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What is The Ohio State University Press?
The Ohio State University Press is the scholarly book publisher of The Ohio State University, founded in 1957 and releasing roughly 50–60 new titles a year. Its catalog emphasizes literary and cultural studies (including comics, narrative theory, Victorian studies and medieval studies), American studies, rhetoric and communication, gender and sexuality studies, and race and ethnic studies such as Black and Latinx studies, plus regional studies. Its site functions mainly as a catalog of new and forthcoming books, with an email newsletter for announcements.
Who it serves
- Scholars and students looking for peer-reviewed monographs and edited collections in the humanities and social sciences.
- Librarians and collection developers building research collections in the press's core fields.
- Readers of literary essays and poetry who follow university-press lists.
How to use the catalog
- Start with the New & Forthcoming Titles list to see current directions, then browse by subject area.
- Use the newsletter signup if you want release announcements rather than checking back.
- Treat the subject categories as the most reliable guide to fit: a book on rhetoric, comics studies or Black feminist thought is squarely in this press's range; general trade nonfiction is less likely to appear.
A practical next step: if you are deciding whether to submit a proposal or assign a course text, compare your topic against those subject areas first, then look at two or three recent titles in that area to gauge the expected style and scope.
How can I submit a book proposal to The Ohio State University Press?
The Ohio State University Press does not publish a public, step-by-step proposal form on its catalog pages. Its catalog site is built for browsing and buying books, not for managing submissions. So the practical path is to approach the Press through the editorial contacts on its main website rather than the storefront you are looking at.
What the catalog tells you about fit
The Press publishes roughly 50–60 new books a year and concentrates in:
- Literary and cultural studies, including comics, narrative theory, Victorian studies and medieval studies
- American studies
- Rhetoric and communication
- Gender and sexuality studies
- Race and ethnic studies, including Black studies and Latinx studies
- Regional studies
That list is your first filter. If your project sits outside those areas, a proposal is unlikely to find a home there regardless of quality.
A practical submission sequence
- Go to the Press's main site at The Ohio State University Press and look for a submissions, proposals or contact page, or an editorial staff list.
- Identify the acquiring editor whose subject area matches your book, rather than sending to a general address.
- Send a short query first: working title, one-paragraph description, intended audience, word count and status of the manuscript.
- If invited, prepare a full proposal: overview, table of contents, sample chapter, competing titles and how yours differs, your author bio, and a note on permissions for any quoted material.
Deciding whether to query or submit in full
| Situation | Better first move |
|---|---|
| Early-stage idea, no sample chapter | Brief query email |
| Complete draft, clear series fit | Query naming the series and editor |
| Edited collection | Query with contributor list and confirmed essays |
| Trade-style or general-interest book | Check whether the Press's regional or general list is the right home before querying |
For a concrete example: a scholar with a finished manuscript on Black feminist performance art would query the editor covering gender and sexuality studies or race and ethnic studies, cite two or three comparable titles from the Press's own list, and state the word count and illustration count up front. That gives the editor everything needed to say yes or redirect you quickly.
What are the guidelines for authors publishing with The Ohio State University Press?
The Ohio State University Press does not publish its author guidelines on the catalog page you provided. What that page does show is the kind of list an acquisitions editor builds: literary and cultural studies (comics, narrative theory, Victorian and medieval studies), American studies, rhetoric and communication, gender and sexuality studies, race and ethnic studies, plus regional studies. Recent and forthcoming titles include Weird Girl: Poems, Shamewreck: Essays, Ordinary Abortion, Hard Right, and The Water Defenders.
The Ohio State University Press
What to do next
Go to the Press's own site and look for its submissions or "for authors" page rather than the new-titles catalog. University press submission pages typically give you:
- A named acquisitions editor or subject editor per list
- A proposal form and a manuscript preparation guide
- Rules on simultaneous submissions, peer review, and permissions
- A contact address for queries before you send a full proposal
If the site has no public guidelines, email the editor whose list matches your book with a short query: working title, one-paragraph description, word count, and your table of contents. That is standard practice at scholarly presses and is the fastest way to learn whether your project fits.
A practical decision criterion
Match your book to a specific list before anything else. A poetry collection, a memoir-in-essays, and a monograph on narrative theory each go to a different editor and a different review process. If your project sits between lists, say so in your query and let the editor route it.
What types of books does The Ohio State University Press publish?
The Ohio State University Press publishes scholarly books, with a strong emphasis on the humanities and social sciences. Its catalog centers on literary and cultural studies, American studies, rhetoric and communication, gender and sexuality studies, and race and ethnic studies. It also acquires regional studies titles, and it releases poetry, essays, and memoir alongside its academic monographs. The press was established in 1957 and publishes roughly 50–60 new books a year.
Its literary and cultural studies list is the most specific: comics studies, narrative theory, Victorian studies, and medieval studies. Race and ethnic studies includes Black studies and Latinx studies. The "New & Forthcoming" list shows how these categories translate into actual books—for example, Weird Girl: Poems by Amy Thatcher (poetry), Shamewreck: Essays by Peggy Shinner (essays), Men I Hate: A Memoir in Essays by Lynette D'Amico (memoir/essays), The Epic Catalogue: List Form and Reception from Beowulf to Paradise Lost by Eva von Contzen (medieval/literary studies), and Touchdown!: Latinos Breaking Through the NFL's White Lines by Frederick Luis Aldama and Christopher González (Latinx studies/sports).
For a practical decision: if you are looking for a university press that treats comics, narrative theory, or Black and Latinx studies as core strengths rather than occasional titles, this catalog is worth browsing directly. If you need a specific book, search the title on The Ohio State University Press and check whether it is marked new, forthcoming, or backlist; that tells you whether to buy now or request it through a library.
How can I order books from The Ohio State University Press?
The Ohio State University Press publishes 50–60 new books a year, and its catalog is the starting point for ordering: browse new and forthcoming titles or search by subject, then follow the book's own page for the purchase options tied to that title. According to the catalog, its strengths are literary and cultural studies (comics, narrative theory, Victorian and medieval studies), American studies, rhetoric and communication, gender and sexuality studies, and race and ethnic studies, with regional studies as well — useful for deciding whether a given book is likely to be here at all.
H3 Practical ways to order
- Direct from the press: Individual book pages typically link to the publisher's own ordering route, which is the most reliable way to confirm format and availability.
- Through a bookseller: Any title with an ISBN can be ordered via a general retailer or requested at an independent bookshop; academic titles often need a special order.
- Through a library: If you don't need to own it, ask your university or public library to buy it or borrow it via interlibrary loan — a common route for scholarly monographs.
H3 A concrete scenario
Suppose you want Weird Girl: Poems by Amy Thatcher, listed under New & Forthcoming Titles. Find the book's page in the catalog, note the format offered and the ISBN, then choose between ordering directly and asking a local shop to order it. If it is not yet released, pre-ordering or a library purchase request are the usual alternatives.
H3 How to choose
- Need it fastest and want to support the press: order directly from the press.
- Want to browse or use a gift card: a general retailer or local bookshop.
- Price-sensitive or just need to read it: request it through your library first.
Forthcoming titles may not ship immediately, and availability can differ between the press and third-party sellers, so treat the book's own catalog page as the deciding source. Related university presses with comparable catalogs include Stanford University Press and University of Chicago Press.
Does The Ohio State University Press offer internships or job opportunities?
The Ohio State University Press site is a catalog of its books, so it does not present internship or job listings. Its pages are organized around new and forthcoming titles, subject areas, and newsletter signup; hiring and internship information would sit with the university rather than the press catalog.
If you are looking for opportunities, treat the press as an academic publisher and approach it the way you would a university department or press office:
- Check the university's central employment pages for staff roles.
- Look for internships through the university's English, comparative studies, or publishing-related programs.
- Contact the press directly with a short, specific inquiry about internships, editorial assistant work, or informational interviews.
A practical next step: if you are a student, ask your department whether it has a formal placement or internship pathway with the press. If you are not a student, watch for staff openings through the university's job board, since a press of this size hires intermittently rather than continuously.
For context on the press itself and its subject focus, see The Ohio State University Press.
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