The Manuscript Works Newsletter
Essential knowledge about scholarly book publishing that every author should have. Get weekly tips on writing and publishing your scholarly book from developmental editor and publishing consultant Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD.
How to blurb a book
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! Do you know what a book blurb is? You've probably read countless blurbs even if you didn't know what they were called. A book blurb is essentially a very brief review or endorsement that is printed on a book's jacket or just inside it. Blurbs may also be included in promotional materials like publisher catalogs, webpages, and online retail sites. As an...
11 free webinars to publish your book in 2026
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! In 2025, I committed myself to holding free monthly webinars for scholars who want to publish books. Putting on webinars takes a lot of work, and it's not something I'll be able to do at the same pace next year. But this year of webinars collectively had over 5,500 registrations, and it's incredibly gratifying to know that I was able to help so many people...
Meet 3 editors at Yale University Press
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! Earlier this month I had the pleasure of chatting with three acquiring editors at Yale University Press: Jaya Aninda Chatterjee, Heather Gold, and Abbie Storch. Yale UP has a strong focus on trade and crossover books (read on to find out what those terms mean in the scholarly publishing world) as well as a strong international presence, including offices in...
A book 15 years in the making
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! Every month in this newsletter, I share newly published books by Manuscript Works readers and clients, along with a more in-depth conversation with one scholarly author to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the book publishing and promotion process. This month, I'm pleased to bring you my interview with Dr. Nicholas L. Caverly, author of Demolishing Detroit:...
Meet an acquiring editor at University of Wisconsin Press
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! This week you're getting another chance to get acquainted with an acquiring editor at a scholarly press. Today's conversation will feature Amber Rose Cederstrom of the University of Wisconsin Press. Read on for some great insight into how editors think about the peer review process. And if you've ever wondered what the difference between a list, a series,...
Red flags for authors
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! A couple weeks ago, I received an email from someone I don’t know. It opened with, “Just listened to your interview on Princeton UP Ideas Podcast. Nice work getting on such a respected show! Are you interested in being a guest on more shows like this?” The message went on to tell me about a company that would pitch me as a guest on other podcasts (for a fee...
New podcast episodes for scholarly writers
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! I have a 30-second favor to ask: if you've read Make Your Manuscript Work, could you go give it a rating on Amazon right now? You don't even have to have purchased it on Amazon, but rating it there helps other people discover that the book exists and builds trust that it'll be worth their while (even if they don't purchase it on Amazon either). Thank you so...
Behind the scenes of a second book
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! Every month in this newsletter, I share newly published books by Manuscript Works readers and clients, along with a more in-depth conversation with a scholarly author to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the book publishing and promotion process. This month, I'm pleased to bring you my interview with Dr. Dan DiPiero, author of Big Feelings: Queer and...
Meet an acquiring editor at Columbia University Press
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! This week I'm sharing a new kind of conversation that I hope will become a regular series for the newsletter: a chance to get acquainted with an acquiring editor at a scholarly press. Today's conversation will feature Alyssa M. Napier, editor in sociology and Black studies at Columbia University Press. I first became acquainted with Alyssa when I attended...
When you need an extension on your book due date
The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Hello Manuscript Workers! Well, we are solidly in September, which tends to be the busiest time of year for academics here in the northern hemisphere. It’s a time when many scholarly writers set goals for the academic year ahead, but it’s also a time when we reckon with what we didn’t get done the previous year or over the summer. If you're finding yourself in the (actually very...
Essential knowledge about scholarly book publishing that every author should have. Get weekly tips on writing and publishing your scholarly book from developmental editor and publishing consultant Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD.