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[daimonion81]

Dear Colleagues,

   About four months ago I submitted a detailed book proposal (as well as a sample chapter) to one of the best publishing houses in my field. An editor of the book series to which I had submitted it responded that it looks "very interesting" to him and that he would be able to deal with it within a month or two time. I haven't heard from him since then.
   Should I wait carefully until I will get an answer, or should I write to the editor and inquire about my proposal (if so, how can I word it gently?).
   I will be very grateful for all responses. With kind regards,

Daimonion81

[seniorscholar]

Wait.

If this is a university press and the series editor is an academic (most of us are), remember that final exams, grades, dissertation chapters from students who want to defend soon after the New Year, perhaps service on a departmental search committee, and (in January, at least at my university) applications for the doctoral program (which have to be read by several members of the graduate faculty) have absorbed perhaps two of the four months since you submitted. I'd recommend waiting till mid-February at least before sending your query.

[daimonion81]

Thank you very much for your response. Is there any period of waiting, after which I should definitely inquire?

All the best,

Daimonion81

[daimonion81]

Dear All (Again),

    I haven't obtained any response till now. Do you consider it possible that my manuscript has been rejected without sending a word to me?

Daimonion81

[daimonion81]

P.S. Actually, it was not a manuscript. It was a proposal as well as a sample chapter...

[tinyzombie]

SS suggested waiting until mid-February to inquire. Today's the 8th.

So wait a week?

[octave]

It's now been five months since any communication, right? Feel free to send a polite email inquiring about the status of the proposal.

And no, I wouldn't assume it's been rejected -- it's probably just sitting under a stack of other papers that need to be dealt with.  Books for series, by the way, are particularly likely to get languish because they require coordination between the series editor (or worse still, editors) and the press.  A gentle nudge can probably get it back on track.

[daimonion81]

My problem with this inquiry is that I am very clumsy with all savoir vivre issues. It is certainly a case in my native language (a lot of situations have proved it) and it can be only worse in English. What kind of expression can I use in order not to offend the editor?

[systeme_d_]

"Dear Editor,

I am writing to inquire whether you have any news that you can convey to me at this time.  I submitted a proposal and sample chapter to you via [email/postal service/carrier pigeon] on September 12, 2011, and you kindly replied that you would address it soon.

If you are able to apprise me of the status of my project, I would be very much obliged to you.

With my very best wishes,

Professor Daimonion"

[octave]

That's fine, though I'd respond equally well to:

Dear So-and-so,

I'm writing to inquire whether you have any news on my proposal, which we discussed by email last December.  [Make sure the history is copied.]  Let me know if you need any further materials from me.

Thanks,
Me

[systeme_d_]

I think I like Octave's suggestion even better.

[daimonion81]

Thank you very much for your suggestions, which I find very helpful. I think I will follow Seniorscholar's advice and wait one more week before inquiring along the lines you gave. All the best,

Daimonion81