- Book reviews
- Submissions
- Images and illustrations information
Book reviews
SEL only reviews books in a commissioned omnibus review that concludes each of our issues. We do not assign individual reviews.
Submissions
New Submission Process
Beginning Wednesday October 3, 2012, all new manuscripts submitted to SEL Studies in English Literature 1500–1900 should be submitted online at: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/sel.
The editorial office, editors, and specialist reviewers will use the system for communication about submissions, reports, revisions, and decisions. The new online process will allow us to track submission and review processes more efficiently and to streamline workflow.
Manuscript Central Directions
Please log on the Manuscript Central website. If you are a new user, you will first need to create an account to log onto the site. After logging on, use the Author Center to guide you through the steps to upload your manuscript and any additional files. For questions and a user guide, please click the "Get Help Now" button at the top right of every screen. Additional help is available through the Manuscript Central customer support team at 1-434-964-4100 or 1-888-503-1050.
An important note for submissions before October 3, 2012 that are in the revision or resubmission process. Revisions of manuscripts that were originally submitted before October 3, 2012 should be sent via email to the editorial web address at selweb@rice.edu. Please place part of the title of the revised article in the subject line of the email and attach a .doc or .docx file. Any cover letter text may be placed in the body of the email.
In situations where electronic submission is difficult or unavailable, the editors will accept submissions via regular mail. Please contact the SEL office at 713-348-4697 or selweb@rice.edu for specific guidelines.
Submission Guidelines
SEL invites historical and critical essays of moderate length (ca. 7,000 words not to exceed 8,000 words including endnotes) that contribute significantly to the understanding of English literature, 1500–1900. Typescripts should be double-spaced throughout, including inset quotations and endnotes, and should be prepared in conformity with The Chicago Manual of Style. 16th Edition. We prefer Times New Roman 12 pt. font.
We will not consider articles being simultaneously submitted elsewhere, nor will we print essays to appear in a book published within a year of scheduled publication by SEL. We encourage authors to submit a short cover letter and an abstract of 100 words or fewer with the article in the Manuscript Central system. The Author Center will prompt you to upload files for a cover letter, an abstract, or image files.
Please see the special note above pertaining to essays that are in the revision or resubmission process before October 3, 2012.
Receipt of manuscripts will be acknowledged by email. Editorial decisions often take a minimum of four months.
SEL only reviews books in a commissioned omnibus review that concludes each of our issues. We do not assign individual reviews.
For additional information, please feel free to contact:
Becky Byron, Associate Editor/Business Manager
SEL Studies in English Literature 1500–1900
Rice University MS-46
407 Fondren Library
6100 Main Street
Houston TX 77005-1892
713-348-4697
selweb@rice.edu
blbyron@rice.edu
How long should I wait before inquiring about my
submission’s status?
Our stipulated schedule is
to render a decision within four months so wait at least that long before
sending a query. Due to semester and travel schedules of the editorial board
and expert readers, our response time can take longer. Queries can be addressed
to blbyron@rice.edu or call 713-348-4697.
Images and Illustrations Information
Art in Digital Format
The following information is copied from The Johns Hopkins University Press website.
1. Supply art in black and
white format if at all possible. Authors often prepare graphs or scans of
photos in color for other uses, but these will reproduce badly. Some popular
color formats are: RGB, spot (Pantone), ICC, and CMYK color. Avoid them!
2. Submit only TIFF (TIF) or
EPS files if you submit art digitally. These are high-resolution files suitable
for offset printing. Halftones (art with any shades of grey) should be 266-300
dpi; line art 900-1200 dpi. These are minimums. If the art is to print at more
than 100% (in other words, to be enlarged from file size), the resolution must
be correspondingly higher.
3. Do not use Word, PDF, JPG
(JPEG), and GIF files. None of these are intended for offset printing. JHUP can
sometimes use these formats in a pinch (for example, JPG can be converted to
TIFF), but they have more potential for problems.
4. Please supply hard copy
printouts of all art files, along with legends (captions), and any necessary
permissions. Legends should be typed on a separate page from the art.
5. As with any art, please
indicate approximate placement in the manuscript. It can be coded in brackets.
Example: <fig. 3 about here>.
Art in Camera-ready Format
At SEL we add:
If you would prefer to
submit hard copies rather than the electronic format, the press can work from camera-ready black and white glossy photos
or good laser printouts (in a size around 4 x 7 inches or preferred 4 x 6
inches). Please see numbers 4 and 5 above as additional instructions.
As the author you will need to
obtain permission rights to reprint the images. Permission requests should
include world rights, all languages for any and all formats, including print,
microform, and electronic formats.