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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.

A smiling headshot of me, Laura Portwood-Stacer

The prose-polishing trap

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, I’m currently working with a group of scholars who are learning how to become effective developmental editors of their own writing. This means they’re discovering how to assess their texts for big picture issues like argument and structure and fix the problems that will make the biggest difference in getting their texts accepted for publication. I gave these writers a...
The cover of Make Your Manuscript Work: A Guide to Developmental Editing for Scholarly Writers, by Laura Portwood-Stacer, author of The Book Proposal Book. The cover has an electric blue background and depicts a stylized representation of four manuscript

How to love your book cover

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, In the midst of so much bad news lately, I was relieved to get a small piece of good news last week: the cover design for my forthcoming book came in, and I love it! Releases on August 5, 2025. Click here to be notified when preorders are available. Privately, I’d been anxious about how this moment in the production process would go. I plan to do a lot of promotion for...
The cover of The Architectural Image and Early Modern Science, next to an author photo of Elizabeth J. Petcu

Simple book promotion ideas for every author

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, If you're a returning reader of this newsletter, you know that every month I highlight the experience of a different scholarly writer who has recently published a book. This month, I'm excited to share an interview with art historian Elizabeth Petcu, author of The Architectural Image and Early Modern Science: Wendel Dietterlin and the Rise of Empirical Investigation,...

Is your draft ready for developmental editing?

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, In case you haven't heard yet, I'm offering a new course for scholarly writers! The Developmental Editing Workshop for Scholarly Writers will teach you how to apply the skills of professional editing to your own academic writing projects. You'll learn the most important issues that factor into manuscripts making it through the publication process smoothly, and you'll...
Thumbnail for the Developmental Editing Workshop for Scholarly Writers

Are you editing out of order?

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, If you’ve ever written a manuscript for publication, you’ve probably been aware at some point that your draft needed editing. And you’ve probably engaged in self-editing, or received editorial assistance from someone else on your way to publication. What you may not have been aware of is that professional writers and editors distinguish between various levels of editing,...
The cover of Trans Technologies next to a headshot of the author, Oliver L. Haimson

Taking your book public for broader impact

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, I'm so pleased to be celebrating a new book this month from a Manuscript Works client (specifically an alum of my Book Proposal Accelerator program in 2022). Dr. Oliver L. Haimson's Trans Technologies is near and dear to my heart, not only because its topic is important for its own sake, but also because I think Oliver's thesis is a great a model for other authors who...
The cover of The Scientist's Guide to Writing by Stephen B. Heard

Friendly reviewers

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, I have a free workshop coming up next week! It's the next installment of my Publishing Unpacked series, and this one is called Surviving Peer Review. I'll be giving my best tips for getting your scholarly book through the peer review process (mostly) unscathed, drawing on my experience helping hundreds of academics land book contracts with university presses and other...
A smiling headshot of me, Laura Portwood-Stacer

Auditory escape

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, I hope you're surviving this week, staying off social media if you need to, and finding time to connect with what sustains you. I'm currently in the thick of the production process for my next book, which now has a final title: Make Your Manuscript Work: A Guide to Developmental Editing for Scholarly Writers. The book offers a step-by-step system for editing your own...

Announcing a new workshop series for 2025

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Happy 2025, Reader! I've never been more ready to say goodbye to a year. 2024 was already a rough one for me, and then on Monday I had an accident at home and ended up in the ER with a partially torn ligament in my foot and a big old bruise on my tailbone. Fortunately, I should be able to heal up with just rest and some prescription strength ibuprofen, and I'm still on schedule for...
A knitted neck wrap with gradient colors from lavender to aqua to blue

Giveaway for a good cause

The Manuscript Works Newsletter Essential knowledge on scholarly book publishing that every author should have Dear Reader, Wow, 2024 has been a tough year. I’m applauding all of us for making it through, period, and if you’ve managed to keep your head in the game of working on an academic book, well, I hope you know what an accomplishment that is, even if you made less progress than you’d hoped to. I want to quickly remind you that I have a free workshop coming up on January 8th that lays...

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.