academic editing

10 Problems with Scholarly Book Manuscripts (and How to Fix Them)

This post includes a list of the top 10 most common problems I’ve encountered in scholarly book manuscripts along with suggestions for addressing them. Feel free to use these items as a checklist for revising your own draft for publication.

How to Publish a Book from Your Dissertation

Publishing a book based on your dissertation can be a great way to revisit your research and produce the piece of writing you most want to share with the world. My free webinar demystifies the process of turning dissertations into book manuscripts that appeal to both publishers and readers.

A Recommended Reading List for Academic Book Authors

Here’s a quick guide to my favorite books about books, writing, and scholarly publishing. Includes recommended reading on how to revise your dissertation before publishing it as a book.

How to Get Usable Peer Feedback on Your Academic Book Proposal

Not every scholarly writer has access to a developmental editor, but a colleague could be just as helpful. Here are some questions to help you guide your peers towards giving you effective feedback on your academic book proposal.

Editors, Coaches, and Consultants — What's the Difference?

Many different kinds of professionals—editors, coaches, and consultants—can help academic authors reach their publishing goals. But how do you figure out which kind of support you really want or need? This post outlines what each role does and how they can help you with your book project.

The Dreaded Copy Edits

Unless you are a copyeditor, it’s difficult to know what it is they do and how they read a text. It’s also easy to feel as if the copy edits on your manuscript are a personal attack. This post gives you the inside scoop on the function of a copyeditor and why they probably aren’t out to radically change your manuscript or undermine your work.

How to Find the Best Academic Developmental Editor for You

How do you find an editor for your academic manuscript? How do you evaluate a developmental editor’s fit for your project and goals? This post gives you an overview of what to keep in mind and suggests some ways of figuring out if an editor is the right fit for you.

How Long Should Your Book and Its chapters Be?

Do you know how long your book manuscript and chapters should be? Like so many aspects of scholarly publishing, there is not one correct answer, but there are some concrete guidelines to follow. Here are some suggestions for revising your academic book manuscript.

How to Write an Introduction for an Academic Book

Introductions are never easy. You might find yourself having to totally rewrite your introduction after you finish your academic book manuscript. Or you might be starting from scratch on a new project. Use this outline if your current draft isn’t working or you have no idea where to start.

The Best Time to Bring in a Developmental Editor on Your Academic Book Project

There's never a bad time for a writer to consult with a professional editor, but there might be a best time for your particular manuscript. This post breaks down what stages an academic book project goes through and what a developmental editor can do at each stage to help a prospective author get published.

8 Signs You Need a Developmental Editor for Your Academic Book Manuscript

How do you know if you need an editor? And what kind? This post outlines the main reasons why scholars bring developmental editors onto their book projects and what an academic developmental editor can do for your manuscript.

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