Overview
I'm a writer, college professor and researcher. I've myself written about twenty books in philosophy and social science which have been reprinted in numerous languages and editions but I've also worked with many authors for essays, articles and occasionally books. The interest for me is always to develop with the author THEIR idea and get it as clear - and entertaining! - as possible for that wider audience. My approach is that of peer review and guidance. If you are just starting out and need background advice that's fine, happy to chat informally too. If you have a fully worked out m/s that you want reviewing and giving a professional shine, I'll work carefully and patiently with you to do just that.
You can see some of my own projects below; find some of my reviews of books at the Times Higher Education website and some of the philosophical articles I've coaxed into life at the websites of The Philosopher and Philosophical Investigations.
But enough about me! Back to you and your project. The way I like to work is to first take a look at the WHOLE of an author's manuscript and see which bits work and which bits don't. (If you've only written part of it, that's fine, but I would like to look through all the bits.) If you've a summary letter or a draft blurb, make sure you send that too.
Often I have found this is like looking for glittering nuggets in amongst a lot of material that actually doesn't work as it is. Assuming there is a viable central core to a project, then there is a more workmanlike process of building on the central idea. This often requires authors to go back and rework material, but I find that people genuinely grappling with philosophical ideas are prepared to do this, as long as they feel the process is getting somewhere good.
Successful non-fiction books are original, clear and entertaining. It's a difficult triple to achieve!
If you want someone to give your book a superficial shine, that's not me - but if you think you've got something important to say but need help to do it, please get in touch.
Services
Non-Fiction
Philosophy
Political Science & Current Affairs
Sociology
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Certifications
- Phd
- Bachelor of Arts
- PGCE
Work experience
T&F, Hodder, Wiley, Wiley-Blackwell, Palgerave, Turner
Jan, 1999 —
Present
I have written numerous books for various publishers, including the two '101 Philosophy' books for Routledge (Taylor and Francis) that between them have been translated into over 20 languages and sold over 250 000 copies.
I have shepherded authors through books too, notably my dictionary of philosophy and ethics for Hodder, and as editor of the popular journal 'The Philosopher'.
University of Pau
Jan, 2020 —
Sep, 2022
(over 2 years)
This is a part-time post that allows me to get on with my own writing projects, including books. These days I spend most of my time working on my own books, researching, writing and the often forgotten "marketing" aspects!
For the University of Pau, the idea of this post is to help their students, who are typically native French speakers to really get both their written and spoken English up to the highest standard . But my role is also to improve the ability of students to argue and present their views and ideas
The Philosopher
Sep, 2015 —
Present
I have been Editor of The Philosopher for over twenty years. This requires me to help authors to prepare their ideas as short articles for a worldwide audience of non=secialist, general readers. Often my contributors and authors are working in a second language with complex material.
Since 2012, I have also co-edited a website called 'Philosophical Investigations' which looks at a wider range of issues in the arts and sciences, but at much shorter length. This so-called 'blog' format typically of less than 1000 words.
Portfolio
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Developmental Editing
Confused by metaphysics? In a muddle with aesthetics? Intimidated by Kant? Then look no further! Philosophy For Dummies, UK Edition is a complete crash-course in philosophical thought, covering key philosophers, philosophical history and theory and the big que... read more
Why do giraffes have long necks? It can't really be for reaching tasty leaves since their main food is ground level bushes, tidy though that explanation would be. And how does relativity theory cope with the fact that the observable universe defies prediction ... read more
This guide covers the main schools of thought from the Ancient Chinese philosophies of Confucius and Lao Tzu, Ancient wisdom from Aristotle, Plato, Zeno and Pythagoras through to those most influential of philosophers studied the world over - Hegel, Marx, Desc... read more
Enlightening and entertaining, Philosophical Tales examines a few of the fascinating biographical details of history’s greatest philosophers (alas, mostly men) and highlights their contributions to the field. By applying the true philosophical approach to phil... read more
Wittgenstein’s Beetle and Other Classic Thought Experiments invites readers to participate actively in discovering the surprisingly powerful and fruitful tradition of "thought experiments." Gives a lively presentation of an "A to Z" of 26 fascinating and influ... read more
Today, there are over one hundred nuclear reactors operating in our backyards, from Indian Point in New York to Diablo Canyon in California. Proponents claim that nuclear power is the only viable alternative to fossil fuels, and due to rising energy consumptio... read more
Does Farmer Field really know his prize cow, Daisy, is in the field? When is an unexpected exam not wholly unexpected? Are all bachelors (really) unmarried? Martin Cohen's 101 Philosophy Problems, Fourth Edition introduces philosophy in an entertaining but inf... read more
Turbocharge your reasoning with Critical Thinking Just what are the ingredients of a great argument? What is the secret to communicating your ideas clearly and persuasively? And how do you see through sloppy thinking and flim-flam? If you’ve ever asked any of ... read more
Martin has 14 reviews
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