[Commlist] Call for Book Proposals - VoyGull Press

VoyGull Press is seeking new book proposals in the field of media and 
communications.

VoyGull Press is a free open access publishing initiative of VoyGull 
Publishing Centre UK. As a young publisher, we are building a new model 
for academic publishing that is grounded in equity, accessibility, and 
intellectual rigour.
We believe that transformative scholarship should not be locked behind 
paywalls or reserved for researchers at well-funded institutions. Our 
mission is to amplify voices from the Global South, support emerging 
scholars, and foster truly global academic conversations. We operate on 
a Diamond Open Access model: all our books are freely available online, 
with no fees for authors and no barriers for readers.
VoyGull Press specializes in communications, media studies, film 
studies, and theatre studies/practice, publishing work that bridges 
theory and practice, and speaks to diverse international audiences.

What We’re Looking For
We are currently seeking proposals for our inaugural book series across 
three distinct strands:
1. Emerging Voices Series
We invite early-career scholars to transform their doctoral research 
into accessible, rigorously argued monographs. This series is designed 
to give visibility to exceptional emerging scholarship that might 
otherwise struggle to find a home in traditional publishing venues.
We seek:
- Monographs based on completed or near-completion PhD dissertations
- Original research in communications, media studies, film, or theatre 
studies/practice
- Work that demonstrates theoretical sophistication and empirical depth
- Scholarship from underrepresented regions and perspectives

2. Edited Volumes
We welcome proposals for thematically coherent edited collections that 
bring together diverse voices around pressing questions in our fields. 
Collections emerging from conference panels, symposia, or collaborative 
research projects are especially encouraged.
We seek:
- Collections of 8–15 chapters by multiple contributors
- Clear thematic focus with strong editorial framing
- International and interdisciplinary perspectives
- Work that advances debates or opens new lines of inquiry

3. Handbook Series
We are particularly interested in handbooks that serve scholars, 
students, and practitioners, especially those working in 
resource-constrained environments across the Global South.
We seek:
- Accessible guides to research methods, production techniques, or 
pedagogical approaches
- Handbooks tailored to low-resource contexts
- Works that bridge academic theory and professional practice
- Volumes that can serve as course texts or practitioner references

Our Publishing Model
Diamond Open Access (OA): 100% free to read online and no fees for 
authors (no APCs/BPCs).
Quality and integrity: rigorous, unbiased review and editorial standards.
Print options: We offer printed copies for readers who want physical books.
- Authors may obtain 20 paperbacks covering printing & delivery only.
- Additional print copies are sold at an agreed, reasonable price, 
keeping access affordable while ensuring sustainability.
Global accessibility: We actively support work that broadens 
participation in scholarly communication and addresses structural 
inequities in knowledge circulation.

Scope and Fit
We are keen on projects that:
- make a clear conceptual contribution to 
communications/media/film/theatre fields or adjacent areas;
- offer original empirical material, theory-building, or methodological 
innovation;
- engage global debates and/or provide regionally grounded perspectives 
often underrepresented in mainstream publishing;
- are written with a defined readership.
We will consider interdisciplinary proposals that connect to: digital 
society, digital cultures, platform studies, creative industries, 
performance and politics, screen/visual cultures, journalism studies, 
audience research, media histories, decolonial and postcolonial 
approaches, diaspora studies, ethnography, practice research, and 
arts-based methods.

What to Submit
Please email a single PDF (or Word document) containing:
- Working title and book type (monograph / edited volume / handbook)
- Author/editor details (affiliation, short bio, ORCID of all 
authors/editors)
- Book overview (under 5 pages): core argument, contribution, and why 
the book matters now
- Audience and market: who will read it and why
- Proposed table of contents
- Chapter summaries/abstracts (150–250 words each)
- Schedule (current status and realistic delivery timeline)
- Estimated length (word count) and figures/tables/media requirements
- Licensing preference (we typically use Creative Commons licensing for 
OA; we can discuss the most suitable option for your book and any 
third‑party materials)
- If applicable: sample material (one or two sample chapters)
- If the books have been submitted and peer reviewed elsewhere, please 
provide relevant reviews

Additional requirements by book type
For Emerging Voices Series:
- dissertation title, awarding institution, year (or expected submission 
date)
- a short plan on how you will revise the thesis into a book

For edited volumes:
- editor(s) overview of the volume’s unifying intervention and editorial 
logic
- provisional contributors list with affiliations
- abstracts for each chapter and confirmation of contributor commitment
- a plan for consistency and quality control (style guidance, peer 
review, revision process)

For handbooks:
- intended use (self-study, classroom, workshop, production context)
- pedagogical features (e.g., learning outcomes, exercises, templates, 
case studies)
- notes on accessibility for low-resource contexts (tools, workflows, 
bandwidth/tech assumptions)

Review and decision process
VoyGull Press is committed to rigorous, fair evaluation.
Typical process:
- Initial editorial assessment
- Publishing agreement signing
- External peer review (1–2 reviewers; edited volumes may involve 
chapter-level review where appropriate)
- Revision and final decision
- Production and publication planning
- We aim to provide an initial response after submission (timelines vary 
by project complexity and reviewer availability).

How to send your proposal
Email your proposal to: (info /at/ voygull.com)
Subject line: Book Proposal — [Author/Editor surname] — [Working title]

If you are unsure about fit, you are welcome to send a short preliminary 
enquiry (150–300 words) outlining the project, book type, and intended 
audience.
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