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Because of high demand for review copies, we must limit distribution to print publications with verifiable circulation or sales data and an appropriate audience. To prevent unauthorized resale of review copies we may, at our discretion, supply marked or unbound copies to reviewers.

To request a review copy, please write or e-mail us with the following information: Your publication's title; its ISSN or ISBN number; its publisher's name and contact information; audited or other verifiable circulation or sales statistics; date of the issue in which the review is scheduled to appear; and the publisher's agreement to supply us with a complimentary copy of the publication(s) in which the review(s) appear.

We generally do not supply review copies to websites, radio stations, or other non-print media.

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We are currently considering manuscripts and proposals for publication in 2012 and beyond. We welcome proposals or sample manuscripts for book-length projects. Although we prefer to work with published authors, we are glad to consider new authors who demonstrate advanced research and writing skills. Mainspring pays competitive royalties and provides a level of personal attention to development, fact-checking, editing, and production that larger publishers cannot.

Submissions to Mainspring Press (Historical sound recordings and related topics) — Mainspring Press specializes solely in discographies and other reference books dealing with pre-1960 sound recordings and the recording industry of that period. Our interests include annotated discographies, industrial or corporate histories (historic record companies and labels, early recording technology, etc.), and bio-discographies. Proposals or manuscripts that meet our initial criteria will undergo careful peer, editorial, and marketing reviews to determine their suitability for our list.

To be considered for publication, a proposed work must be based on the author?s original research and incorporate a substantial amount of properly cited data from credible primary source materials. We do not accept works that have simply been cobbled together from secondary sources, or that use Wikipedia, blogs, unmoderated newsgroups, etc., as sources.

We prefer to review substantially complete manuscripts but also welcome detailed proposals, which should include (1) a cover letter stating the title and scope of your project; (2) a proposed table of contents; (3) a complete preface or introduction to the work; (4) at least 20 pages of representative sample text; and (5) an estimated completion date. Please include your resume or curriculum vitae and a stamped, addressed envelope if you wish to have your materials returned. Manuscripts and proposals are treated as strictly confidential and are never duplicated or distributed outside of the company.

Printouts or digital files are acceptable for proposals and samples. If your work is accepted, we will require text files to be in a standard word-processing format (.doc, .rtf, or .txt), and discographies to be in spreadsheet, database, or consistent tab-delimited text formats using Excel, Access, FileMaker, MS-Word, or other standard software. We no longer accept typewritten or other "camera-ready" hard copy for final publication, but will be glad to assist you in locating reputable vendors who can convert your copy to standard-format files. Please note, however, that we do not pay those conversion costs.

For consideration or more information, please contact us by mail or e-mail at the addresses shown above.

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Customer Demographics (2010)

The following data (other than primary-residence statistics) are taken from a random customer survey conducted during the autumn of 2010. Survey responses were anonymous, and no financial or personally identifiable information was requested or supplied. Primary-residence statistics are taken from retail sales records for January 1–December 31, 2010.

AGE RANGE:
 18–30 = 24%  
 31–40 = 25%
 41–55 = 34%
 Over 55 = 17%

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL:
 High-school diploma or less = 5%
 High-school diploma + some college = 17%
 Bachelors degree / Bachelors degree + additional study = 38%
 Advanced degree = 40%

PRIMARY OCCUPATION:
 Miscellaneous Technical / Professional = 38%
 Education / Institutional / Government = 9%
 Arts / Entertainment = 9%
 Medical / Healthcare = 9%
 Software / Technology = 7% 
 Publishing / Media = 6% 
 Sales / Marketing = 5%
 Legal / Financial = 4%  
 Retired = 4%
 Student = 1%
 All Other = 8%

PRIMARY RESIDENCE:
UNITED STATES = 66%
  California = 12%
  Oregon / Washington = 12%
  Washington DC / Maryland / Delaware / Virginia = 12%
  Texas = 11% 
  New York / New Jersey = 10%
  New England states = 9%
  Pennsylvania = 7%
  Illinois = 5%
  Minnesota / Wisconsin = 4%
  Florida = 4%
  Michigan = 4%
  Puerto Rico & other US Holdings = 2%
  All Others = 8% (Note: Alaska and Arkansas = 0%)

ELSEWHERE = 34%
  Australia / New Zealand = 20%  
  Germany = 19%  
  Scandinavian nations = 19%  
  United Kingdom = 16%
  Japan = 13% 
  Canada = 1% 
  All Others = 12%