Scholarly Publishing: Book Publishers

The aftermath of graduate school can be particularly trying for those under pressure to publish their dissertations. Written with good cheer and jammed with information, this lively guide offers hard-to-find practical advice on successfully turning a dissertation into a book or journal articles that will appeal to publishers and readers. It will help prospective authors master writing and revision skills, better understand the publishing process, and increase their chances of getting their work into print. In this guide experienced editors of scholarly books tackle such subjects as addressing a target audience, broadening a topic, reorganizing, developing a voice, and finding the best documentation system. Specific chapters address authors in different academic fields: the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and arts. The guide also gives advice to authors of books on topics of regional interest and of books written for practicing professionals. Revising Your Dissertation will be useful for students who are developing a dissertation topic or are in the process of writing a dissertation, as well as those who have completed a dissertation they wish to bring to a wider audience.

Professional and academic writing is often seen as dull, dry, and as boring to write as it is to read. In The Work of Writing, Rankin challenges these assumptions by encouraging the professional writer to develop a strong writing voice and become fully engaged with the writing process, thus producing written work that is lively and engaging. This book will give academic practitioners and other professionals critical help in determining what to write, how to write it, and how to position their written works succesfully for the markets they wish to reach. Rather than a style manual, The Work of Writing focuses on the thinking, strategizing, and decision making that goes on in the heads of academic and professional writers. In doing so, it deals with the complex issues of purpose, audience, genre, and voice that all writers face. Drawing on collective experience of academic and professional readers as well as writers, Rankin offers a framework to help writers think about their writing in realistic, practical, and productive ways. The book offers specific examples and "real-life" scenarios that are familiar to all academic writers--and by extension, to practicing professionals as well.

In this straightforward and sometimes hard-hitting guide, prolific author Stanley Porter shares the tools necessary for scholars seeking advancement in the world of academic publishing. From his years of experience as an editor, author, and active scholar in his own guild, Porter presents industry insights and practical suggestions for both seasoned scholars and newly minted Ph.D.s who have yet to develop an academic publishing profile. Written primarily for scholars in the arts and humanities, Porter's advice will help readers gain a valuable understanding of the publishing process and a new confidence with which to pursue academic success.

Academic and professional publishing represents a diverse communications industry rooted in the scholarly ecosystem, peer review, and added value products and services. Publishers in this field play a critical and trusted role, registering, certifying, disseminating and preserving knowledge across scientific, technical and medical (STM), humanities and social science disciplines. Academic and Professional Publishing draws together expert publishing professionals, to provide comprehensive insight into the key developments in the industry and the innovative and multi-disciplinary approaches being applied to meet novel challenges. This book consists of 20 chapters covering what publishers do, how they work to add value and what the future may bring. Topics include: peer-review; the scholarly ecosystem; the digital revolution; publishing and communication strategies; business models and finances; editorial and production workflows; electronic publishing standards; citation and bibliometrics; user experience; sales, licensing and marketing; the evolving role of libraries; ethics and integrity; legal and copyright aspects; relationship management; the future of journal publishing; the impact of external forces; career development; and trust in academic and professional publishing. This book presents a comprehensive review of the integrated approach publishers take to support and improve communications within academic and professional publishing.

Since 2001 William Germano's Getting It Published has helped thousands of scholars develop a compelling book proposal, find the right academic publisher, evaluate a contract, handle the review process, and, finally, emerge as published authors. But a lot has changed in the past seven years. With the publishing world both more competitive and more confusing--especially given the increased availability of electronic resources--this second edition of Germano's best-selling guide has arrived at just the right moment. As he writes in a new chapter, the "via electronica" now touches every aspect of writing and publishing. And although scholars now research, write, and gain tenure in a digital world, they must continue to ensure that their work meets the requirements of their institutions and the needs of their readers.   Germano, a veteran editor with experience in both the university press and commercial worlds, knows this audience. This second edition will teach readers how to think about, describe, and pitch their manuscripts before they submit them. They'll discover the finer points of publishing etiquette, including how to approach a busy editor and how to work with other publishing professionals on matters of design, marketing, and publicity. In a new afterword, they'll also find helpful advice on what they can--and must--do to promote their work.   A true insider's guide to academic publishing, the second edition of Getting It Published will help authors understand what to expect from the publishing process, from manuscript to finished book and beyond.