This Book will show you…
✔ how to avoid the blunders and hurdles of getting your academic book published by a publisher
✔ what good publishers expect along the way
✔ a solid overview of how to get published
✔ ways to submit proposals
✔ how to navigate the publishing process
✔ how you can contribute to sales and marketing
✔ the optional self-publishing route – most of the book is also true for a self-published author.
The book gives you the inside story, from the publisher’s view, to demystify publishing. Its conciseness will help you make the best use of your time. It also provides links for more in-depth reading.
This Book will show you…
✔ how to avoid the blunders and hurdles of getting your academic book published by a publisher
✔ what good publishers expect along the way
✔ a solid overview of how to get published
✔ ways to submit proposals
✔ how to navigate the publishing process
✔ how you can contribute to sales and marketing
✔ the optional self-publishing route – most of the book is also true for a self-published author.
The book gives you the inside story, from the publisher’s view, to demystify publishing. Its conciseness will help you make the best use of your time. It also provides links for more in-depth reading.
Welcome to my publishing world. Here I'll be showing you how to avoid the blunders and hurdles in your rock-strewn path of getting your academic work published, as a book, by a publisher and not a vanity publisher. I will show you what good publishers expect along the way. I want you to get published. My aim is to demystify the whole process.
As a seasoned book publisher, I want to share decades of experience with you. From the frontlines of editing and proofreading to commissioning, designing, and laying out books, as well as marketing and project managing, I have been deeply involved in every aspect of book production throughout my career. While working for a highly regarded multinational publisher during my first ten years, I gained the beginnings of my skills and knowledge. Then in my niche publishing company, I took on everything, learning continuously, investigating the depths, taking on new directions, sometimes stumbling and falling, but never drowning. Now, here is my 'inside story' of what I've learnt; for you.
There are a few classic and brilliant works relating to what I have to say here, but I did find them somewhat lengthy and costly, some even outdated. And without a doubt, you're busy. So you probably want to make the best use of your time, possibly your most valuable asset, and I thought you would prefer distilled wisdom to the whole library.
I have set out to provide you with a solid overview of how to get your book published, and how to navigate the publishing process. Additionally, I have notes on ways in which you can contribute to sales and marketing. What I write is based on my experience, but does draw on the wisdom of others, gained over the years. I include references for additional reading at the end of the text, as well as in the notes.
I also give some detail and resources for those who wish to take up the self-publishing route. A large part of what I write is just as true for a self-published book: the processes hardly diverge.
A publisher with over forty years experience in various publishing roles, Charles Bewlay comes to the table with a wealth of extensive knowledge, a significant factor that helps support the basis of his debut title, How Academics Get Published. Coming in at 81 pages, this is a book which by all accounts intended as a short read for any would-be academics wishing to see their work in print.
Throughout the book, Bewlay provides plenty of informative guidance and countless supportive illustrative examples. This includes how to format material for academic textbooks, referencing and comprehensive data tables and graphs. A large number of helpful tips and author anecdotes are dotted at key intervals within chapter. As a book, How Academics Get Published is also well referenced in itself, with the author providing several other notable texts for further reading at the end of the book.
Although it comes in with a shorter page count, the length is more than made up for by the density of text on the page. It is this, coupled with the variation of differing font styles and colours that can make the text feel somewhat overwhelming and distracting at points. There are also instances where the tone of voice comes across as somewhat condescending. For example, when Bewlay provides an anecdote of when he confronted a teacher for photocopying a Maths textbook for classroom uses. Although it is true that copyright law needs to be taken into serious consideration by any academic, I know from personal experience (as a student) and indirect experience (many members of my family are teachers) that the photocopying of academic textbooks is commonplace in the English educational system to the point of acceptance. I do not think Bewlay means to belittle, but within this book the tone of voice can feel somewhat misplaced.
How Academics Get Published contains a number of useful nuggets of guidance and information. It is clear that Bewlay has approached this book with a strong will to impart his experience on a fresh readership. What is less clear is exactly which age demographic of readers he is looking to educate, and the tone of voice used to engage with them. As reference guides go, it is a good starting point for readers, but not necessarily the end goal.
AEB Reviews