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.
Auditory escape
Published 14 days ago • 3 min read
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 book manuscripts and other academic writing projects. If you like the vibe of The Book Proposal Book, you'll like this one too I think.
The book comes out on August 5th, and preorders aren't quite available yet. But I'm already in conversation with my publisher (Princeton UP) about how we're going to make sure it gets discovered by all the people who can benefit from it. One thing my publisher asked in my author marketing questionnaire is which podcasts I've appeared on in the past, presumably so we can reach back out to those hosts and see if they might like to have me as a guest again when my new book comes out.
Fortunately, I'd already assembled a list of previous podcast episodes I've appeared on. This was a good reminder to update that list and share it with you, in case you've missed any of these episodes and want to check them out. May they provide a compelling distraction from doomscrolling for a little bit!
If you're working on a book of your own, you'll probably be asked a similar question by your publisher someday. I even recommend mentioning things like podcasts and other media appearances in your book proposal—before you're asked directly—because such items help to show your target publisher that you already know how to talk about your research in public and will be happy to do so again when your book is released. Publishers want to work with authors who will be active partners in book promotion.
If you've never talked about your research in public, it might be time to start thinking about it. Do you listen to any podcasts related to your research topic or to academia or book-writing in general? If so, then you may be able to pitch yourself as a guest. Many podcast hosts are more than happy to have people bring content ideas right to their door, so if you make a thoughtful case for your being a guest their audience might like to hear from, you've got a decent shot at getting on. (Now that I think about it, this is exactly how to pitch yourself to publishers too. Be familiar with the audience they're trying to reach, and explain how what you have to say aligns with that audience's interests. Boom, you're halfway to a book deal.)
I'll definitely reach back out to the hosts of podcasts I've already been on, but I'd love to hear from you to discover some new possibilities too. What are your favorite academic podcasts? Especially ones that talk about writing, publishing, and the hidden curriculum of skills like self-editing that we're all expected to have but are rarely taught. You can reply to this email directly to let me know. And if you host a podcast and would like to have me on later this year to talk about my new book, definitely reach out!
This newsletter is coming to you from Laura Portwood-Stacer, PhD, professional developmental editor and publishing consultant. I help scholarly writers navigate the book publishing process with more ease and agency.
I hope you'll stick around for practical tips on writing and publishing your scholarly book, but if you'd like to adjust your subscription settings, you can do that at the bottom of this message.
Manuscript Works Author Support is a private hub for ongoing support in your scholarly book publishing journey. Inside this community you'll get honest advice about publishers, peer review, offers and contracts, as well as join live Q&A sessions with Laura Portwood-Stacer and your fellow Manuscript Works authors.
This community is open to alums of the Manuscript Works Book Proposal Accelerator and Book Proposal Shortcut for Busy Scholars.
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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.