About Manuscript Works
Hi, I’m Laura Portwood-Stacer. I launched Manuscript Works in 2015 with a mission to help scholars achieve clarity and confidence in their published work. I offer straightforward, empathetic feedback that takes the guesswork out of scholarly book publishing and makes my clients feel that they can get their books out into the world and feel proud of the results.
I’ve worked with hundreds of scholarly writers across the humanities and social sciences to develop compelling book proposals and book manuscripts. Participants in my programs have landed contracts with competitive publishers such as Duke University Press, Princeton University Press, University of California Press, Harvard University Press, Yale University Press, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, MIT Press, Columbia University Press, University of Minnesota Press, Stanford University Press, University of Illinois Press, New York University Press, Rutgers University Press, University of North Carolina Press, University Press of Mississippi, and more.
I’m the author of The Book Proposal Book: A Guide for Scholarly Authors, available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook from Princeton University Press. This book demystifies the academic publishing process and includes templates and sample book proposals to help scholarly authors pitch their books and achieve their professional goals. My following book, Make Your Manuscript Work: A Guide to Developmental Editing for Scholarly Writers, will be published by Princeton UP in 2025.
I also partner with Princeton University Press as a coach in their Supporting Diverse Voices: Book Proposal Development Grants program.
I hold a PhD in communication (with a certificate in gender studies) from the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at the University of Southern California. My first book, Lifestyle Politics and Radical Activism, was based on my dissertation and was published by Bloomsbury in 2013. I’ve also authored scholarly articles appearing in publications such as New Media & Society, Journal of Consumer Culture, Feminist Theory, Sexualities, and Flow. From 2013 to 2018, I served as associate editor of the journal Feminist Media Studies, where I co-edited book reviews and the "Commentary & Criticism" section of the journal.
In March of 2021, I became a two-time Jeopardy champion. This is unrelated to editing or publishing; it’s just a fun fact.
Brief bio appropriate for publicity materials and introductions:
Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD, is a publishing consultant and developmental editor who helps academic authors at all career stages navigate the book publishing process. Her company Manuscript Works offers regular workshops and online programs to assist writers around the world in revising book manuscripts, drafting book proposals, and connecting with scholarly publishers. She is the author of The Book Proposal Book: A Guide for Scholarly Authors, published by Princeton University Press in 2021, and Make Your Manuscript Work: A Guide to Developmental Editing for Scholarly Writers, also published by Princeton UP in 2025. Before founding Manuscript Works in 2015, Laura earned a PhD in Communication from the University of Southern California and taught media and cultural studies at New York University. Laura’s weekly newsletter providing academic writing and book publishing advice can be found at newsletter.manuscriptworks.com.
Additional advice about writing and publishing academic books is archived in my newsletter. I will occasionally announce new workshops and services there; subscribing means you won’t have to worry about missing them or waiting for me to update this website.
Here I am around the web talking about editing and publishing:
“The High Anxiety of Submitting a Book Proposal” (Chronicle of Higher Education)
“When Should You Submit Your Scholarly Book Proposal?” (Inside Higher Ed)
“6 Types of Book Proposals that Don’t Get Contracts” (Chronicle of Higher Education)
“The Peer Review Process: What Sets University Presses Apart” (JaneFriedman.com)
“Working With Your Editor: Developmental Editing” (Feeding the Elephant)
“How to Impress an Acquisitions Editor” (Interview with Letitia Henville in University Affairs)
Podcast interview - The Academic Life
Podcast interview - High Theory
See also the Manuscript Works archive for more resources on editing and publishing