tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post221198800142241629..comments2024-03-27T02:24:30.591-07:00Comments on Get a Life, PhD: How to write a book proposal for an academic pressTanya Golash-Bozahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-70608606738682983212018-04-09T08:36:32.609-07:002018-04-09T08:36:32.609-07:00Many thanks, Tania! I really appreciate your recom...Many thanks, Tania! I really appreciate your recommendation. I forgot to ask you one thing: do you think it would be a good idea to let the editor of the press where my book is under review that other university presses are interested in it? Could this help speed up the review process?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06269717122914596060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-11084207761383141112018-04-09T07:23:07.354-07:002018-04-09T07:23:07.354-07:00Many thanks, Tania! I really appreciate your recom...Many thanks, Tania! I really appreciate your recommendation.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06269717122914596060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-42164860412469736192018-04-07T16:19:29.848-07:002018-04-07T16:19:29.848-07:00Whether or not your manuscript is accepted by the ...Whether or not your manuscript is accepted by the first press, if it is out for review, you will get reviews back. Those reviews will contain suggestions you likely should attend to. Thus, I would tell the second press that you are not yet ready to send them the manuscript but would like to know if it would be possible to send it to them in July. If the ms. is rejected, this will give you time to revise it. If it is accepted, you can follow up with the second press and let them know you no longer plan to send it to them.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-26431530177127319252018-04-06T19:49:49.656-07:002018-04-06T19:49:49.656-07:00Perhaps you are knowledgeable about this issue. My...Perhaps you are knowledgeable about this issue. My book manuscript is under review under a good university press. The editor said that external reviews will be ready this May. Another university press has just written saying that they also want the manuscript. I understand I need to let the second press know that the manuscript is already under review somewhere else. Ideally, I would send them the manuscript if the first press rejects it. However, is there a way to say that I’ll be happy to submit my book manuscript when it is not under consideration in the other press without conveying the idea that it got rejected? Do you have any suggestion or previous experience in these cases? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06269717122914596060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-71466234709246051612017-04-22T11:54:48.676-07:002017-04-22T11:54:48.676-07:00Four chapters does not sound like a lot for a book...Four chapters does not sound like a lot for a book. Most books have 5-8 chapters.<br /><br />I have published articles out of book chapters, but they often end up looking quite different. An article needs to make its own point whereas a book chapter needs to build the argument of the book.<br /><br />More practically, you may want to seek advice from a mentor about your book manuscript and what it will take to get it published.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-48758128177526080222017-04-21T03:18:46.356-07:002017-04-21T03:18:46.356-07:00Hello, and thank you for this fantastic blog!
I&#...Hello, and thank you for this fantastic blog!<br /><br />I'm an early-career humanities scholar in the UK, and I'm putting together a book proposal for a book with a projected four long chapters (plus intro and conclusion). Currently, I only have full drafts of two of these chapters, plus a less finished draft of my introduction. One of these chapters has been published as a long article (12,000 words).<br /><br />My difficulty is that I have just submitted the other chapter as another long article of a similar length, and am now worried that – should this be accepted for publication (if it isn't, then there's no problem!) – that too much of the book material will have been published for publishers to take an interest in my project. That is, to have previously published versions of two out of four long chapters is surely too much, edging dangerously close to fifty percent of the 'meat' of the book. I will of course thoroughly revise these chapters, and indeed extend them by a few thousand words in all likelihood.<br /><br />Would it be unacceptable for me to wait until the peer reviews and acceptance/rejection come back and, if it the article is accepted, to then ask if I can postpone my decision as to publication until I have heard back about the book from publishers, to whom I will then plan to send my proposal as quickly as possible? Would this be an unreasonable request and likely antagonise the journal editors?<br /><br />Alternatively, would you advise going ahead with the publication of the article (if I'm lucky enough for it to be accepted!), and to then compensate by eking out a fifth chapter, which would set the book project back somewhat, but would perhaps be more acceptable in the eyes of book publishers a little further down the line (if to have previously published two out of five chapters is OK).<br /><br />Any advice that you may have would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-87512441019762483672017-02-04T15:21:37.154-08:002017-02-04T15:21:37.154-08:00Very few PhD students are able to write a stellar ...Very few PhD students are able to write a stellar book proposal until at least several months after the dissertation. It can be hard to see the big picture when you are still in the weeds.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-6871400959481879332017-02-04T02:18:32.350-08:002017-02-04T02:18:32.350-08:00Hi Tanya, I have just found your blog and this hel...Hi Tanya, I have just found your blog and this helpful post. It has clarified many relevant aspects to me and including your interaction with users. Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us. I'm presently a final year PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Southampton (UK) and I'd like to ask you if there's any 'recommended/suggested' timing for submitting a book proposal. I mean, is it better or advisable to do that only after I get my degree or can I submit in the present stage? Taking into consideration that oftentimes the publishing companies may take many, many months to respond (even rejecting) I was wondering wether I could take the time to submit the proposals while I am writing the final chapters of my thesis. Thank you very much in advance for your attention.Luiz Valério P. Trindadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07575121081039086280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-72041837924304021332017-01-06T07:41:33.977-08:002017-01-06T07:41:33.977-08:00In my experience, the norm is between $0 and $1000...In my experience, the norm is between $0 and $1000 - not much of a financial incentive!Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-31069925020291874582017-01-05T20:52:06.933-08:002017-01-05T20:52:06.933-08:00Thank you very much for this blog. Indeed, very in...Thank you very much for this blog. Indeed, very instructive. How much can the author expect to earn from publishing an academic bookAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-23288057238106791852016-12-17T09:03:30.392-08:002016-12-17T09:03:30.392-08:00You do not need a personal introduction. There are...You do not need a personal introduction. There are some editors who respond well to personal introductions and others who do not. If you know someone who has published where you would like to publish, you can ask them. It is, nevertheless, fine to send along your proposal sans recommendations.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-71205642271868090522016-12-15T09:10:59.469-08:002016-12-15T09:10:59.469-08:00Thank you so much for this valuable information. I...Thank you so much for this valuable information. I have a question: Do you have to be recommended by someone known to the press editors in order to have them respond to you, or is it fine to just send along your proposal without any recommendations? Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-84665530142491596452013-08-22T11:16:17.781-07:002013-08-22T11:16:17.781-07:00When listing suggested reviewers, do these people ...When listing suggested reviewers, do these people need to be asked first before you offer their names? NO<br />Are their specific presses that typically accept first-time books? NO<br />Given the conferences should I try to publish an article too or just start preparing a monograph proposal? I THINK YOU SHOULD TRY AND PUBLISH AT LEAST ONE ARTICLE FIRST TO GET A SENSE OF HOW YOUR WORK IS RECEIVED BY A LARGER AUDIENCE.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-8133046119738772602013-08-21T22:49:28.288-07:002013-08-21T22:49:28.288-07:00Thank you for making such a fantastic blog. I have...Thank you for making such a fantastic blog. I have just completed (and deposited) my dissertation and I want to publish it. I have a few questions: When listing suggested reviewers, do these people need to be asked first before you offer their names? Are their specific presses that typically accept first-time books? I have two conference panels (in October and April) that I will be presenting sections from chapters, I was hesitant to also submit a chapter for an article because I was worried that it might be over exposed and thereby kill the potential interest. But to one of the comments above, you replied that publication of an article is a good thing (better credentials). Given the conferences should I try to publish an article too or just start preparing a monograph proposal?Heatheronoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-46410885231277062682013-08-19T11:33:41.525-07:002013-08-19T11:33:41.525-07:00Thank you very much!
Thank you very much!<br /> <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-18230787610666963482013-08-19T07:18:37.104-07:002013-08-19T07:18:37.104-07:00Between 10,000 and 15,000 words. Between 10,000 and 15,000 words. Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-31175002133942996162013-08-19T02:23:06.102-07:002013-08-19T02:23:06.102-07:00Thank you for your blog and very insightful posts....Thank you for your blog and very insightful posts. <br />I am reworking my manuscript and unsure of the length for each chapter. Typically, how many pages (words) should a chapter be?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-14737787325675708422013-08-17T09:39:00.869-07:002013-08-17T09:39:00.869-07:00If you are publishing this with a major university...If you are publishing this with a major university or trade press, you likely will have to completely revamp the chapter organization.<br /><br />You probably will have to downsize your 3 lit review chapters and your methodology chapter into an Introduction. Usually, introductions are only about 5 to 10,000 words.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-49521324683690339242013-08-17T09:37:25.953-07:002013-08-17T09:37:25.953-07:00I think you might mention the book in the text as ...I think you might mention the book in the text as one you are in conversation with. However, if it was published in 1997, I don't think it is necessarily a competing book.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-86707870056450283762013-08-11T15:59:06.623-07:002013-08-11T15:59:06.623-07:00Hi Tanya, Your blog is really useful. I am filling...Hi Tanya, Your blog is really useful. I am filling up the proposal form and it asks for the chapter details. I have 11 chapters in my thesis. For the last 5 analysis chapters and conclusion chapter, I am planning to have them as these are in my thesis. But, I am wondering about the Introduction, 3 literature review chapters and Methodology chapter - do you think I can adjust them in the Introduction chapter? As in the thesis do we need to have Literature Review and Methodology separated? Thanks. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-78620915752740319642013-07-30T11:10:39.135-07:002013-07-30T11:10:39.135-07:00Thank you for a very informative discussion. If I ...Thank you for a very informative discussion. If I may ask another question, how recent do competing books have to be? I am considering including a title which came out in 1997, is still in print, very well regarded among scholars in the field and assigned in relevant classes--but is it too old to be mentioned? How many years back would you draw the cut-off line for competition?Purplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01275377322082852821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-77663054999800864872013-06-13T07:10:18.854-07:002013-06-13T07:10:18.854-07:00Thank you! as fate would have it today I got an em...Thank you! as fate would have it today I got an email that they want to see the whole manuscript:) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-53475988060159440982013-06-12T10:03:36.804-07:002013-06-12T10:03:36.804-07:00I see people do it all the time - so I think it...I see people do it all the time - so I think it's fine.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-36707618840152396492013-06-12T10:03:17.712-07:002013-06-12T10:03:17.712-07:00Unfortunately, editors can take a very long time t...Unfortunately, editors can take a very long time to get back. You may consider sending it to another press (or a few other presses). <br /><br />If it turns out that another press is interested, you can contact your first choice and update them.<br /><br />Otherwise, I wouldn't contact them.Tanya Golash-Bozahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299920277816825958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175875149329306963.post-63806695075375260532013-06-12T09:54:06.092-07:002013-06-12T09:54:06.092-07:00Another question! Is it okay to use sections of t...Another question! Is it okay to use sections of the same text taken from my first/introductory chapter in the book proposal? I worked so hard on the introductory chapter that I feel it's the strongest presentation of my research, but I'm wondering if I'll be penalized by a reviewer who reads the proposal and first chapter and sees the same text in both. Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com