Monograph Publication Process
The following is the publication process for print books. The review process for Digital Textbooks and Journals are overseen by their respective editors.
The monographs the Press publishes are Platinum Open Access (i.e., free). The West Point Press does not pay royalties to authors, nor do we ask authors to pay anything to publish their work. The Press assumes responsibility for all editing, indexing, production, and distribution costs. The Press also allows authors to retain copyright of their work. Please see copyright and licensing info below for additional details. Check the FAQs for additional information on why authors may choose to publish with the West Point Press.
1 - Proposal
Prospective authors submit a proposal (see proposal guidelines to make sure all requirements are met). In general, proposals contain information about the topic and structure of the book, the scholarly value it will add, and the author's expertise. Upon receipt, the Press Director and staff assess the viability of the project. Proposals are evaluated using a number of factors including peer review and fit with the Press' strategy. Those interested in submitting a proposal for an edited volume should read more here before submitting their proposal.
2 - Initial Manuscript
The Press will request a full manuscript if the proposal is deemed to have potential. The manuscript will be single-blind reviewed by two relevant peer reviewers. Please refer to the Press’ initial manuscript guidelines to see what materials are required at this step. Based on feedback, the manuscript is either (1) accepted for editorial board review, (2) rejected, or (3) the author is asked to revise and resubmit for editorial board review. During this time, it is expected that authors are NOT continuing to pitch their manuscripts to other presses.
3 - Editorial Board Review
Once the initial manuscript is positively considered, the seven-member Editorial Board votes on moving forward - based on peer reviews, the author’s response to those reviews, and guidance from the Press director. A majority vote is required for publication.
4 - Author Agreement
An author agreement is provided to the author covering rights, distribution, and all other aspects related to publication.
5 - Final Manuscript
The author submits a final manuscript that complies with all Press requirements (e.g., formatting guidance, digital art and permissions guidelines, etc.). Please refer to the Press’ final manuscript guidelines for all required materials.
6 - Publication
This collaborative process involves copy-editing, layout, design, indexing, cover development, and printing.
7 - Marketing & Distribution
This process begins during final manuscript preparation. A plan for marketing and distributing the book is developed based on the Press’s goals and objectives for the work, and relies on input and support from the author(s) or editor(s).
Copyright and Licensing
The West Point Press allows authors to retain copyright of their work. The Press’ standard policy for monographs is to license work under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License (CC-BY-NC-ND). For digital textbooks and journals, rights vary; please check with each for information about their copyright and licensing specifics.
The West Point Press operates as a Platinum Open Access publisher for its monographs, journals, reports, proceedings, studies, and white papers. The Platinum Open Access model sets a standard for equality and access that the Press is proud to support. All journal content is available without the requirement to pay a subscription or license fee. Authors pay no article publication charge and all the costs of publishing are provided by the West Point Press. All Press monographs, journals, reports, proceedings, studies, and white papers are free to download and distribute online in a high-quality format. Digital textbooks require that users pay a fee to access them.