1. Overview of the Book Publishing Process

What is involved in getting a book published with an academic publisher?

What do you need to understand about the full spectrum of actions undertaken by author and publisher to bring an idea for a book to full published reality? This workshop provides an introduction to the entire process—soup to nuts. It’s desinged for those unfamiliar with what’s involved in getting a book published. This session includes the following topics, each covered briefly:

• writing a book proposal; 
• working with an editor; 
• securing and evaluating a contract; 
• responding to reader reviews of a draft manuscript; 
• securing permissions to reprint copyrighted material. 

Participants can expect to come away with a basic, preliminary understanding of how to get a book published by an academic press.

2. Writing a Book Proposal

What do you need to provide in a book proposal for an academic or textbook publisher?

You need, essentially, to answer the following questions:

1. Why are your writing this book (both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation)?
2. For whom are you writing it? Who is your primary audience?
3. What is distinctive about your book? How does it compare with others of its kind?
4. What are you attempting to do in the book? What does it add to the conversation in your discipline?

Participants will respond to one or more of these questions in writing during the workshop. Groups of three will then meet in breakout rooms to share their thinking, after which full-group discussion and Q & A will follow.

Participants can expect to come away with an understanding of why addressing these questions carefully and thoughtfully is essential for a successful book proposal. They can also expect to make progress towards writing their own book proposals.

3. Securing and Evaluating a Book Publishing Contract

Acquiring a contract is essential for getting a book published by an academic or textbook publisher. It is important that the contract meets the needs of both publisher and author, each of whom is investing in the other. Knowing what to look at and for in a book contract and deciding what’s most important to you are critical. The workshop leader will share sample contracts and consider key contractual elements, including manuscript details, advance, royalty rates, permissions, index, deadlines, and other matters requiring negotiated agreement between author and publisher.

4. Responding to  Manuscript Reviews 

Once you have captured an editor’s interest and presented that editor with a proposal and sample chapters of your book, you will receive feedback from experts. Their comments, favorable and unfavorable, will be sent to you for discussion with your editor. You will be asked to write a response to the reviews of your work (sometimes called “reader reports”). Of particular importance in your written response will be how you plan to address weaknesses in your sample chapters and how you intend to revise your manuscript. This session addresses these issues by providing sample manuscript reviews and author responses.