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.
This month's author interview
Published 3 days ago • 10 min read
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. Chavella T. Pittman, author of the new book Empowered: A Woman Faculty of Color's Guide to Teaching and Thriving, published this month by The University of Oklahoma Press.
Here's a description of the book from the publisher's website:
Experience tells us, and studies confirm, that women faculty of color are among the most overworked, unfairly criticized, and least rewarded individuals serving higher education today. They are also the most thwarted when it comes to the basic goals of an academic career: tenure, security, and personal satisfaction. This, despite ranking as some of the most talented teachers we have: Women faculty of color disproportionately overdeliver on higher education's loftiest promise—preparing students to contribute to the world. In this book, these highly effective, overworked, underappreciated women will find expert guidance, encouragement, and practical steps to meet the outsized challenges women of color face in academia, and finally get what they've long since earned.
In Empowered, Chavella T. Pittman distills decades of practice to show women faculty of color how to be unapologetically authentic in their teaching, speak up in reviews about their classroom excellence, and to offer themselves compassion. And, how to recover a sense of joy in what they do. Drawing on extensive research, Pittman provides active measures for withstanding intersectional race and gender tensions, exercises to inoculate against toxic dynamics, and tools to resist being silenced and support being heard. Through these empowering strategies and exercises, women faculty of color can become the most powerful versions of themselves in their classrooms, and go on to make the most
of their careers, contributions, and lives.
And now, here's what Dr. Pittman had to say about the process of publishing and promoting her book...
Laura Portwood-Stacer: Thank you for sharing your author experience with Manuscript Works' readers! Who do you hope will read this book?
Chavella T. Pittman: Everyone. Ha!
Seriously, first and foremost I want the book to be read by every single woman faculty of color, and I really mean that. These women—we—are some of the most overworked, unfairly criticized, and least rewarded individuals serving higher education today. And this book is for them on that journey.
Despite being some of higher education’s most talented teachers, they’re also the most thwarted when it comes to the basic goals of an academic career: tenure, security, and personal satisfaction. That is just not okay.
I wrote this book so that at any moment these women would have at their fingertips the hands-on steps they need to thrive, and even find joy on their paths. There is no need to suffer from teaching burnout, or deal with problematic student evaluations, or any teaching review headaches alone. Read this book ASAP. It’s the closest thing to having a mentor on call 24/7.
That said, whether a person considers themselves part of a diverse group, or not at all, everyone from faculty to administrators will get practical, doable steps from reading Empowered. They’ll learn actions they can take to be allies, yes, but also how-to about teaching excellently, being celebrated and securing successful teaching reviews. As we all know, teaching in general is under attack and we can all be much more ready.
LPS: What are you doing or planning to do to promote the book when it’s released?
CTP: I feel a sense of urgency and obligation to get the word out to support women faculty of color. Every day she can suffer less, is a good day, so I’m focused on “promotion” that feels organic and natural with the potential to scale and be evergreen:
Podcast interviews
Inclusion in newsletters (like this one) that are aligned with the book’s objectives but most of all
Making it super easy for others to share in a grassroots way far and wide, to the north, south east and west! In other words, my hope is that this becomes less about what I alone do, and what we can do as a group of women who want the best for each other, and are in this for the long haul.
In fact, in this particular moment, women faculty of color and faculty in general are in dire need of strategies to erect both a defense and an offense for their teaching and teaching reviews, so if you’d like to help, please share loudly and proudly! Go here to get details about Empowered and/or email me at empowered@effectivefaculty.org and let’s collaborate.
LPS: What has been the most surprising thing about the process of writing and/or publishing this book so far?
CTP: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed writing chapter openings or “hooks”. I somehow knew in my gut, perhaps based on the hundreds of hours of hands-on coaching, workshops, and speaking I’ve done on this topic, what needed to be said in order to get the reader to connect with a chapter topic. And I made sure to do so while using the real life experiences of women faculty of color.
Also, engaging in conversation with my readers early on was creative, interesting and problem solving in a way that I found great joy in doing. And it turns out, the readers found these chapter openings gripping, and empowering, which is a good thing, considering the title, right?! I learned how important it is to put the juicy stuff first. We’re all busy! No saving or hiding it for later.
I was also surprised by how much I enjoy writing scholarship in a different, more “lay”, authorial voice, in contrast to my academic writing voice. My book is steeped in the scholarship of teaching and learning, supporting research and evidence-based strategies. But none of that would be helpful if the reader’s eyes glaze over, they fall asleep, or are just plain confused by jargon.
So instead, I’ve written Empowered in a more conversational style. I thoroughly enjoyed writing as though chatting (& possibly plotting lol) with a woman faculty of color about her teaching. Writing this way, I felt alive, acutely connected to the reader, and deeply invested in her empowerment. It allowed me to see, celebrate, and be there for my reader. And thankfully, early readers have said that the book reads as though I’m talking directly to them. Woot woot, success! (Smile)
LPS: What aspect of publishing this book has brought you the most satisfaction so far? In other words, what do you think you did well during the process of writing and publishing this book and you would plan to do again if you ever decide to publish another book?
CTP: I am most satisfied that I wrote a book that is practical and actionable and isn’t all doom and gloom. That is, women faculty of color will not just read but will USE this book for their teaching and career. I walk women faculty of color step by step through the positive strategies they can use the very next day to effect change, and that is important to me.
In addition, I’ve organized the book so it could be read from beginning to end, but also piecemeal in response to a specific challenge.
My vision is that women faculty of color, diverse faculty, and allies will pull Empowered from their shelf frequently, that it will be a long-standing reference throughout their academic careers whenever a teaching issue arises.
Then, once they’ve built a career they’re fulfilled with and joyful about, my hope is that they will gift their copy, or order a new copy for graduate students, peers and faculty coming up next.
Anticipating this gives me great satisfaction, and my goal for my next book is to be similarly actionable as well as of course scholarly.
LPS: What do you think you might do differently the next time you publish a book (or what do you wish you had done differently this time around)?
CTP: This may sound a little weird but bear with me. What I would have done differently and will do next time around is give myself more grace and have less guilt about the fact that I am not a “desk writer”. I kept thinking I should sit still at a desk for all of the “important” writing and publishing tasks. Nope. That is exactly how I get stuck.
Next time around I’ll continue to do what works for me as a writer and academic. I wrote most of Empowered while out camping, walking (using voice memo), traveling, sitting at the lakefront, etc.
When it was time for the publishing tasks like responding to copyedits, design questions, and reviewing page proofs, I was frequently sitting in a brewery, laying in the grass, or in the woods in my tiny camper.
Yes, it is possible to edit, draft, index, and even do citations and research deep scholarship while NOT inside.
As I write and publish my next book, I’ll remind myself that nature, movement, and recreation are the conduits through which I’ll always be the most creative and productive.
LPS: What were the most helpful sources of support you received in the process of writing and publishing this book?
CTP: Ooo wee, I had no idea when I began that I’d end up gathering dang near a village as my support system while I was writing and publishing this book:
This newsletter for sure. I encountered several wtf moments about copyediting, cover design, indexing, etc. that sent me rummaging through the archives for perspective, answers, and strategies.
My phone's voice memo feature allowed me to write while in motion, producing the creativity I needed to write tough book sections and to reply to requests from the book publication team.
My family and friends were essential anchors that cheered me on when I wanted to throw my laptop (and possibly people) out of the window.
Women faculty of color early readers whose responses reminded me of the significance and importance of my unapologetically centering us, and our teaching experiences, in Empowered.
My writing coach who nudged (more like dragged) me–at my behest–away from my “traditional” academic writing voice towards the conversational mentoring voice I use when I'm delivering online courses, campus workshops or consultations. I wasn't used to seeing this way of speaking in print and that has been liberating/energizing/freeing.
I’m grateful that the above sources of support allowed me to gather them like the Avengers for this seemingly insurmountable task. They each were vitally important and our relationships are much richer now as a result. I highly recommend any author coming through to assemble their own dream team. They each made the process much more enjoyable, as well.
LPS: Is there anything else you want to share that you think aspiring book authors should know?
CTP: Aspiring authors should know it's okay to seek out leisure and joy as they work on their book. It’s going to take a lot of energy to get it into the world. Instead of grinding and suffering through, as many academics do as second nature, be mindful to regularly replenish your energy. Walks to visit my boyfriend (ie. Lake Michigan lol), hilarious calls with friends, and swaying in a hammock were pick me ups that refilled my cup.
Assuming you don’t enjoy feeling overwhelmed and burnt out—you have to engage in leisure even (especially!) when it feels like you “should” be chained to a desk working on your book. That time is how you’ll rest, recover and recharge yourself for your book (or for anything else for that matter). It’s how you’ll thrive despite the workaholic and high stake aspects of our academic culture.
I’m encouraging aspiring authors to do what brings you joy–dance, yodel, read, cosplay, whatever–before and if your batteries start to feel low during your book writing, production, and marketing. And yup, you have time for it. In fact, I encourage you to think up 5 free things you can do for 10 minutes that’d bring you joy or allow you to revel in leisure time. Your book and joy meter will thank me.
If you’d like to get a copy of Empowered by Chavella T. Pittman (and download the accompanying resource kit), check out Dr. Pittman's website, effectivefaculty.org.
Keep scrolling this newsletter for more new book announcements and other resources for scholarly writers...
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.
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More new books by Manuscript Works clients and readers
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Feminism Enchanted by Yanbing Er, published by Columbia University Press.
If you're a scholarly author with a book coming out in the next 12 months and any of my resources have helped you along the way, shoot an email to support@manuscriptworks.com to have your book featured in a future newsletter. If you'd like to be considered for a future author interview, please indicate that as well!
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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.