Contributing a book chapter
A book chapter contributes a bounded subject to a larger work. The contributor’s task combines subject expertise with the volume’s requirements for coverage, structure, length and timing.
The invitation and its rewards
Published reviews and lectures on a special clinical interest can bring a clinician to the attention of an editor looking for a chapter contributor. For an emerging or rarely covered topic without an established expert, an editor may instead invite a generalist who writes across subjects.
Payment is usually small or absent, and even a share of royalties is unlikely to compensate for the time spent writing because medical reference books sell in modest numbers. Other rewards usually include a copy of the book and an entry on the contributor’s curriculum vitae. For academic promotion, a chapter generally ranks below an original research report, meta-analysis or definitive review in a peer-reviewed journal, but above a letter to the editor or book review. For clinicians, a chapter on a special interest can help establish a national reputation and attract referrals from clinicians who agree with its recommendations.
The assignment and agreement
Before accepting an invitation, the contributor should ask the volume editor these questions.
- Who will publish the book, and is there a signed contract?
- What other books has the editor edited, and who published them?
- Can the contributor review the full contents or topic outline to see what others will cover?
- Who will some of the other authors be?
- Is a special chapter format required?
- What is the chapter’s space allocation, in double-spaced manuscript pages?
- What is the submission deadline?
- May the contributor involve coauthors?
- Will the contributor receive payment?
- Will the contributor receive a copy of the finished book?
An agreement to contribute can be conditional on the editor obtaining a publishing contract, but work should not begin until publication is assured in writing. The page allocation and deadline should be clear before writing begins; writing beyond the allocation wastes effort for both contributor and editor when text has to be cut. A late chapter may hold up the entire book, allowing clinical recommendations to become outdated and compromising usefulness and sales, or the editor may publish without it.
Rights and negotiable terms
An initial agreement with the editor may be informal, even verbal, with a formal publisher contract following later. In 2018, assigning chapter copyright to the publisher was described as standard and non-negotiable. For an innovative figure, table, mnemonic or similar item intended for later reuse, the contributor may be able to negotiate one-time use; otherwise later use requires the publisher’s permission, which is usually easy to obtain in these circumstances.
The 2018 guidance groups chapter terms by their scope for negotiation.
| Term | Scope for negotiation |
|---|---|
| Exact chapter title | Possibly negotiable |
| Inviting coauthors | Possibly negotiable |
| How the topic is handled | Possibly negotiable |
| Chapter headings | Possibly negotiable |
| Payment for artwork and permissions | Possibly negotiable |
| Future use of a specific figure or other item without specific publisher permission | Possibly negotiable |
| General chapter topic | Probably not negotiable |
| Manuscript submission deadline | Probably not negotiable |
| Payment for the chapter | Probably not negotiable |
| Copyright assignment | Probably not negotiable |
| Future use of the whole chapter without publisher permission | Probably not negotiable |
Coverage and structure
Writing a chapter requires a limited topic, a clear concept and structure, careful research and reference selection, an organised authoritative account and a summary within the page limit. The topic is likely to be assigned, headings and features such as algorithms may be prescribed, and coordination with other contributors may be needed to avoid overlap. A model chapter can show how common headings, reference limits and recurring features should work together. A necessary departure from the prescribed structure can be negotiated with the editor; in one edited diagnostic book, a different approach was accepted when it fitted the subject as well as the prescribed headings.
Most editors allow contributors more freedom over structure than a tightly prescribed model does. A chapter about a process can follow its steps. For a disease chapter without other instructions, the classic headings are these.
- Definition
- Epidemiology
- Etiology and pathogenesis
- Clinical features
- Diagnosis, including history, physical examination and diagnostic tests
- Treatment
- Prognosis
- Prevention
The clinical SOAP structure—subjective, objective, assessment and plan—can also organise a clinical chapter, with additions such as epidemiology and prevention.
Submission
Before submission, the contributor should check compliance with the editor’s and publisher’s instructions and the page allocation, finish on time and reread the chapter for repetition or contradiction.