Even if your manuscript is incomplete, we invite you to send us a summary or sample. However, we do require a completed manuscript in order to send out a proposal. For manufacturing purposes, we typically require a minimum of 25,000 words or 12 one-page poems or speeches for individual book-length publication.

Our priorities for this year, 2006, include:

Every child enjoys a good story. It takes a special person to be a children’s writer, and R.H. Boyd can help you take a children’s story and develop it into a full-length manuscript through the resources of our design services. As with other books, we require at least sixteen finished pages. These pages may include illustrations, which can be supplied by you or by RHBPC.

Manuscripts and query letters must be submitted typed on 8.5 x 11 paper and double-spaced with one-inch margins. Submissions should include a cover page, which lists the proposed title and the author’s name and address. The text of the proposed book should begin six inches from the top of the second page. Pages (not including the title page) should be numbered consecutively.

If the proposed book will contain a dedication, table of contents, list of illustrations, foreword, preface, list of acknowledgements, notes on chapters, a bibliography, appendices, or an index, it should be included, or its intended position clearly marked, within the manuscript. Any Scripture references should also be provided as intended in the work. Quoted material must be attributed clearly, citing title of work and author, either within the text or in a works cited format.
Photographs and illustrations should be numbered in crayon or soft pencil on the back to avoid damaging them. Corresponding numbers within the manuscript should clearly indicate where the illustrative material should be placed.

The most common and economical method of mailing a manuscript is by “Special Fourth Class Rate—Manuscript.” Manuscripts may also be sent via first class mail or UPS, both of which provide faster service than fourth class rate and greater ease in tracking a package should it become lost. Fourth Class and UPS both have insurance available for your package. Do not ship the original or only copy of your manuscript. We strongly suggest that you retain at least one copy of the manuscript.

Your manuscript represents your own personal accomplishment, and we would be pleased to have the opportunity to work with you in bringing it to print. The R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation has been in the publishing business for over 106 years, publishing books in the areas of family life, history, African American heritage, and Christian education.

We will acknowledge the receipt of your manuscript as soon as possible and contact you within 60 to 90 days to discuss our services. Authors will receive our contract and details of a specific payment. We offer publishing contracts only for completed manuscripts and will accept most manuscripts. We do not evaluate manuscripts for literary merit or market potential. However, we will not accept libelous or racist materials, hate literature, or pornography.

If you decide that you would like to accept our proposal, you should return the signed contract and first payment to us. We will then begin the first steps toward publication, including editing for mechanics. Once the manuscript has been accepted, you should submit the manuscript in electronic form, saved on a 3.5” disk or a zip disk.

Authors who wish to have their manuscripts returned after review should include sufficient postage and a return address label with the original submission. Submissions without sufficient postage and a return label will not be returned. Do not submit the only or original copy of your manuscript.

Authors who wish to have their manuscripts returned after review should include sufficient postage and a return address label with the original submission. Submissions without sufficient postage and a return label will not be returned. Do not send the only copy of your manuscript for review.