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[11137992]

Hello.  My department votes on my tenure in October 2011.  What's the latest by which I should have my complete book MS sent out to a press, considering all the turnaround time needed for initial readings/reviews, my revisions, re-submission, and final acceptance by reviewers and the board?  All I need for tenure is for the book to be forthcoming unconditionally--no need for proofs, being in print.

I'm guessing January 2010 is the latest I can push it, with my letter of inquiry, abstract, and sample chapters going out August 2009, when I'll have three out of the five chapters done.

Thank you very much.

[cranefly]

You're assuming that the first press will accept it after the first pass. I would aim for six months earlier, to give you the lee-way for a revision/"no thanks". In this economy, it's going to be even harder.

[seniorscholar]

Indeed, it took me one full calendar year for an acceptance of a book by a good university press with which I had published previously, and where the editor-in-chief recognized me at a conference (six months before the book was officially accepted) and told me how enthusiastic s/he was about the manuscript.

Why so long? It went like this:
1st reader took about 3 months with ms.
2nd reader had a family emergency, and after being bugged at 4 months, backed out.
Took the press a month to find another reader who could do it.
By the time both readers' reports were in, it was 3 months until the next meeting of the press board. (They don't usually meet during the summer if it's a university press, since the well-published faculty who are appointed to press boards are generally not available.)

And remember also that (especially on a first book) the revision and possible re-reading process may take you several months.

And, as cranefly says, you're assuming one of the presses you send an inquiry to at the end of this summer will ask to see the manuscript. You might possibly cut a few months be starting now with the inquiry and abstract, if you have one sample chapter to offer.