Essential knowledge about scholarly book publishing that every author should have. Get weekly tips on writing and publishing your scholarly book from developmental editor and publishing consultant Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD.
When you need an extension on your book due date
Published about 16 hours ago • 5 min read
The Manuscript Works Newsletter
Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have
Hello Manuscript Workers!
Well, we are solidly in September, which tends to be the busiest time of year for academics here in the northern hemisphere. It’s a time when many scholarly writers set goals for the academic year ahead, but it’s also a time when we reckon with what we didn’t get done the previous year or over the summer. If you're finding yourself in the (actually very typical) position of not being ready to submit something to a publisher that you had previously planned to this month, you’re in great and populous company.
Regardless of what time of year it is, here are some key points to keep in mind when you’re going to miss a deadline and need an extension on your scholarly book:
Missing deadlines is extremely common for academic book writers. It’s just the nature of the job that other tasks end up pushing out our book-writing time. Even under the most ideal circumstances, books are big, unwieldy, and unpredictable projects. They almost always take longer to write than we want and expect them to. Experienced publishing professionals know this. You will not shock or grievously disappoint anyone if you need more time.
Although publishers are usually understanding about timelines, that doesn’t mean you can ghost them and assume everything will be fine if you show up with your manuscript months or years down the road. If you’ve agreed to a particular timeline with an acquiring editor, check in with them as soon as you know the timeline isn’t going to work for you anymore. It’s best if you’re equipped to suggest a revised timeline when you check in, but even if you’re not sure when you’ll be ready to submit, it’s basic courtesy to let the editor know that the original due date will be missed. It is possible that a change in timeline could affect the editor’s interest in the book, which is why I believe some people fear reaching out and prefer to ghost and hope for the best. But avoidance is not a viable strategy for dealing with a missed due date. If the publisher’s interest is indeed affected, it’s much better for you to know that sooner than later so you can pivot to a different publishing plan.
Some deadlines are more firm than others. A verbal agreement to “send over a proposal in September” or “show me a few chapters by the end of the year” can be seen as a casual arrangement with (usually) a lot of wiggle room. If you’re still in the pre-peer review stage, you likely won’t cause a major problem by letting your editor know that you’ll need more time. In contrast, a submission date that is written into a contract is more serious, and missing it could be grounds for cancelling the contract (though such cancellations are rare in my experience). Additionally, if your editor gives you a projected publication date and says the final, production-ready manuscript needs to be in by a specific date (probably about 9-12 months in advance of the publication date), that’s a very real deadline and missing it could throw off the production schedule for your book. It’s courteous to check in if you’re going to miss any of kind of due date, but communication is really a must when we’re talking about contractual deadlines and production schedules. Again, avoidance is not a viable tactic.
Asking for one or two extensions is usually not a big deal, as long as you stay in communication with your editor. Setting unrealistic due dates and repeatedly missing them more than a time or two could try your editor’s patience and make them wonder whether you’re ever going to turn the thing in. Some writers need an official deadline to motivate them to finish things, but don’t use your editor as an accountability partner. Be honest with yourself about your likelihood of finishing by a given date and don’t agree to anything you already know is impossible. Most editors would rather you set an actually-meetable deadline that is years away than have you fudge a date when the manuscript will be ready because you think that’s what they want to hear.
If you’re really anxious about how a publisher will perceive your need for an extension, remember that everything is situated in a larger context. If you have a track record of being responsive to communications with your editor and generally following their instructions, you’ll earn yourself more grace when there are snafus on your end. And if an editor likes your book idea and sees a strong fit for it at their press they will very likely be willing to wait a while longer. Remember that (most) editors are reasonable human beings. They may have their own structural constraints that mean they can’t grant infinite extensions, but they do understand that life happens.
Do you have unanswered questions about communicating with editors and publishers that I didn’t cover here? Come to my next free workshop on October 1st!
Free workshop on October 1, 2025. Live attendance encouraged, recording provided to all who register.
The workshop will cover how and when to approach editors to discuss your book project, how to write a query email that actually gets a response, tips on navigating conversations at academic conferences, questions you should be asking editors when deciding whether you want to publish with their press, and how and when to follow up on an initial meeting or email exchange. And there will be time for your questions too!
Hope to see you on October 1st. In the meantime, keep scrolling this newsletter for more resources for scholarly authors...
This newsletter is coming to you from Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD, professional developmental editor and publishing consultant. I help scholarly writers navigate the book publishing process with more ease and agency.
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Essential knowledge about scholarly book publishing that every author should have. Get weekly tips on writing and publishing your scholarly book from developmental editor and publishing consultant Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD.