Become a Ball Author

Ball Publishing produces books for professionals in the green industry and for home gardeners. Professional book subjects run the gamut from bedding plant and perennial production to pest and disease control to retailing and management to greenhouse operations to nursery stock to landscape principles. Books for the home gardener relate to all aspects of gardening and landscaping.

We constantly look for great new book ideas, and who better to find them from than our readers?

We are always happy to review new proposals. To have your work considered, please enclose the following in your proposal:

  • Letter of introduction. This should describe your book succinctly and include your “hook,” the thing that makes your book stand out from the crowd. Please list the intended audience for your book and why they need this. Also list your qualifications for writing on your subject (you may include a resume). If you’ve had articles or books published previously, please include samples.
  • List of current books on your subject and how yours differs from (and is superior to) them. Include title, author, publisher, page count, date published, price, and brief description.
  • Table of Contents and a detailed outline for each chapter. Please give your estimate of word count or total manuscript pages (double spaced).
  • Two or three sample chapters.
  • Slides or printed images of the photographs or illustrations you plan on including. If photos are needed for your book (and with most gardening/green industry books, they are), it is your responsibility to provide them and clear any rights for use. Please indicate the number you plan on using and what format your images are in--slides, transparencies, photo-ready art, high-resolution digital images (300 dpi, at least 3 x 3 inches).
  • Time (weeks, months, years?) after acceptance when you can turn in a completed manuscript.

We will review your materials and respond within 6–10 weeks. If your work will fit with Ball Publishing’s program, we may contact you for further materials. Ball works with both work-for-hire arrangements and traditional royalty contracts.

If you have materials that you want returned, please include return postage.

Send your materials to:

Rick Blanchette
Editorial Director, Books
Ball Publishing
335 N. River St.
Batavia, IL 60510