About ELS Editions

ELS Editions is a non-profit publisher of peer-reviewed literary and cultural criticism. We publish monographs and essay collections of original scholarship on the literatures of all languages, and are open to a wide range of scholarly and critical methodologies. In addition to original works of scholarship, we also welcome scholarly editions of literary works or other documents from the literary archive and English translations of important critical monographs.

Founded in 1975 as English Literary Studies Monograph Series by Samuel Macey, ELS Editions celebrated its thirtieth anniversary by expanding its editorial policy to include full-length critical monographs, translations of critical works, and criticism of literatures in languages other than English.

Editorial Policy

ELS Editions welcomes original critical monographs and collections of original essays on the literatures of all languages. Under certain circumstances, we will also consider collections of essays that have been previously published. In addition, ELS also encourages submission of proposals for scholarly editions of literary works or other documents from the literary archive — including letters, memoirs, and diaries — and translations into English of critical essays and books. Our mandate in accepting critical editions is to fill notable gaps in the primary literature of certain periods, genres, and/or established authors. Our mandate in accepting translations is to make available scholarship of acknowledged importance that has been hitherto accessible only to readers of the original language.

Submission of Manuscripts or Proposals

For monographs, authors may submit either proposals (preferably an outline of contents and at least one sample chapter) or completed manuscripts. For scholarly editions and translations, we request a detailed proposal and a rationale that addresses the project in terms of the mandate described above and provides at least a preliminary account of the status of copyright.

The reference format of ELS books is as set out in the MLA Style Manual (1985). While submissions may follow The Chicago Manual of Style or the traditional MLA style, the final accepted manuscript must be in the revised MLA style (parenthetical references and list of works cited), and notes must appear at the end of the manuscript. Please do not justify the right margin; double space throughout, including block quotations and notes. In addition to proofreading and copy-editing, authors will be required to prepare the final manuscript according to certain guidelines for document formatting.

Initial submission should be in the form of hard copy only. Upon accepting a submission, ELS Editions asks the author to incorporate any changes recommended by our readers or copy-editors, and then to supply the revised text both in hard copy and as an e-mail attachment or on CD. The preferred software is Microsoft Word, but we can usually translate other major word-processing formats. Indicate on the disk exactly which software has been used, and which version.

Authors' Copies, Review Copies and Copyright

Since ELS Editions is a non-profit publisher supported by the University of Victoria, we are unable to pay royalties. Authors are given twelve complimentary copies of their books; additional copies may be purchased at a 25% discount. We send 15 to 25 review copies to journals selected by the author and recommended by us. Copyright remains with the author.

ELS Editions is a member of the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency ("CANCOPY"), which administers photocopying and other reprographic rights, and collects royalties on behalf of ELS and its authors. Authors of ELS publications are urged to join CANCOPY or another licensing body with which CANCOPY has a reciprocal agreement (e.g., the Copyright Clearance Center in the United States).