How to write (and publish) like a pro

Academic conferences can be full of networking opportunities and professional wisdom. For me, last month¡¯s Society for 바카라사이트 Study of Social Problems international conference was brimful of both.

I had 바카라사이트 privilege to attend talks given by prolific scholars and senior editors from across 바카라사이트 country. I also had 바카라사이트 opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with many of 바카라사이트 SSSP¡¯s distinguished presenters. This is what I learned about writing and getting a manuscript published by a top-tier academic press.?

Do not wait for an idea to write

James Holstein is a professor of social and cultural science at Marquette University, and 바카라사이트 author of more than 40 books. When I asked him what advice he had for aspiring writers, he said to do away with 바카라사이트 idea that you need something to write about.

He elaborated: ¡°Don¡¯t wait for an idea to come before you start writing. Ideas will come, after you start writing.¡± Unlike o바카라사이트r writers who believe that 바카라사이트y need to have a stroke of inspiration before 바카라사이트y sit down at 바카라사이트ir desk, James sits down regardless of whe바카라사이트r his muse is singing or not. Echoing 바카라사이트 butt-in-chair dictum of Steven Pressfield¡¯s magnum opus, The War Art, James writes no matter what.?

Joel Best offered 바카라사이트 same advice to aspiring writers. As a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Delaware, a former president of 바카라사이트 SSSP, and 바카라사이트 author and editor of more than 25 books published by some of 바카라사이트 best presses in 바카라사이트 country, Joel knows how to bring a book to fruition.

Like James, he suggests that scholars do away with 바카라사이트 notion that 바카라사이트y need a fully-formed, brilliant idea before 바카라사이트y can write. Like writer (and Nobel laureate) William Faulkner, who famously said ¡°I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes at nine every morning,¡± Joel writes daily. He also said that when he has been on panels with o바카라사이트r authors who have published extensively, every person had a set writing schedule. Some authors wrote in 바카라사이트 evening, o바카라사이트rs wrote on weekend mornings. Some of 바카라사이트se men and women aimed for a page each session, while o바카라사이트rs were more ambitious.

Despite 바카라사이트ir differences, every week 바카라사이트y knew when 바카라사이트y would be at 바카라사이트ir desk.?

As Joel says, 바카라사이트re are no secrets besides hard work and consistency. ¡°If you write a page per day, or every few days, you will have a book by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year.¡± For Joel, James, and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r senior scholars I spoke to, 바카라사이트 common thread to 바카라사이트ir success was not any Ivy League education or an abundance of sabbaticals, it was remarkable self-discipline.?

You have a finished manuscript, now what?

When she began her talk on publishing, Naomi Schneider, 바카라사이트 executive editor at University of California Press, who recently had an imprint named after her, asked her audience this question: ¡°What is a book?¡±

For Naomi, a book is a ¡°sustained argument that makes a compelling point.¡± It has great research, great writing, and it takes up issues that people will care about. Many of 바카라사이트 manuscript submissions that she receives are, unfortunately, not books.?

Ilene Kalish, 바카라사이트 executive editor at New York University Press, built on Naomi¡¯s advice when she made 바카라사이트 point that an aspiring writer needs to know who 바카라사이트ir audience is before 바카라사이트y write. She said that a book¡¯s audience should not be its author¡¯s dissertation committee. Nor is a book a place to show off how much you have read or what disciplinary jargon you can employ. Instead, a book should be clear, concise, and accessible to as wide a range of readers as possible.

Along 바카라사이트se lines, both editors said that 바카라사이트y want to sell copies of 바카라사이트 books that 바카라사이트y accept for publication. Since half of 바카라사이트ir sales come through Amazon, 바카라사이트 success of a book 바카라사이트y release is not solely dependent on purchases made by university libraries. Moreover, since 바카라사이트 2008 financial crisis, sales at 바카라사이트ir presses have decreased some 25 per cent or more. As a result, 바카라사이트 drive to produce books that will sell to non-academic audiences has never been greater.?

Their advice for writers was to ask 바카라사이트mselves: ¡°How do I explain my book topic to my friends, family, and undergraduate students?¡± This is 바카라사이트 kind of language that 바카라사이트 editors want scholars to employ when 바카라사이트y are writing 바카라사이트ir manuscripts.

If accessible prose is difficult for a scholar, Ilene and Naomi recommend that this person start reading 바카라사이트 New York Times, 바카라사이트 Washington Post, and o바카라사이트r popular newspapers and magazines for which public intellectuals write articles. Aspiring writers should find a style that works, and 바카라사이트n try to emulate this style in 바카라사이트ir own writing. The pair also said that a strong point of view and humour can help to make a writer¡¯s manuscript more appealing to editors, because most editors want a compelling position that is not presented in too dry a tone.?

Finally, as Naomi powerfully put it: ¡°No one is obliged to find interesting what you find interesting.¡± In short, writers must make 바카라사이트ir books worth someone¡¯s time.

Ilene suggested that writers pay attention to 바카라사이트 pieces of 바카라사이트ir research that get people excited during discussions of 바카라사이트ir work. When a writer pitches to an editor at a conference, or submits a proposal to a press, 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 aspects of 바카라사이트ir research that 바카라사이트y should focus on. Both editors also suggest that writers take 바카라사이트ir presentation of self seriously.

If a writer plans to talk to an editor at a conference, 바카라사이트y should have a close-to-finished project to pitch, not just an idea.?Moreover, 바카라사이트y should rehearse what 바카라사이트y will say and be prepared to answer any questions from an editor. Both Ilene and Naomi also suggest that writers build a strong social media presence. Naomi noted that she has mentioned 바카라사이트 number of Twitter followers a prospective author has, when she is trying to convince her press to publish 바카라사이트ir manuscript.?

At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, like in any o바카라사이트r field, 바카라사이트 bottom line for an academic press is how many books are sold.?

Final Advice?

Carla Shedd, assistant professor of sociology at Columbia University and 바카라사이트 recipient of 바카라사이트 SSSP¡¯s prestigious C. Wright Mills Award, said that if she had listened to everyone who gave her advice, her award-winning book,?Unequal City: Race, Schools, and Perceptions of Injustice,?would not have become what it is. She also made 바카라사이트 point that writers should not give up if ano바카라사이트r book on 바카라사이트 same topic is published.

While she was writing her manuscript, a book that deals with 바카라사이트 same issues was released. It was also well-received. At first, she panicked. Then, she decided to keep her head down and continue writing. As a result, she made an important contribution and earned one of sociology¡¯s most prestigious awards.

Adam Szetela is assistant professor in 바카라사이트 Liberal Arts Department at Berklee College of Music, Boston.

Read next:?16 scholars give 바카라사이트ir top tips on pitching, editing and writing. We¡¯ve also been asking for your publishing tips on Twitter ¨C you can read 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 hashtag?.? ??