An Author's Guide to Scholarly Publishing

by Robin Derricourt

Overview

Directed specifically to the needs of academic authors, this realistic handbook is a guide to publishing success for both beginning and seasoned scholars. Robin Derricourt uses an immensely readable series of informal letters to provide a fund of practical advice: an up-to-date manual on how to plan and prepare a book, approach a publisher, secure a contract, and build a reliable author-publisher relationship that will last throughout the process of publication and marketing. Informed by rare common sense, and a sense of humor, the book speaks clearly about the most recent developments in the rapidly changing world of electronic publishing, clarifying what can and cannot be achieved with word processors. From the possible negative responses of a publisher to the questions implied by success—new editions and subsidiary rights—An Author's Guide to Scholarly Publishing is indispensable reading for academics in every field.


Derricourt's candid yet encouraging suggestions will be useful at any stage of book preparation, including the process of writing, when focusing on purpose and audience benefits both the author and the future publisher, not to mention the future reader! Furthermore, his "letters" include those on various kinds of books—standard monographs, technical books, conference volumes, edited volumes, collected papers, textbooks, and works built on dissertations. A reference of "nuts and bolts," this book is also quick and entertaining reading when perused from cover to cover.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691037097
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	03/24/1996
Series:	Princeton Paperbacks Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	7.75(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Robin Derricourt moved from an academic career into scholarly publishing in 1977. He has held senior positions in commercial and university press publishing houses, working with a substantial international list of authors across a wide range of subjects, including most of the humanities and social science disciplines. For over twelve years he was a publishing director for Cambridge University Press in both England and Australia. Derricourt received the Ph.D. degree in archaeology and anthropology from the University of Cambridge, and has held teaching, research, and administrative positions in archaeology.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Planning and writing

1 Audience

2 Style

3 Structure

Preparation of manuscript

4 Length

5 Layout

6 Word processing the manuscript

7 Word processing for the typesetter

8 Desktop publishing and camera-ready copy

9 Notes

10 Bibliographies

11 Tables

12 Illustrations

Approaching a publisher

13 Selecting a publisher

14 In-house publishing

15 Multiple submissions

16 Complete manuscripts

17 The formal proposal

Checklist for submitting a proposal

18 Peer review

19 Visit

20 Literary agents

21 No reply

Category of book

22 Scholarly book

23 Technical monograph

24 Thesis/dissertation

25 Conference volume

26 Edited volume

27 Festschrift

28 Collected papers

29 Across the disciplines

30 Trade book

31 Textbook

32 New journals

33 The non-academic author

The publishing decision

34 No - why?

35 Revise and resubmit

36 Yes - but revise

37 Yes

Dealing with production

38 Contract

39 Late delivery

40 Delivery of the manuscript

Checklist for delivery of the manuscript for production

41 Book title

42 Copyediting

43 Updating the disk

44 Design of the pages

45 Typesetting

46 Proofreading and alterations in proof

47 Illustrations in production

48 Providing camera-ready copy

49 Preparing the index

50 Jacket and cover design

51 Printing

52 Errata slips

53 Don't assume all is well

Marketing the book

54 The cost of books

55 Pricing a book

56 Changing the pricing variables

57 Paperbacking

58 Help with marketing

59 The book launch

60 Getting reviews and publishing reviews

61 Newspapers and magazines

62 Radio and television coverage

63 Bookshop sales

64 Library sales

65 Direct sales

66 Prizes

67 Subsidiary rights

68 Translations

69 Getting your book into the developing world

70 Reprints and new editions

71 Keeping in touch

Publishing and the academy

72 Research grants - inputs and outputs

73 Who sets the agenda?

74 Books and the appointments committee

75 Subsidies

76 Book exhibits and the academic conference

77 Anthologies

78 Is too much published?

79 The electronic library and the end of the book

80 Conclusion

Bibliography

Index

Editorial Reviews

"Academics wanting to make their mark in the book market need good advice. Robin Derricourt provides just this in An Author's Guide to Scholarly Publishing.... [The author] is full of humour as he pinpoints where each submission fails or succeeds."

New Scientist

"Academics wanting to make their mark in the book market need good advice. Robin Derricourt provides just this in An Author's Guide to Scholarly Publishing.... [The author] is full of humour as he pinpoints where each submission fails or succeeds."

New Scientist

"Academics wanting to make their mark in the book market need good advice. Robin Derricourt provides just this in An Author's Guide to Scholarly Publishing.... [The author] is full of humour as he pinpoints where each submission fails or succeeds."—New Scientist

From the Publisher