Transcript Academic presentation for college course (textbook design)

DISSEMINATING YOUR RESEARCH:
TIPS ON PUBLISHING BOOKS
Ellen Mutari (Economics) and Kristin Jacobson
(Literature), IFD Fellows
Overview
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Types of Book Publishers and
Publications
Selecting the Right Outlet and Publisher
for Your Project
9 Stages of Book Publication
Types of Book Publishers
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Academic/University Press: academic monograph,
academic series
Academic Trade Press: examples, Sage, Routledge
Textbook/Reference Publisher: examples, McGraw
Hill, Pearson, Houghton Mifflin
Trade Press: examples, HarperCollins, Simon &
Schuster, Macmillan, Penguin Random House
Vanity Press/Self-Publication/DIY Press
Types of Book Publications
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Single author
Co-Authored
Edited collection
Conference Proceedings
Digital Publication: examples, Amherst College
Press https://acpress.amherst.edu/ and Anvil
Academic http://anvilacademic.org/
The Right Outlet for Your Project
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What format will best expresses your idea?
 Print?
Digital?
 Textbook? Edited collection? Collaboratively or
individually authored?
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Who is your audience? Undergraduate students?
Colleagues in the field? “General” reader?
Peer Review remains the “gold standard” for
academic advancement. Look to university or
academic presses.
Selecting the Right Publisher
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Publishers specialize by subject and field: What press
is the best fit for you and your project?
What publishers do you purchase/read/assign in your
classes? Scan your bookshelf.
 Which publishers have booths at conferences you attend?
 Look for a book series that fits your project.
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Publishers have different reputations: Talk to people in
your field and authors who have published with the
press.
How robust is the publisher’s marketing?
 How long does it usually take to work through their review
process?
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9 Stages of Book Publication
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Query
Proposal
Manuscript Preparation
Revision and Response to Reader Reports
Book Contracts
Copyright
Indexing/Proofreading
Book Subventions
Marketing/Promotion
1. Query
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Query by letter/email or in person at conference
book exhibit
Place your book in the context of other publications by
the press: mention a specific series, if applicable.
 Briefly outline the key question/debate/gap the book
fills.
 Offer to send additional materials: full book proposal,
sample chapter(s).
 Request a meeting with an acquisition editor (at an
upcoming conference for academic presses/textbook
publishers).
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2. Book Proposal
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Follow the instructions on the publisher’s website.
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This may mean you will need to draft different
proposals for different publishers.
Multiple submissions are okay at this stage.
You may need sample chapters.
Avoid jargon: write in clear, concise language that
will engage (non)specialists.
Proofread: grammatical or mechanical errors may
land your proposal in the recycling bin.
Know the market: How does this book add to the
field/existing literature? Will it sell? Who will buy
it/teach it?
Set a Realistic Timeline.
Examples of Book Proposal Formats
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Ohio State UP:
https://ohiostatepress.org/index.htm?/othe
r/proposal.htm
Routledge:
http://www.routledge.com/info/authors/#
submitproposal
Trade Press: often require a literary agent
McGraw-Hill:
http://www.mheducation.ca/highereducati
on/authors/submit-a-proposal/
3. Preparing the Manuscript
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Follow the publisher’s instructions.
Incorporate feedback from proposal and/or manuscript
reviewers.
Make sure you (and any other authors) adhere to length
constraints.
Compose a list of possible readers: these are usually
people who are in your field that you do not know or do not
know well.
If you cannot meet a deadline, give the editor notice and a
revised timetable.
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Edited Collections: allow yourself time to edit all submissions and
ask for revisions.
4. Responding to Reader Reports
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Send the editor an initial response and clarify when you
expect to complete requested revisions.
Identify trends across the reports: focus on both strengths
and weaknesses.
Organize feedback into comments related to:
Argument/Analysis (content)
 Organization/Structure
 Style
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Keep a detailed log of the changes made to include in your
letter with the revised manuscript.
Edited Collections: share specific feedback with authors and
set deadlines.
5. Book Contracts
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Pay attention to:
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Author copyright
Amounts of print, electronic
royalties; movie rights
Who pays for indexing
and copyright permissions
Monographs: rare for
books to make a “profit”
(for the publishers or the
author)
Textbooks: can generate
revenue
6. Securing Copyright
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Allow time to secure copyright permissions for
previously published work, images, archival
materials, etc.
Consider starting this work early (even before you
secure a publisher) so that you will know the costs
involved.
7. Indexing/Final Proofreading/Editing
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The best indexes are usually created by the
author/editor.
You may also consider using software or a professional
indexer.
Three Part Series on Book Indexing:
http://chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2012/05/14
/book-indexing-part-3-tips-for-do-it-yourselfers/
Do not expect publishers to pay for the indexing of the
manuscript.
No major changes at the page-proof stage.
Indexing and final proofing are time consuming.
8. Book Subventions
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Book subventions may be used to offset copyright
costs and/or the overall cost of the book.
Be wary of publishers that require a subvention in
order to publish your book.
Stockton book subvention, generally the maximum
award is $750:
http://intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID
=92&pageID=48
9. Marketing
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Work with the publisher to get your book out there
in the public eye
Take time to complete carefully the author
questionnaire:
 Identify
book review outlets, conferences for exhibiting,
book ad outlets, and awards
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Self-Promotion and Marketing: social media
Questions/Discussions
Additional Resources (Selected)
 William Germano, From Dissertation to Book,
U of Chicago P, 2013.
 William Germano, Getting It Published, U of
Chicago P, 2008.
 Robin Derricourt, An Author’s Guide to
Scholarly Publishing, Princeton UP, 1996.
 Susan Rabiner, Alfred Fortunato, Thinking Like
Your Editor, WW Norton & Company, 2003.
 David Perry, “Why Write a Book?” Vitae 3
March 2015: http://tinyurl.com/nrfmkjo