Submission Guidelines

Last Updated: 5 March 2026

These Submission Guidelines describe the procedures and requirements for submitting scholarly works to Inkbound Publishers (“Inkbound”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). They apply to all book-length works and chapters submitted for publication, including:

academic monographs
edited volumes and contributed chapters
conference proceedings

Inkbound is an open access academic publisher committed to maintaining rigorous editorial standards and ensuring that all published works meet recognized scholarly and ethical expectations.

Authors, editors, and conference organizers are encouraged to review these guidelines carefully before submitting their manuscripts.

1. Types of Publications Accepted

Inkbound publishes scholarly works across multiple academic disciplines. Submissions may fall under the following categories.

1.1 Monographs

A monograph is a complete scholarly book written by one or more authors that presents a sustained academic argument or comprehensive treatment of a specific research topic.

Monographs typically:

address a specialized research question or theme
contribute original research or scholarly analysis
present coherent chapters forming a unified work
are intended for academic researchers, professionals, and advanced students

Monographs are normally authored by a single author or a small group of collaborators.

1.2 Edited Volumes

Edited volumes are collections of chapters written by multiple contributors under the supervision of one or more volume editors.

Edited books typically:

focus on a unified research theme or interdisciplinary topic
contain chapters contributed by multiple authors
are coordinated by editors responsible for compiling and managing the volume

Volume editors are responsible for coordinating contributions and ensuring that chapters meet the publisher’s editorial standards.

1.3 Conference Proceedings

Conference proceedings are collections of scholarly papers presented at academic conferences, workshops, or symposia.

Proceedings typically:

represent research presented at a specific academic event
contain peer-reviewed papers contributed by conference participants
are coordinated by conference organizers or editorial committees

Conference proceedings may undergo additional editorial review by Inkbound if necessary.

2. Submission Process

The submission process varies depending on the type of publication.

2.1 Monograph Proposals

Authors wishing to publish a monograph should initially submit a book proposal rather than a complete manuscript.

A typical proposal should include:

working title of the book
author information and institutional affiliation
abstract or overview of the book (approximately 500–1000 words)
table of contents with chapter summaries
description of the target audience
explanation of the scholarly contribution of the work
estimated manuscript length

Following editorial evaluation of the proposal, authors may be invited to submit the complete manuscript for review.

2.2 Edited Volume Proposals

Editors proposing an edited volume should submit a proposal including:

title and theme of the volume
names and affiliations of volume editors
description of the academic scope of the book
proposed table of contents
abstracts for each chapter
list of contributing authors (if available)

The editorial team will evaluate the proposal before inviting submission of the full manuscript.

2.3 Conference Proceedings Submissions

Conference organizers seeking publication of proceedings should provide:

name and description of the conference or event
conference dates and location
editorial committee or organizing committee details
expected number of papers
confirmation of the conference review process

Inkbound may conduct additional editorial evaluation or peer review where necessary.

3. Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts submitted to Inkbound should meet recognized academic writing standards.

Authors should ensure that manuscripts are:

clearly structured and well organized
written in professional academic English
free from plagiarism or unethical content
appropriately cited and referenced

All submissions must comply with Inkbound’s Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement and Plagiarism & AI Policy.

4. Manuscript Structure

The typical structure of a scholarly book or chapter includes:

title page
author information and affiliations
abstract (150–300 words recommended)
keywords (4–8 keywords recommended)
main text
acknowledgements (optional)
Data Availability Statement
references or bibliography
appendices or supplementary material (if applicable)

For edited volumes and proceedings, each chapter should follow a consistent structure.

5. Formatting Requirements

Manuscripts should be submitted in an editable format such as Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx).

General formatting recommendations include:

standard academic fonts (e.g., Times New Roman or Book Antiqua)
12 point font size for body text
consistent heading hierarchy
double or 1.5 line spacing for readability
clear citation and referencing format

Tables and figures should be clearly labeled and placed close to the relevant text.

6. Figures, Tables, Illustrations and Data Availability Statement

Authors may include figures, tables, diagrams, or illustrations where appropriate.

Authors must ensure that:

images are of sufficient resolution for publication
figures are clearly labeled and referenced in the text
permission has been obtained for any copyrighted materials used

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all visual materials comply with copyright requirements.

Data Availability Statement

Where a manuscript involves datasets, empirical research, or supporting research materials, authors are encouraged to include a Data Availability Statement within their submission.

A Data Availability Statement explains whether the data supporting the findings of the research are available and how they can be accessed. Providing this information promotes research transparency and helps other scholars understand or verify the results presented in the work.

Not all manuscripts require a Data Availability Statement. For example, theoretical works, conceptual analyses, or literature reviews may not involve underlying datasets.

When applicable, the Data Availability Statement should briefly indicate one of the following:

that the data are publicly available in a repository
that the data are available from the author upon reasonable request
that the data are included within the manuscript or supplementary materials
that no datasets were generated or analyzed during the study
that the data cannot be shared due to ethical, legal, or confidentiality restrictions

Authors should place the Data Availability Statement near the end of the manuscript, typically before the references section.

Inkbound encourages authors to deposit datasets in recognized research repositories where appropriate and to provide a persistent identifier or link to the dataset where available.

Detailed guidance and examples of acceptable statements are available on the Data Availability Statement page.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that the information provided in the Data Availability Statement accurately reflects the availability and accessibility of the underlying research data.

7. Citations and References

All sources used in the manuscript must be properly cited.

Authors should use a consistent academic referencing style appropriate for their discipline (for example APA, Harvard, Chicago, or IEEE).

References should include complete bibliographic details.

8. Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to Inkbound undergo editorial screening and may be subject to double-blind peer review.

Peer review aims to evaluate:

originality and scholarly contribution
methodological rigor
clarity of argument and analysis
relevance to the academic community

The peer review process is described in detail in the Peer Review Policy.

9. Plagiarism and AI Screening

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection tools such as Turnitin.

The acceptable similarity threshold is 20%, excluding references, quotations, and bibliographic materials.

Inkbound does not accept manuscripts that are fully generated by artificial intelligence.

AI tools may be used only for limited purposes such as language improvement or figure generation.

10. Ethical Compliance

Authors must comply with recognized research ethics standards.

Authors must ensure that:

the work is original
proper credit is given to all sources
authorship accurately reflects contributions
conflicts of interest are disclosed where relevant

Further details are provided in the Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement.

11. Publication Fees

Inkbound operates under an open access publishing model and charges publication fees to support editorial and production processes as well as maintaining the publishing infrastructure.

Applicable fees includes:

Book Processing Charges (BPC) for monographs are as follows:
- For Online Only Version - Rs. 25,000 + GST (for Indian Authors) or USD 300 (for Non-Indian Authors) for a book of 100 pages (formatted as per the formatting instructions mentioned in this guidelines). Pricing will increase or decrease based on the number of pages.
- For Online + Print Version - Rs. 30,000 + GST (for Indian Authors) or USD 400 (for Non-Indian Authors) for a book of 100 pages (formatted as per the formatting instructions mentioned in this guidelines). This price is inclusive of 10 printed copies of the book and excludes the shipping fees. Pricing will increase or decrease based on the number of pages as well as the number of print copies required.
Chapter Publishing Charges (CPC) for edited volumes - CPC depends on a lot of factors including but not limited to number of chapters proposed for an edited book, publication format (online only or print version), number of print copies (if needed) etc. Hence, CPCs can't be based on a standard publication charge structure but will be mentioned in each Book's "Call for Book Chapter Notification" in our announcements page.
Per-paper publication charges for conference proceedings are as follows:
- For Online Only Version - Rs. 1,500 + GST (for Indian Conferences) or USD 20 (for Non-Indian Conferences) per chapter with a minimum billing of 20 chapters in a single conference proceedings. Pricing will increase or decrease based on the number of chapters or pre-existing university/institute MOU.
- For Online + Print Version - Rs. 2,200 + GST (for Indian Conferences) or USD 30 (for Non-Indian Conferences) per chapter with a minimum billing of 20 chapters in a single conference proceedings. Pricing will increase or decrease based on the number of chapters or pre-existing university/institute MOU. This price is inclusive of printed copies of the proceedings and excludes the shipping fees. Pricing will increase or decrease based on the number of chapters or pre-existing university/institute MOU.

Conference proceedings are generally subject to a minimum billing threshold of 20 chapters or papers.

Further details are provided in the Publication Fees Policy.

12. Open Access Licensing

All publications issued by Inkbound are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Under this license:

authors retain copyright
readers may share and adapt the work for non-commercial purposes
proper attribution must be provided
derivative works must be shared under the same license

Details are provided in the Open Access & Licensing Policy.

13. Final Acceptance and Production

Once a manuscript is accepted:

authors will receive editorial feedback if revisions are required
the manuscript will proceed to formatting and production
authors may be asked to review proofs prior to publication

Final publication is subject to compliance with editorial and technical requirements.

Book Proposal Guidelines

This Book Proposal Guidelines explain how authors and editors can propose scholarly book projects for publication with Inkbound Publishers.

Inkbound publishes academic monographs, edited volumes, and conference proceedings across multiple disciplines. Authors and editors are encouraged to submit a detailed proposal before preparing or submitting a complete manuscript.

Submitting a proposal allows the editorial team to evaluate the scholarly scope, academic contribution, and suitability of the project for publication.

1. Purpose of the Book Proposal

A book proposal provides the editorial team with an overview of the proposed project and helps determine:

the academic value of the work
its relevance to the scholarly community
its suitability for Inkbound’s publishing program
potential editorial and peer review requirements

A proposal review does not guarantee publication but helps determine whether the project should proceed to the full manuscript stage.

2. Information Required in a Proposal

Authors and editors should include the following information in their proposal.

2.1 Book Title

Provide the proposed title and any subtitle of the book.

The title should clearly reflect the academic subject and scope of the work.

2.2 Author or Editor Information

Provide the following details for all authors or editors:

full name
institutional affiliation
academic position or designation
country and institution
short professional biography

2.3 Book Overview

Provide a summary of approximately 500–1000 words describing:

the central theme or research focus of the book
the academic problem or research gap addressed
the scholarly contribution of the work
the significance of the research

2.4 Target Audience

Describe the intended audience for the book, such as:

academic researchers
graduate students
professionals or practitioners
interdisciplinary scholars

2.5 Table of Contents

Provide a provisional table of contents including:

chapter titles
short descriptions or summaries for each chapter

For edited volumes, include the names of contributing authors where available.

2.6 Estimated Length

Indicate the approximate length of the manuscript.

Typical scholarly monographs range between 50,000 and 100,000 words, although shorter or longer manuscripts may be considered depending on the project.

2.7 Competing or Related Publications

Where applicable, authors may provide information on:

related books already published in the field
how the proposed work differs from or improves upon existing literature

3. Evaluation of Proposals

The editorial team will review submitted proposals to determine whether the project aligns with the publisher’s editorial program.

Evaluation may consider:

originality and scholarly significance
clarity of the proposed contribution
relevance to the academic community
feasibility of the project

If the proposal is considered suitable, the author or editor may be invited to submit the complete manuscript for editorial screening and peer review.

4. Submission of Proposals

Book proposals should be submitted electronically via email to editor@inkbound.org and should include all information described in these guidelines.

Incomplete proposals may require additional clarification before evaluation can proceed.

Manuscript Formatting Template

These formatting guidelines provide a standard structure for manuscripts submitted to Inkbound Publishers. Authors are encouraged to follow these formatting recommendations to ensure consistency across publications and to facilitate the editorial and production process.

General Formatting Requirements

Manuscripts should be submitted in an editable format such as:

Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

General formatting recommendations include:

Font: Times New Roman or similar academic font
Font size: 12 pt for body text
Line spacing: 1.5 or double spacing
Page size: A4
Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides

Pages should be numbered consecutively.

Structure of the Manuscript

A typical scholarly chapter or manuscript should include the following elements.

Title Page

Title of the chapter or book
Author name(s)
Institutional affiliation(s)
Corresponding author contact information

Abstract

Each chapter should include an abstract of approximately 150–300 words summarizing the main argument or findings.

Keywords

Provide 4–8 keywords describing the main themes of the work.

Main Text

The main body of the chapter or manuscript should be clearly structured using headings and subheadings.

A typical structure may include:

Introduction
Literature Review (if applicable)
Methodology or Analytical Framework
Results or Discussion
Conclusion

The structure may vary depending on the academic discipline.

Headings and Subheadings

Use a clear hierarchical structure for headings.

Example structure:

Heading Level 1
Heading Level 2
Heading Level 3

Avoid excessive heading levels where possible.

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be clearly labeled and numbered sequentially.

Example:

Table 1: Title of Table
Figure 1: Title of Figure

Each figure or table should include a caption and should be referenced in the main text.

Images should be of high resolution to ensure publication quality.

Citations and References

Authors should use a consistent citation style throughout the manuscript. We prefer Harvard (Author-Date) - Referencing Style. However, this is not mandatory.

All sources cited in the text must appear in the reference list.

Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes may be used sparingly for explanatory material.

Excessive use of footnotes should be avoided.

Permissions for Third-Party Content

If the manuscript includes figures, images, or other materials from previously published works, authors must ensure that:

appropriate permissions have been obtained
the original source is properly acknowledged

Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright requirements.

Language and Style

Manuscripts should be written in clear and professional academic English.

Authors should ensure that the manuscript:

is free from grammatical errors
maintains consistent terminology
follows academic writing conventions

Where necessary, authors may choose to have the manuscript reviewed for language clarity before submission.

Final Checks Before Submission

Before submitting the manuscript, authors should confirm that:

the manuscript follows the formatting guidelines
all references are complete and accurate
figures and tables are properly labeled
permissions for third-party content have been obtained

Contact

Questions regarding manuscript preparation or formatting may be directed to:

Email: editor@inkbound.org