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The 5 Real Book Proposals That Landed Me Contracts With Oxford University Press and University of Toronto Press — Yours to Model This Weekend

By Dr. Duncan Koerber — Associate Professor of Communication — Three published academic books

Tired of guessing what academic publishers want?

These ready-to-use templates and real academic book proposal samples show you exactly how successful academics secure book contracts even before writing the manuscripts.

📘 Instant digital download — only $29. 

You Don’t Need to Write the Whole Book First to Get Noticed

Most academics think they have to finish their entire manuscript before approaching publishers.

The truth is, many publishers will decide to work with you long before the draft manuscript exists — based on your proposal.

A strong book proposal can open doors to major presses even if you haven’t written a single chapter yet.

That’s exactly how I built my academic career.

How Book Proposals Changed My Career

Three years after earning my PhD, I lost out on my first tenure-track job.

I finished second — and the person who got the position had one thing I didn’t: a book “under contract.”

That phrase on her CV was a signal to the hiring committee that she was a serious scholar with publishing potential.

It lit a fire under me. I had taught writing with unique lessons, the perfect content for a textbook. 

I spent two months trying to figure out how to write a book proposal.

It wasn't easy. There isn't much on the internet about writing academic book proposals. 

When I finally finished one, I sent it to Oxford University Press and University of Toronto Press.

Within days, both acquisition editors wanted to meet.

That proposal landed my first book contract, and it changed everything.

That single line, “under contract,” kept me in the academic game, helped me secure more interviews, and ultimately led to a tenure-track job.

Now You Can Use the Exact Templates and Samples That Worked for Me

I’ve gathered the five real book proposals that helped me secure contracts with major presses, plus fill-in-the-blank Word templates you can complete in a weekend.

These materials show you exactly how to:

  • Structure your proposal section by section
  • Write what editors want to see (and skip what they don’t)
  • Avoid the rookie mistakes that waste time
  • Impress hiring committees with “under contract” on your CV

Who This Is For

  • Contract faculty and sessional instructors: Boost your CV with a book project that publishers already believe in and hiring committees notice
  • PhD Students finishing their dissertations: Start your publishing journey before graduation. Get a book “under contract” for job applications.
  • Tenure-track faculty: Add a book "under contract” or “in press” to your CV to strengthen your tenure file and demonstrate scholarly productivity.

Is this for my field?

The templates and samples work for scholars across the humanities and social sciences, fields where a book contract often matters for tenure, promotion, and the job market.

That includes history, English and literary studies, philosophy, religious studies, classics, sociology, anthropology, political science, communication and media studies, education, cultural studies, gender and ethnic studies, linguistics, and related interdisciplinary areas.

The proposal structure translates across these fields. What changes is the specific content you fill in.

Hiring Committees Don’t Just Want Potential — They Want Proof

A book contract shows that a respected press believes in your research and your ability to deliver.

It’s validation that sets you apart from dozens of equally qualified candidates.

Even before your book is published, “under contract” on your CV tells hiring committees and tenure reviewers that you’ve already passed one of academia’s toughest filters: peer review by a major publisher.

What’s Inside the Download

Here’s exactly what’s included:

  • 5 complete accepted book proposals from top-tier presses (PDFs)

  • 3 fill-in-the-blank Microsoft Word templates (monograph, edited collection, textbook) 

  • 1 Call for Chapters sample to attract high-quality contributors for your own edited book

  • Editorial decoder: guidance about what acquisition editors actually look for in each proprosal section 

Everything you need to go from “no idea where to start” to “ready to pitch” in a weekend.

I’ve Been Exactly Where You Are

I’m Dr. Duncan Koerber, a tenured Associate Professor of Communication in Canada.

I earned my PhD in Communication and Culture in 2009, and I remember how uncertain the academic job market felt back then.

I’ve published three academic books — two more are under contract and in progress — with top-tier presses, and every one of them started with a proposal.

  • My first book kept me in the job market through years of short-term teaching contracts. 

  • My second book helped convert a limited-term contract teaching position into a tenure-track role.

  • My third book, “in press” during my tenure review, helped me earn tenure and promotion.

I know what works because I’ve lived it.

You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone

When I wrote my first proposal, there were no examples, no templates, and no guidance.

I had to figure it out myself.

Now you don’t have to.

You’ll get everything I wish I had when I started: real examples, proven structures, and clear instructions.

Stop overthinking your next big career step.

Start writing with confidence.

Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Academic Career?

You can spend months trying to figure out what publishers want — or one weekend writing your proposal with proven templates.

📘Instant digital download — only $29.

One Final Thought Before You Decide...

Another year is going to pass whether you write your book proposal or not.

You can spend it wishing you'd started, or you can spend one weekend turning a blank page into "under contract" on your CV.

I've handed you the exact templates and the real samples that got me contracts with Oxford University Press and University of Toronto Press.

The question is: are you ready to use them?

Get Instant Access — $29
By purchasing you agree to our Policies & Terms — Duncan Koerber, Ontario, Canada | admin@duncankoerber.com

This product is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Oxford University Press or University of Toronto Press.