Previewing 2023 at Manuscript Works
Discover more from The Manuscript Works Newsletter
Previewing 2023 at Manuscript Works
Hi Manuscript Workers,
I know everyone is now in end-of-the-year wind-down mode, but I thought I would use today’s newsletter to give you a heads up about what I have planned for 2023 at Manuscript Works.
If you have a goal to make progress on publishing your scholarly book next year, there will be something here for you!
First up is the Book Proposal Sprint I’m hosting from January 9th through 13th. It will be 5 days of live coworking and Q&As to help you gain (or regain) momentum on your scholarly book proposal so you can get it sent out to publishers in 2023.
The live sessions will be held from 9–11am PST (first hour coworking, second hour Q&A discussion), and all sessions are optional, so you can come and go as you please. Recordings of the Q&As will be made available for those who can’t attend live.
In order to participate in the Sprint, you just need to enroll in my Book Proposal Shortcut program between now and January 9th. When you enroll you’ll get immediate access to my step-by-step curriculum for writing and pitching a book proposal along with a library of sample proposals and other resources. You’ll keep lifetime access to all the materials even after the Sprint ends.
If you’ve previously enrolled in the Shortcut (or are currently enrolled in my Book Proposal Accelerator) you’re already on the guest list for the Sprint. Look for an email from me soon with more details.
If you have any questions about whether the Sprint is a good fit for your needs, please feel free to reply to this email and ask!
In February and March, I will be running a new and improved version of my Developmental Editing for Academics course.
This course teaches the editing skills I have used successfully in my business since 2015. It’s ideal for academics who are considering a career shift or side gig in freelance editing and for established editors (whether freelance or in-house) who want to hone their craft.
The updated curriculum is also addressed to academics who work with scholarly authors in other contexts. That means it will be useful for journal editors, people who want to edit essay collections and special issues, faculty who mentor other scholars whether students or colleagues, and anyone else who gives feedback to scholars on their writing. I also welcome scholarly writers who want to learn self-editing skills to improve their own manuscripts.
The course includes video and audio lectures, written transcripts, three live Zoom discussions (attendance optional), and the opportunity to practice developmental editing techniques in several assignments, which you can submit for feedback from me (again, all optional).
This is the course I wish I’d had 8 years ago when I transitioned out of academia, and it’s the first time I’ve been able to offer it synchronously since 2020, so I’m looking forward to it!
Enrollment will open on Monday, January 2nd, at 10am PST. Space is limited.
In April I’ll be running my third-annual Find the Perfect-Fit Publisher for your Scholarly Book 5-day challenge. In the past it’s helped hundreds of authors get clarity on what they’re looking for in a publisher and who might be the best candidates to pitch their books to.
The challenge will be 100% free to participate in. I’ll share the sign-up info here in the newsletter as we get closer, but you can tentatively mark your calendar for April 24–28.
In July, I’ll be admitting a new cohort into my signature program, the Book Proposal Accelerator. The core weeks of the program will run through all of July and early August, and then I’ll be providing continued support to the authors in the cohort through the end of 2023. That means I’ll be there to guide you through drafting your proposal and pitching it to scholarly publishers, as well as navigating peer review and (fingers crossed) negotiating your contract.
This is the program for you if you would like me to actually read the components of your book proposal draft and give direct feedback on them, as well as offer personalized advice on your target publishers and how to pitch them.
Registration for the Book Proposal Accelerator will likely open in May or June. I’ll definitely be sharing more details about how to sign up as we get further into 2023.
I also have some availability for institutional workshops in the spring and fall of 2023. If your institution or organization would like to book me, you can have a look at my workshops FAQ page. Then if you’d like to set something up you can email me or get in touch directly with Katie Stileman at PUP Speaks (there’s a contact form on the FAQ page).
Finally, I have a number of free webinars and resources that will continue to be available in 2023. Please share these with your students, colleagues, friends, and nemeses who you think may benefit from them.
I’ll be back next week with some reflections on how I spent my time in 2022 for the those who are interested in the backstage workings of a small editorial and consulting business. See you then or in the new year!