Of all the parts of an academic book proposal, the “competing works” (sometimes called “competing titles,” “competing books,” “market competition,” or simply “competition”) section is probably the most daunting and least understood by first-time academic book authors.We don’t usually tend to think of our work as “competing” with others, and the idea that we need […]
The “Competing Works” Section of an Academic Book Proposal Read More »
When I was writing my own book, the whole publishing process felt opaque and high-stakes. I erroneously associated speaking with editors at a conference with formally “pitching” my book. Because I was strongly encouraged to wait to draft and submit book proposals until the full manuscript was (nearly) complete, I also avoided talking with editors,
Should You Talk to an Acquisitions Editor at a Conference? What to Consider. Read More »
Two main factors make writing an academic book’s conclusion tricky. First, there’s its content. You’ve presumably tied up all of the individual chapter threads in your body chapters’ conclusions. And you probably know that the conclusion should do something more than just restate the book’s main points. So, with (most) everything already said, what should
Academic Book Conclusions: Advice and Concrete Templates to Try Read More »
Prestige aside, from the outside, it might seem like all university presses (and editors) are identical. You write your book, it goes through peer review, you revise it, and eventually it’s published. This broad schema, though, elides small but significant differences between presses’ and editors’ working styles that can significantly impact your book (and, in
What to Ask Authors Who’ve Recently Published with Your Target Presses Read More »
If you’ve published a journal-article-length version of one (or more) of your book chapters you’re probably wondering one thing: just how different does my book chapter really need to be from its journal article counterpart? You might, for instance, think that adding a new case study or section is the quickest way to show that
On Revising a Journal Article into a Book Chapter Read More »
You might have heard that it’s a good idea to publish journal article versions of one or more of your book chapters but been warned that publishing too much from the book can jeopardize your book’s chances with university presses. Both are true. In this post, I outline why you definitely should publish some of
Pre-Publishing Material from Your Book: How Much, Why, and What to Choose Read More »
Discover the top resources that will help you understand the publishing process, produce a strong manuscript, develop solid productivity habits, and navigate the critical proposal stage.
The Top Resources for Writing Your First Academic Book Read More »
When I was writing my own first monograph, most of the steps were fairly evident. I knew I’d need to find a publisher, submit proposals, and prepare the manuscript. One step, though, caught me totally off guard: I somehow didn’t know that I’d need to write a formal author response letter upon receiving my book’s
Responding to Peer Reviews of Your Book Manuscript or Proposal Read More »
When you’re writing your first academic book, your main focus is ensuring its content is compelling. So, negotiating an academic book contract is probably only barely on your radar. Especially if you’re on the tenure track, receiving a book contract is already a major victory, and you might hesitate to negotiate for fear of alienating
What Can You Negotiate in Your Academic Book Contract? Read More »
Whether you have no clue what series exist in your field(s) or have more targeted questions about evaluating potential series for your book, this post’s got you covered. Specifically, I’ll cover:
Academic Book Series: All Your Questions, Answered Read More »
