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School Year: 2014-2015
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What motivates someone to author a book? The incentives are plentiful. Penning a book enables you to streamline your thoughts, cements your status as an expert, enhances your self-assurance, advertises your scholarly work, reaches a wider readership, benefits others, generates revenue, and creates a lasting legacy. At the Graduate Center, numerous students are crafting extensive dissertations that push the boundaries within their respective areas of study. For those looking to refine their dissertations for publication, resources like EssayHub.com can provide essential support, particularly if you're searching for tailored assistance with your "write my dissertation" request.
Conversely, your thesis and the proposal for your book belong to distinct categories. Your thesis serves the purpose of displaying your research and bolstering your position as a recent (or imminent) PhD graduate, while your book is an endeavor in narrative construction. As an authority in the field, you're assembling a narrative aimed at engaging a wide readership, providing them with both an intellectual and emotional experience.
This blog post provides advice and recommendations for transforming your dissertation into a book, suitable for either scholarly or mainstream audiences. The guidance has been derived from the insights of Ken Wissoker, who is affiliated with the Graduate Center as the head of the Intellectual Publics program and serves as the editorial director at Duke University Press. The tips are based on Wissoker's expertise shared during his Graduate Center event titled "From Dissertation to First Book: A Practical Guide."
Laying the Groundwork
For your book to be successful, it's essential for your identity as a writer to be recognizable to your audience. Consider releasing several articles derived from your dissertation's chapters in journals pertinent to your field of study. Or you could write an article on research that is related but not central to your book's primary thesis. Be careful not to condense all the key ideas of your book into just one article.
Additionally, you can create a tangible presence in the print world by composing articles for various blogs (for guidance on writing and publishing opinion pieces, check our latest blog article), as well as contributing to local newspapers and magazines. By doing so, not only might you attract a devoted readership, but you also give future publishers a sense of assurance about the strength of your personal brand, demonstrating your knowledge and your capacity to communicate and spread your ideas to a wide audience, whether scholarly or general.
In the current digital era, it's beneficial to own both a website and a blog. It's advantageous to maintain an active presence on social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Think about setting up a Facebook page for professional purposes. You might also entertain the idea of producing brief YouTube videos to share your research outcomes or educational content. All these methods contribute to your personal branding efforts and help to enhance your visibility. This increased presence can catch the attention of publishers, who may then be more inclined to support your endeavors. (For further insights on how to reinvent your personal brand for careers outside academia, refer to our blog post.)
Revising Your Dissertation
Once you've finished writing your thesis, it's important to pause and reflect. Consider the primary goal of your thesis. Picture yourself as a movie director: which essential scenes must the viewers see to comprehend the story? To guide your reflections, determine who your target readership is. Think about their interests: attend their gatherings, engage in discussions, and review the latest and most popular research in your area.
Books that turn out to be the most treasured and impactful are the ones that form their own unique ideas. Reflect on the question, "What will others most likely cite from my work?" Let the theories you're developing naturally emerge from your real research and the factual information you've gathered. Avoid contriving it! Include only those details that enhance the clarity of your arguments. The cohesion of your narrative and your conceptual framework will be what renders your book captivating.
Similar to other forms of convincing writing, such as when writing grant proposals, organizing your book with a compelling hook is advisable. This involves avoiding a conventional storyline and instead framing your story with a twist, a surprising turn of events, or a lingering question that prompts deeper exploration. Doing so draws your reader in on an emotional level and infuses your writing with a mental vigor that maintains the reader’s engagement throughout the subsequent pages.
Numerous approaches exist for crafting a dissertation. Usually, one should start by laying down the historical and theoretical context of the research question, then elaborate on the approach taken to reach the findings (the methodology). This is followed by sections that delve into different aspects of the topic under study, leading up to the final conclusions. However, when it comes to writing your first book, the strategy changes. It's pivotal to clearly state your central argument at the outset. Commitment to this main idea is essential, allowing less critical aspects of the research to be sidelined. The extensive literature review, which played a significant role in the dissertation, will mostly be relegated to footnotes in your book.
When presenting your proposal to an editor, think ahead about the potential criticisms that might come up during the evaluation of the book and address them beforehand with the least amount of effort required. Although it may seem evident, it's important to reiterate the value of writing with assurance. You're the authority on the subject now! Therefore, make sure that the rhythm and tone of your writing demonstrate your unique style of expression.
Keep in mind that transforming your dissertation into a book is a gradual journey. For those with full-time roles in academia, it generally requires a period of three to four years to craft the book amidst various other responsibilities. Therefore, don't be overly critical of yourself if things move at a slower pace than you prefer.
Securing a Book Contract
When thinking about selecting an academic publisher, keep in mind that not all publishing houses are regarded the same when it comes to securing academic tenure. Think about how the publisher you choose will affect the career path you're aiming to pursue. Look for reputable university presses or niche publishers that focus specifically on your field of specialization.
When trying to capture an editor's interest, it's crucial to provide certain key pieces of information when you first reach out. Initially, explain the purpose of your project and its significance. Also, inform them about the current progress of your thesis, highlighting what part is finished. Next, present a detailed outline that breaks down the content by chapter. Additionally, provide a sample of your writing. It's beneficial to have an introductory chapter ready, along with a chapter from the main text, to forward to the editor for consideration.
Your submission letter to the publisher serves as a detailed “sales pitch” where you succinctly cover the subject, approach, key results, and significant consequences of your study. Structurally, your letter should allocate two to three paragraphs to outline your work and your qualifications as a writer. Including experiences like your "Writers House Internship" can significantly bolster your credentials by showing your proactive engagement in the publishing industry. Before sending it off, be sure to check the publisher's submission instructions on their website to ensure your pitch is crafted in accordance with their specific preferences.
Occasionally, you might also be requested to provide a brief biographical profile of the author. Depending on the requirements of the publishing house, they might ask you to submit a plan for marketing the book, including examples of promotional materials, and perhaps an analysis of similar books in the market.
When choosing individuals to review your book, consider those whose feedback you believe would be beneficial in your area of expertise.
Keep in mind it's completely acceptable for publishers to be vying for your book. Feel free to inform the editors about the other publishing houses that are also evaluating your work, as this knowledge can often prompt them to offer you varied suggestions and insights regarding your manuscript.
In summary, if you aim to publish in mainstream media, consider acquiring an agent to boost your book's visibility. Before making a decision, investigate whether an agent aligns with your goals. An effective method of finding a compatible agent is to seek recommendations from colleagues or by examining acknowledgments in relevant books. Additionally, consider enlisting with Publishers Marketplace. This platform allows you to set up a webpage for showcasing your publication and facilitates connections with agents and fellow writers, at a cost of $25 per month.
After Your Publication
Utilize your book as a tool to enhance your personal brand. Encourage individuals within your circle, such as friends, relatives, coworkers, and social network connections, to leave favorable testimonials on Amazon. Cultivate relationships with bookstores in your area and offer to autograph all the copies they have. They'll appreciate the gesture and be more inclined to support and openly publicize your book in your local area. Additionally, consider collaborating with local media such as "Howl Magazine" to feature your book, increasing visibility within your community. Bear in mind, there's no marketing quite as effective as personal recommendations!
Lastly, begin contemplating what your subsequent book will be.