university press

Should You Publish Your Book in a Series?

Many authors wonder whether they should consider publishing their scholarly book as part of a series at a university press. This post includes information that can help authors decide whether a series is the right fit for their next book.

Pitching a Digital Project to Scholarly Publishers

I often hear from authors wondering how to pitch their digital research. This post includes some opportunities for digital publication at university presses.

How Not to Burn Bridges with Publishers

Sometimes an author finds themselves in a situation where they want to extricate themselves from a publishing process they have begun at a particular press without burning a bridge. Here are some considerations for communicating with editors in these tricky scenarios.

How to Land a Publisher for Your Interdisciplinary Book

It can be difficult to figure out how to find the right publisher for a scholarly book that traverses multiple fields or disciplines. This post includes answers to some of the most common questions I receive about pitching and writing book proposals for interdisciplinary books.

The Essential Building Blocks of an Academic Book Proposal

Do you know what the essential building blocks of a scholarly book proposal are and why they’re there? Here is a quick guide to the key components with explanations of their functions and intended audiences.

Pep Talks for Nervous Academic Authors

The academic book publishing process can feel daunting and mysterious. It’s ok to feel nervous about it. Here are some helpful thoughts to ease your nerves and keep in mind after you submit your book proposal or book manuscript to scholarly publishers.

When A Press Approaches You About Publishing Your book and Wants to Move Quickly

How quickly should you move when a press expresses interest in your dissertation project? Here are some things to consider before signing the contract right away.

The Easiest Way to Get Your Academic Book Proposal Rejected and How to Avoid It

Fit plays a major role in the evaluation of a book proposal. Here are some ways to discover if your academic book manuscript will match up with your list of presses before you send out your book proposal.

Promoting Your Academic Book

After an academic author submits the final manuscript, there’s still promotion to think about. This post breaks down what I did to promote The Book Proposal Book and offers tips on how you can collaborate with your press's publicity team to make sure your book reaches its intended readers.

How to Tailor Your Academic Book Proposal for Different Publishers: What to Change for Each Press to Press and What You Can Leave Alone

Can you submit the same academic book proposal to different publishers? This post discusses what to change from press to press and what you can keep the same in each version of your academic book proposal.

How One Author Revised Her Dissertation into an Academic Book

What does it take to turn your dissertation into a book manuscript? Where do you find support? The author of Fighting Visibility shares her experience as a first-time author and how she got her academic book published.

When and How to Follow Up with a Publisher in the Covid Era

An incredible amount of uncertainty and waiting come with publishing an academic book. Here are some scenarios to run through to help you decide how to follow up on an earlier conversation with an acquisitions editor.

Are You Sure You Know What a "Trade Publisher" Is? Let's Clear It Up

Different kinds of publishers prioritize different kinds of texts. Books by academics are published by university presses, commercial academic presses, and sometimes trade presses. So where should you send your book proposal? Here is a breakdown of where your academic book manuscript might fit and might not.

When One Publisher Responds and Another Doesn't

A lot of unexpected questions come up once you begin contacting academic publishers about your book project. This post addresses the question of what you should do when one publisher responds positively but you haven’t heard back from the other publishers you’ve submitted to.

How to Negotiate a Book Contract Offer from a Publisher

You receive an offer to publish your academic book manuscript. Now what happens? Here are some points a scholarly author should keep in mind as they review a contract or publishing agreement when it's offered by a publisher, along with some tips about items you may be able to negotiate for.

Covers and Titles: Tips for Academic Authors from a Book Designer

What does the design process of a book cover entail? Get a peek behind the scenes in this interview with a book designer for an academic press, including tips for authors to think about as they navigate the publication process.

How to Talk to an Acquisitions Editor and What Questions to Ask

Speaking about your research to a complete stranger can feel daunting, especially if that stranger is an acquisitions editor. Here are some tips for reframing how you think about the introductory conversation and some questions to ask while you’re there.

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