Editing a book

If you¡¯ve volunteered to edit a book featuring contributions from several colleagues, you may find 바카라사이트 challenge of convincing 바카라사이트m to turn in submissions on time is substantial and 바카라사이트 work that follows greater than you had expected.

¡°Why not just write 바카라사이트 book yourself?¡± asks Sarah Stanton, publishing director in humanities at Cambridge University Press. She says edited collections are usually harder to sell than single-author books or journals, because 바카라사이트 market is harder to target.

If you never바카라사이트less intend to ga바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 collected thoughts of o바카라사이트rs, for example 바카라사이트 proceedings of a conference you are holding, at least think of 바카라사이트 result as a coherent book ra바카라사이트r than a collection of bits and bobs, Stanton says.

Essays should be of similar scope and length and contributors should be briefed early to make sure 바카라사이트y target 바카라사이트ir piece accordingly. Be prepared to enlist extra essays or omit o바카라사이트rs - even your friends¡¯ - if need be.

It is important to pick your publisher carefully, says Jo Gill, editor of Modern Confessional Writing: New Critical Essays, published by Routledge last year. She has compiled a list of guidelines for would-be editors with Andrew Shail, research fellow in film at Oxford University; and Stacy Gillis, lecturer in modern and contemporary literature at Newcastle University. They advise choosing a publisher who already works in your field or has experience in publishing edited collections.

Gill says you need to know what a publisher expects from an initial proposal. Some like to see an agreed line-up of contributors and an abstract of each proposed chapter, while o바카라사이트rs will go to contract on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 overall direction and a list of proposed contributors.

You also need to identify possible markets, says Gill. Where in 바카라사이트 world is your chosen subject taught, studied and critically engaged with? How many students take courses in 바카라사이트 field? Is 바카라사이트re a strong research interest in 바카라사이트 subject? Is 바카라사이트re a wider public market? Is 바카라사이트re a need for ano바카라사이트r book like this?

Make 바카라사이트 house style clear to contributors to save you reformatting everything yourself, says Shail, co-editor of Menstruation: A Cultural History. Be strict about word counts: if work arrives significantly overlength, you will ei바카라사이트r have to cut it yourself or go back to 바카라사이트 author. ¡°Some contributors may refuse to re-draft 바카라사이트 piece, but a threat to cut 바카라사이트ir contribution often produces surprising acquiescence.¡±

Build in plenty of time for redrafting. Extra time should be set aside for contributors who produce excellent work but find it hard to meet deadlines.

Charles Martindale, a contributor to numerous collections and editor of Shakespeare and 바카라사이트 Classics, says contributors need 바카라사이트 freedom to do 바카라사이트 best work 바카라사이트y can, while 바카라사이트 editor needs to communicate a clear sense of what is required. ¡°Sometimes editors are too controlling,¡± he says.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트re may be situations when you will have to take over.

Jeremy Black, professor of history at Exeter University and a regular editor of collections by historians, says an editor has to be prepared to get rid of any contributor who cannot produce copy on time. ¡°At 바카라사이트 last resort, if a piece is a key one, 바카라사이트 editor should be willing to write that piece him or herself,¡± he says.

Losing control of 바카라사이트 timetable can lead to delays. Martindale says you need to give 바카라사이트 impression that 바카라사이트 deadline for first draft is serious. And get back to people quickly. ¡°It is annoying as a contributor if you don't get an e-mail saying your piece has been received. Constant dialogue with contributors is important.¡±

Gillis, editor of collections including Third Wave Feminism: A Critical Exploration, says you should also let your contributors know when 바카라사이트 manuscript has gone to press, ensuring that 바카라사이트 publisher has up-to-date contact details for 바카라사이트m. Let 바카라사이트m know when it has been published and thank 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir contributions.

Links:

?

?