Writing It!
The Podcast About Academics & Writing
Displaying all 3 Episode of Writing It! with the tag “academic press”.
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Episode 28: An Editor's Perspective: Sandra Korn
July 15th, 2024 | 40 mins 2 secs
academic press, dissertation, editing, editor, readability, writing groups
In our conversation with Wayne State University Press editor Sandra Korn we address a number of interesting questions on the minds of our listeners: 1) What does it mean when an editor replies to your submissions with, "This isn't a good fit for us"? 2) What's the best way to approach an editor? In the book exhibit hall, during a conference? Through an email? 3) What parts of my manuscript does a university press editor actually read? 3) What does an editor do differently for her writers who are part of the trade division of an academic press? 4) What does an editor think of book publicity events? 5) What excites an acquisitions editor?
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Episode 25: The Book Seminar with Sam Freedman
June 3rd, 2024 | 57 mins 18 secs
academic press, book promotion, book proposal, columbia university, journalism, literary agent, trade press
Today, we’re speaking with the award-winning author, columnist, and professor Sam Freedman, of Columbia Journalism School, and the author, most recently, of Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights (winner of the 2024 Hillman Prize for Book Journalism), about his class at Columbia School of Journalism, The Book Seminar. We talk about what Sam teaches his lucky students (this very successful Columbia seminar has been offered for over 30 years, and has resulted in over 100 published books), and about his own decades-long career as an author, and the view of the publishing industry it has provided him. We address what it means to craft a good book proposal; the importance of making the case for your book’s readership; the benefits of landing in an academic press, even if you were aiming for a trade press; how to think about the “comp. titles/authors” section of your proposal; pre-publication blurbs; pitching an agent; planning your own book promotion; and finally, why timing is sometimes everything.
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Episode 18: “Why is this a must-read book?” How to show a literary agent/editor that your book is important: a conversation with literary agent and former editor, Susan Rabiner
February 26th, 2024 | 1 hr 27 secs
academic press, book proposal, editor, literary agent, narrative non-fiction, publishing, publishing trends, table of contents, trade press
In this episode we speak with Thinking Like Your Editor author and agent, Susan Rabiner about how academics can best present their book project to an agent or editor. We talk about what a strong book proposal, cover letter, and sample chapters need to do. We also talk about what it means to write your academic book with strong narrative; the significance of the table of contents; why academic writers cannot rely on facts alone to make a point; the importance of figuring out your “core audience”; understanding your book’s central questions; what to expect (and not expect) from a literary agent and from a trade press; why an academic press might be a better fit for your book; and why it’s okay not to earn out your advance.