Have you been told you need to trim a chapter? Do you suspect that one or more of your chapters is sprawling or unfocused? If the answer to either question is “yes,” you may be looking for chapter-wrangling strategies. Read on to get our best tips! If you have to trim your chapter by a […]
Strategies for Wrangling Long Chapters in Academic Books Read More »
Are you working on your first scholarly book, struggling to distill your book’s tightly argued, significant claim? Have you been wondering if your argument will emerge as the sum of its parts? I (Katelyn), too, was there not long ago, existentially afraid that my book had no argument. I tried various tactics, like writing through
Everything You Need to Know About Academic Book Arguments Read More »
When you’re working on turning your dissertation into a book, it’s essential to have a clear sense of your book’s overall argument and structure. But many authors believe they need to write their book proposal first to gain that big-picture perspective. However, we recommend separating your big-picture book thinking from the actual writing of your
Why You Should Separate Big-Picture Book Thinking from Your Book Proposal Read More »
It all starts with your Book Questions and Chapter Answers. Book Questions and Chapter Answers are powerful tools for transforming your dissertation into a compelling scholarly book. They help you identify and articulate your book’s core argument, ensure each chapter is focused and purposeful, and plan your revision process. Here’s how it works: Your Book
How do I know what to cut and what to keep from my dissertation? Read More »
Your book title is an editor’s first data point, and many authors (myself included!) draft terrible titles. Write a strong title with the actionable lessons in this post!
Academic Book Titles: How to Title Your Monograph, based on 188 Titles Read More »
You—the author—have the ultimate insider’s perspective when it comes to your book. You know everything about each object you analyze and how your ideas develop over the course of your chapters. Publishers come to your book through a very different perspective.
You might know that your book will need to speak to scholars in your discipline(s) and have heard that it’s unwise to describe your book’s audience as “a general audience interested in [topic]” on your academic book proposal. But regardless of what your book proposal says, you might still hold out hope that your book
Can Your Academic Book Reach “A General Audience”? Read More »
Are you finally ready to start revising your dissertation into an academic book? Or, are you still working on your dissertation, but wondering what the book process ahead looks like? In this comprehensive guide, I answer all your questions about how to go from dissertation to book. What are the best first steps to revising
Dissertation-to-Book FAQ Read More »
Writing and submitting an academic book proposal can seem like a daunting task. Below, I answer some of your most common questions and offer the best resources to consult to prepare your academic book proposal.
Academic Book Proposals: All Your Questions, Answered Read More »
Nothing seems to stress authors of first books more than this question: when should I write and submit my academic book proposal to university presses? When I was writing my own first book, the resounding answer my mentors gave was: wait until the full manuscript is done. For a while, this seemed like good advice.
When Should You Submit Your Academic Book Proposal? Read More »
