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DISSEMINATING YOUR RESEARCH: TIPS ON PUBLISHING BOOKS Ellen Mutari (Economics) and Kristin Jacobson (Literature), IFD Fellows
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Overview Types of Book Publishers and Publications Selecting the Right Outlet and Publisher for Your Project 9 Stages of Book Publication
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Types of Book Publishers 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
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Types of Book Publications Single author Co-Authored Edited collection Conference Proceedings Digital Publication: examples, Amherst College Press https://acpress.amherst.edu/ and Anvil Academic http://anvilacademic.org/https://acpress.amherst.edu/http://anvilacademic.org/
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The Right Outlet for Your Project What format will best expresses your idea? Print? Digital? Textbook? Edited collection? Collaboratively or individually authored? 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.
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Selecting the Right Publisher 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. 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 1. Query 2. Proposal 3. Manuscript Preparation 4. Revision and Response to Reader Reports 5. Book Contracts 6. Copyright 7. Indexing/Proofreading 8. Book Subventions 9. Marketing/Promotion
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1. Query 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 Follow the instructions on the publisher’s website. 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.
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Examples of Book Proposal Formats Ohio State UP: https://ohiostatepress.org/index.htm?/othe r/proposal.htm https://ohiostatepress.org/index.htm?/othe r/proposal.htm Routledge: http://www.routledge.com/info/authors/# submitproposal 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/ http://www.mheducation.ca/highereducati on/authors/submit-a-proposal/
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3. Preparing the Manuscript 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. Edited Collections: allow yourself time to edit all submissions and ask for revisions.
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4. Responding to Reader Reports 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 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.
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5. Book Contracts Pay attention to: 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
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6. Securing Copyright 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.
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7. Indexing/Final Proofreading/Editing 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/ 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.
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8. Book Subventions 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 http://intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID =92&pageID=48
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9. Marketing 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 Self-Promotion and Marketing: social media
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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/nrfmkjohttp://tinyurl.com/nrfmkjo
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