Manuscript Development Workshops

Tenure-track and ranked renewable term junior faculty as well as tenured faculty in the humanities, arts, and interpretive social sciences are eligible to apply.

1. Proposal Content and Format. Proposals must use a font of 11 points or larger. Page margins should be 1” on all four sides. Line spacing must not be smaller than 1.5 lines. Please be certain that you have included all required components, in order. Late or incomplete applications will be disqualified from consideration.
2. Project Description (Single PDF file, save as [lastname]_ProjectDescription). The project description should include each of the following components and be submitted as a single PDF file.
   1. Cover Sheet: Complete the proposal cover sheet (PDF) and incorporate a scanned copy of the signed form into your final proposal.
      
   2. Overview of Project (limited to 2 pages). Keep in mind that your proposal will be read by a diverse group of faculty, some of whom may have limited knowledge about your proposed project. Therefore, the project narrative should keep jargon to a minimum. Make sure to contextualize the contribution of your project to broader conversations or trends within your field.
      
   3. Table of Contents (limited to 1 page). Include a proposed table of contents for your final manuscript.
   4. Manuscript Progress (limited to 2 pages). 
      • If the manuscript is incomplete at the point of application, please include a brief description of the contents of each of the remaining chapters.
      • Also, please provide a detailed timeline of manuscript completion, including your ideal timing for your proposed Manuscript Development Workshop. For instance, manuscripts lacking a chapter and a conclusion may be proposed for a Fall 2024 workshop. Manuscripts lacking two chapters (or research and writing for one chapter) may be proposed for a Spring 2025 workshop. These are simply examples, contents may vary by individual project. But the committee will expect to see a clearly achievable plan for manuscript completion 90 days before the proposed workshop. 
        
      • Acceptance of the Forum’s Manuscript Development Workshop represents a commitment on the part of the awardee to furnish a complete, polished manuscript draft 90 days prior to their scheduled workshop.
   5. Publishing Progress (limited to 2 pages). An explanation of publisher interest in the work to date and whether the manuscript is under contract; or, alternatively, the names and details of publishers yet to be approached by the applicant.
   6. Abridged Curriculum Vitae (Limited to 2 pages)
3. Manuscript Draft (Single PDF file, save as lastname_ManuscriptDraft). Applicants should also prepare their current manuscript draft as a single .pdf file for submission. The Forum prioritizes funding for manuscripts at advanced stages of preparation, but will consider projects that are at least 75% complete. (For instance, a standard 5-chapter book application would be expected to contain at minimum a complete introduction, three polished chapters, and a clear plan for completion of the manuscript by 90 days before the proposed workshop). Both PDF files (the 6-part Project Description and the Manuscript Draft) must be attached to your submission email.
4. Proposal Submission. Be sure to attach both the 6-part Project Description PDF (saved as [lastname]_ProjectDescription) and the Manuscript Draft PDF (saved as [lastname]_ManuscriptDraft). All applications for the Arts & Humanities Manuscript Development Workshop must be submitted as PDF attachments sent to Humanities.Forum@ou.edu by the fellowship deadline. Be sure to attach both the 6-part Project Description PDF and the Manuscript Draft PDF. You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application.

The Forum’s Faculty Advisory Committee will review all proposal materials and select successful applications. Projects will be evaluated on readiness of the project and the potential for a workshop experience that promises transformative results for our OU faculty. 

A declined proposal may be revised and resubmitted the following year. A letter containing reviewers’ feedback may be requested for declined proposals.

Recipients of the Arts & Humanities Manuscript Development Workshops are subject to the following requirements:

• Workshop Public Presentation. Each Manuscript Development recipient is expected to host a public-facing scholarly event (roundtable, exhibit, community talks) along with the external manuscript reviewers.
  
• Reporting. After their workshop, each faculty grantee is expected to notify the Forum of manuscript acceptance and subsequent publication. The Forum requests a hard copy of each book produced through a workshop.
  
• Acknowledging AHFF Support. All written publications (whether in hard copy or electronic form) that have benefited from Manuscript Development funding must acknowledge the support of the OU Arts & Humanities Forum.