PhD-to-book

In many disciplines, the mark of a noteworthy doctoral dissertation is that it can be crafted into a book and find an audience beyond the examiners. Attracting a market — and quality publisher — is then a key milestone in career progression.

But this can be a challenge:

• Publisher’s deadlines fall into the ‘important but non-urgent’ basket much of the time: other research, teaching, admin or family commitments often impinge.

• Finishing the thesis itself may have been gruelling already. Conversion means integrating updates and responding to (yet more) feedback.

• You may have changed significantly as a scholar, writer and person in the meantime. Or, if you completed only recently, the challenge may be a feeling of over-familiarity with the material.

• Self-editing for clarity, cogency and impact may simply not be your area of strength, or not yet. Social media aside, this may be the first time you are putting your thoughts in front of a wider audience.

If any of this sounds familiar, I can assist with some or all of the following:

• Being a confidential, supportive sounding board while you build confidence as a writer;

• Sensitively actioning feedback from the commissioning editor, peer reviewers, co-writers or series editors;

• Considering options for overall sequence (the division of labour between the chapters), anticipating and reconciling the needs of general and specialist readers;

• Structural editing: cuts, condensing, integrating new material as necessary; ensuring logical flow between sections, sub-sections and paragraphs, taking on line-by-line copy-editing and rewriting where necessary;

• Discoverability of, e.g. chapter synopses;

• Strengthening the book proposal and sample chapters if the publishing contract is not yet in place.

Exchanging ideas in the early stages can throw fresh light on what approaches to your project are possible. As a rewriting specialist I’m able to coach you through the process. I’m also the general reader your completed book needs to be able to reach.

It starts with an exploratory, no-obligation conversation. Your ideas will be treated in strict confidence.