Writing It!

Episode 59: When dissertations do not become tenure books & research becomes NYT Op-eds with Miriam Udel

September 22nd, 2025  |  58 mins 2 secs

dissertation, fellowships, literary agent, literature, modernity, publicist, tenure, translation, yiddish

We’re talking with Emory Professor Miriam Udel about lessons from a career full of writing highs and challenges, beginning with the realization that the dissertation will not become the first book. We talk about learning how to understand the gradations of rejection letters; the value of pitching editors in person; why spending time on works of translations may be highly worthwhile even when they do not count for tenure and promotion; when hiring a book publicist is useful for academics; writing Op-Eds; mentoring younger scholars; and having a memoir-in-progress in the drawer.