Publishing a book or book chapter?

Checklist for publishing a book

A checklist with information for staff members considering contributing to the publication of a book, either as an editor, author of a book, or author of a chapter.

What kind of book do you want to write – and for whom?

Are you writing for the general market, for peers, for students, or for a profession?

Is it a scientific publication? If it is to be categorised as scientific in NVA and in NVI reporting, it must present new research findings, be peer-reviewed, and the publisher and book series must be approved as scientific in the Norwegian channel register.

• See the criteria for scientific publications in NVI-reporting

If it is a scientific book without the potential to become part of the curriculum, the publisher may request that you pay a publication fee. INN's publication fund can provide support for the publication of scientific books with open access.

• See information about INN's publication fund

If you are planning to write a textbook, there are several different teaching material grants available, including from several Norwegian academic publishers.

What publisher should be used, and what is their role?

A strong collaboration between the publisher and the author is crucial. You are free to choose which publisher(s) you want to contact and potentially make an agreement with. If you are applying for funding from INN’s publication fund, the publisher must be approved as scientific in the Norwegian channel register.

You can reach out to multiple publishers when writing a book. Investigate what services a publisher offers for book publishing and assess the quality of the publisher. Feel free to consult with researchers in your field who have experience with this. While different aspects may be important to you and your book, consider the following:

• Do you have to pay anything to get the book published?
• Who gets the rights to the book? Are the economic rights transferred to the publisher?
• What kind of editorial support will you receive during the process?
• How are peer reviewers chosen to assess the manuscript?
• Will you receive help with graphic design and clearing rights for figures, illustrations, tables, etc.?
• Will the book have an index? Does the publisher assist with this?
• Does the publisher provide guidance on references and citation formatting in the bibliography?
• Does the publisher offer language editing, manuscript layout, and graphic design services?
• Will the book be printed? What is the print quality like?
• How good are the publisher’s websites and publication platform? Will the e-book be available in multiple formats?
• Where will the book be indexed? Are the publisher’s books discoverable in relevant search services?
• What kind of agreements will you make with the publisher? Verbal agreements, letters of intent, contracts?

The publishing support service at INN's Library can assist you in evaluating these points.

What to consider before contacting a publisher?