This handbook is designed to assist editors of books published by the Society of Biblical Literature. It states the relevant policies of the Society and describes procedures for the preparation of books for publication. It includes information about resources to assist the editor with the evaluation of proposals and manuscripts, and with communication to authors about the formatting of pages (laser print), the preparation of electronic files for typesetting, and the production of printer-ready files. Editors are encouraged to consult with the Chair of the Research and Publications Committee concerning questions about policy or procedure as they arise. Editors may also contact SBL Editorial Director, Bob Buller for advice regarding editorial matters, especially regarding methods for acquiring titles. Editors may contact Leigh Andersen, SBL Managing Editor, regarding instructions to authors about the preparation of their manuscripts for printing. Contact information is listed below.
The SBL Publication Program
The Society of Biblical Literature, through its Research and Publications Committee and its editors, makes all editorial decisions and performs all editorial work on SBL books (the list of editors is included in the front of the most recent Annual Meeting Program Book, or on the WWW at http://www.sbl-site.org [click on “Publications”]). The Research and Publications Committee oversees the Society’s publication program by approving and reviewing regularly all journals and monograph series, as well as collaborative publication projects; nominating editors and editorial boards for election by Council; reviewing publication budgets and production schedules; initiating and responding to proposals for publication and dissemination of biblical scholarship in various media (viz., print, audio, video, and digital forms). The Chair of the SBL Research and Publications Committee serves as the equivalent of “Publisher” for the Society. Editors, employing appropriate peer review procedures, accept works for publication. The SBL executive office, in consultation with the Chair of Research and Publications, provides for the production of the Society's publications, consistent with a budget approved by Council. SBL determines the number of copies to print and their prices. SBL is responsible for providing effective marketing, design, manufacture, and distribution for its publications.
Editorial Responsibilities
SBL editors serve the function of what is usually referred to in commercial publishing as “acquisitions editor.” SBL editors, in consultation with the Chair of the Research and Publications Committee and the SBL executive office, create a plan for the acquisition of new titles. SBL editors obtain from potential authors proposals and manuscripts that are consistent with the publication plan they have developed. Editors are encouraged actively to seek any appropriate works and to commission the writing of volumes. Editors consult with the SBL office about the financial viability, audience or market, and potential production of particular proposals and manuscripts. Editors vet these proposals and manuscripts for quality of content, using appropriate methods of peer review. Editors accept or reject the proposals and manuscripts, notifying the author and the SBL office about the status of the editorial review within a reasonable period (usually within two months of receipt of a manuscript). Editors also review, approve, and return galley proofs and page proofs during the production of the manuscript for printing.
Publication Sequence Receipt of Proposal or Manuscript
Though editors should certainly entertain proposals and manuscripts that arrive “over the transom,” editors are encouraged to take an active role in soliciting and shaping book proposals. Editors are encouraged to require each potential author to submit a proposal for review (even when the author plans to submit a full manuscript). Editors may provide potential authors with the “SBL Book Proposal Guidelines” to assist them with the formulation of a useful proposal (multiple copies are available from the SBL office, or it may also be downloaded from the WWW at http://www.sbl-site.org [click on “Publications”]). Editors should provide copies of author proposals to the SBL office. These proposals serve as the basis for consultation regarding financial viability of the project, potential audience or market, title, and possible calendar of production prior to acceptance. Editors should make every effort to respond to authors as soon as possible, generally within two months of the receipt of the proposal or manuscript.
Festschriften
The SBL does not publish Festschriften, as such. SBL does not include a photograph of the person to whom a volume is dedicated, nor does the Society publish the bibliographies and biographies of the person to whom a volume is dedicated. SBL does not publish volumes whose titles include the name of an honoree.
Multi-Author Works
Normally multi-author works will be published in the Society’s Symposium Series. Editors who accept multi-author works for another series should consult with the Editorial Director and the Symposium editor prior to acceptance. Multi-author works must demonstrate an acceptable level of coherence and must comply with the series description of the series in which they are to appear.
Peer Review
Every project must undergo peer review prior to acceptance by an editor. Editors should consult with other scholars qualified in the particular subject matter under review regarding the project's merits. Peer review may take place at either the proposal stage or the manuscript stage (or, where appropriate, at both). If peer review takes place at the proposal stage, the editor is responsible for insuring that the completed manuscript matches the project proposal. Should the peer review process be delayed by the inability of a reviewer to respond in a timely manner, it is the responsibility of the SBL editor to keep the author informed about the status of the manuscript and/or proposal. Reviewers who respond within an appropriate period may receive one free copy of any SBL monograph as a thank you for the service they perform for the SBL. The editor should inform the SBL office of the names of reviewers used when reviews are received to insure the reviewers receive a letter of thanks and a free book.
Notification of Authors and the SBL Office Regarding Acceptance and Rejection
Copies of letters of acceptance, along with a copy of the completed New Title Accepted for Publication form (multiple copies of this form are available from Bob Buller at the SBL office), provided to the SBL office. The letter of acceptance should include no details regarding the mode of publication, price, print run, or any other matter than the disposition of the editor's review of the proposal or manuscript. The details of the SBL's agreement with the author to publish the work will be included in a contract issued by the SBL office. (See Contract section below.)
Production
All materials for production will be transmitted by SBL editors. SBL will not accept manuscripts for production directly from an author. Editors will transmit to the production department the edited and approved manuscripts of books, receive and return the master copies of proofs, and receive from the author and transmit to the production department the index to the book. The form, New Title Ready for Production, should accompany every manuscript sent to the SBL by an editor for publication. (The form is available from the SBL office.)
SBL editors should assist authors in the performance of two of the tasks usually undertaken by staff editors at highly commercial publishers: copyediting and preparation of printer-ready copy.
Copyediting
The SBL publication process presumes that all editors will assist authors with the copyediting of their work, including checks for consistency of style and the verification of citations. The SBL assumes all editors and authors are willing to contribute in this way to the success of the SBL publication program. Editors should insist that authors follow the SBL Handbook of Style in matters of style. Authors and editors should ensure that all language is as inclusive as possible.
Preparation of Printer-Ready Copy
“Printer-ready manuscripts” mean just that: the manuscripts are received “ready” to be processed by the printer. In preparing printer-ready manuscripts, authors act as composers of their work; accordingly, formatting, correct pagination, the placement of running heads, etc., are crucial tasks with which the editor should assist by reviewing the author’s work. Editors should inform authors interested in preparing printer-ready copy of the availability of the “Guidelines for the Preparation of Printer-Ready Manuscripts” (available from the SBL office or on the WWW at http://www.sbl-site.org [click on Research and Publications]). The editor or author may call on Leigh Andersen (see contact information below) to review an author's sample and to assist the author in conforming to printer-ready specifications.
Editors should encourage authors to prepare printer-ready copy. Authors who prepare printer-ready copy benefit, as does the SBL, in many ways. First in importance for many scholars is the fact that they retain control of the manuscript: there is no opportunity for a non-specialist to introduce errors into a highly specialized manuscript during copyediting and typesetting. Moreover, the manuscript normally spends less time in production, with the first copy available in print sometimes as early as six or seven weeks after the receipt of final copy. The Society also benefits from a reduction in the cost of production, which means that scholars and students everywhere benefit from a reduction in the retail price of the book. This savings benefits the Society's publishing program and allows SBL to publish many more works each year than would otherwise be possible. Editors should query authors as early as possible, during the initial review of the proposal or manuscript if possible, regarding the author's ability to produce printer-ready copy.
Typesetting
For authors who cannot provide printer-ready copy, the SBL often will provide for typesetting by professional freelance typesetters. There is a limited budget each year for the typesetting of SBL titles. Editors should inform the SBL as soon as possible, preferably during the first consultation between the SBL office and an editor regarding the particular project, that an author will be unable to provide printer-ready copy. This notification is important to the SBL for reasons of calendar and budget. Editors should inform authors that the typesetting of complicated materials will result in a substantially longer production process than had the text been produced as printer ready. Finally, editors should inform authors who are interested in preparing a manuscript for typesetting that the document, “Guidelines for the Preparation of Manuscripts for Typesetting,” is available from the SBL office or on the WWW at http://www.sbl-site.org. (Click on Research and Publications.)
Proofs
The production department will send duplicate copies of the galley proofs to the author and editor. The author will correct the proofs and send them to the editor, who will review, approve, and return them to the production department. Since it is very expensive to revise a manuscript at the proof stage, authors will be charged for the cost of any changes that are not actual corrections of composition errors. The production department also will send duplicate copies of page proofs to the author and editor. The author will correct the proofs and send them to the editor, who will review, approve and return them to the production department. At the same time, the author sends the index to the editor, who sends it to the production department along with the corrected page proofs. Authors are expected to return proofs within 21 days of receipt. Editors are expected to return proofs within 21 days of having received them from the author.
Contract
Though editors are not responsible for creating contracts with authors, editors should be familiar with the usual stipulations of the SBL's basic contract with authors. Editors may refer authors directly to Leigh Andersen at the SBL office for answers to questions relating to the contract.
A contract stipulating the agreement reached between the author and SBL will be issued prior to production. The date for issuing the contract is determined by the SBL office in consultation with the SBL editor. Authors will be provided with multiple copies of the contract. Authors are to sign each copy of the contract and return them to the SBL office. A copy with all signatures will be returned to the author for his/her personal records. Contracts stipulate the following items:
Royalties
Royalties are paid on all titles as stipulated in the author's contract. SBL author royalties are usually set at 10% of net receipts (i.e., 10% of the amount returned to SBL upon sale of a book; this sum usually amounts to approximately 6% of the actual sales price).
Free Copies
An SBL author receives 5-10 free copies of his or her book to distribute at the author's discretion.
Author's Discount
Authors and editors of volumes published by the SBL are eligible to purchase copies of their work at a 40% discount from the list price. Orders should be placed directly with Customer Service (see contact information below).
Rights and Permissions
The author is responsible for securing all necessary permissions to reprint materials that may be contained in the manuscript (guidelines about permissions and how they should be secured are covered in Copyright and Fair Use.) Additional information may be found in the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. Chapter 4.
Copyright
Copyrights are retained by the Society of Biblical Literature. SBL pays a small fee to register the copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office. Requests for permission by an author to reuse his or her work in another publication are routinely granted, assuming that the subsequent publication will not infringe on sales of the SBL publication and with the stipulation that the subsequent publication print an appropriate statement of SBL's prior publication of the work. SBL also requests a copy of the new publication for consideration for review in JBL and /or RBL. Authors are paid a share of the return from the licensing of any subsidiary rights and permissions to print.
Marketing
Editors are encouraged to assist in the marketing of the books they accept for publication. Editors may suggest reviewers and journals to which books should be sent.
Gratis Copies for Editors
The current series editor, the editor who was active at the point of acquisition for a title, and editors of specific volumes each receive a gratis copy of the book at publication.
Contact Information Bob Buller
Editorial Director
Society of Biblical Literature
825 Houston Mill Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30329
Tel: (970) 669-9900
Fax: (413) 487-0377
Email: Bob.Buller@sbl-site.org
Leigh Andersen
Managing Editor
Society of Biblical Literature
825 Houston Mill Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30329
Tel: (404) 727-2327
Fax: (404) 727-3101
Email: leigh.andersen@sbl-site.org
James VanderKam
University of Notre Dame
17319 Deerfield Loop
Granger, IN 46530
Telephone: 574-631-3421
Alt. Telephone: 574-631-9238
Email: vanderkam.1@nd.edu
Customer Service (for book orders)
Society of Biblical Literature
P.O. Box 2243
Williston, Vermont 05495-2243
Tel: 877-725-3334 (toll free)
Fax: 802-864-7626
Email: sbl@sbl-site.org