would like to write an Innovators book should submit a short proposal that describes the topic they would like to cover with brief descriptions of 10 to 12 people who could be included in the book. Be sure to emphasize the accomplishments and qualities that make these people the most noteworthy in their field and good candidates for inclusion in the book. Please include a resume of published works and applicable experience, and a writing sample as similar as possible in reading level, style, and subject to the book that is being proposed. Because our books are very specialized, writers should not submit unsolicited manuscripts or ideas that would not follow our established format.
Queries may be sent to:
Editorial Department
The Oliver Press, Inc.
Charlotte Square
5707 West 36th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55416-2510
Writers’ Guidelines for Business Builders Books
The Business Builders series from The Oliver Press features people who sought success in the world of commerce. Each book includes seven chapters on enterprising people in a particular field, detailing their lives and the company(ies) they created, plus an introduction that should give the reader a brief history of that particular industry. We want people who built businesses, not necessarily inventors. For example, Steve Jobs was profiled in Business Builders in Computers because he was the marketing genius behind Apple Computer, not Steve Wozniak, the electronic wizard who actually built the first Apple computer. That same book, however, included Robert Noyce, who was both an inventor (the integrated circuit) and a founder of Intel Corporation. The companies chosen should be significant within the industry, but not necessarily still in business. The books are about 22,000 words in length, are intended for students in grades 5 to 12, and are sold primarily to schools and libraries.
Authors who would like to write a Business Builders book should submit a short proposal that describes the topic they would like to cover with brief descriptions of about 10 people who could be included in the book. Be sure to emphasize the accomplishments and qualities that make these people the most noteworthy in their field and good candidates for inclusion in the book. Please include a resume of published works and applicable experience, and a writing sample as similar as possible in reading level, style, and subject to the book that is being proposed. Because our books are very specialized, writers should not submit unsolicited manuscripts or ideas that would not follow our established format.
Queries may be sent to:
Editorial Department
The Oliver Press, Inc.
Charlotte Square
5707 West 36th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55416-2510
