Inking the Deal: A Guide for Successful Academic Publishing

Foreword

ix & FOREWORD I want to thank several people who helped to motivate me to write this book. One was David Williams, then a master’s-level student and now a graduate of my academic institution. The other was Jamie Robertson, then a master’s-level student and now a doctoral-level student at my institution . They knew that I was both an active publishing scholar and interested in helping others to become published authors as well, and they on different occasions asked and encouraged me to put on a seminar to help students interested in following this path. I was pleased that so many students attended the first seminar, and then others since. I had the opportunity to reflect on twenty years of writing and publishing experience, and to collect my thoughts together into a cohesive and coherent presentation. That seminar led to subsequent iterations of this seminar, as free-standing presentations and as part of courses on research methods for advanced research students wanting to become scholars. Each presentation led me to refine what I had originally said. A number of those who heard these presentations have taken its advice seriously and gone on to publish—the start of a publishing career. I have had the privilege of working together with many of these students, as they have taken up my offer of working collaboratively with them as they, too, have begun the process of becoming active, publishing scholars. I also want to thank several people who have further promoted the writing of this manuscript. There were several people who, having heard me present the material that is now found in this book, encouraged me to write it down in a form that would be more accessible to others. These include especially my wife, Wendy, who remains my first and best proofreader. x Inking the Deal I have dedicated this book to Professor David J. A. Clines. He gave me the opportunity to be employed as the senior academic editor at Sheffield Academic Press (SAP), and to learn the publishing business from the inside. David and those who conceived of SAP created and realized a great vision for academic publishing that now continues in Sheffield Phoenix Press. I have appreciated the opportunities to work with David in this common endeavor for the best part of nearly twenty years. Lastly, I wish to thank my publisher, Dr. Carey Newman of Baylor University Press. When I approached him about this project, he was a little skeptical—not because of what I was saying, but because he had his own perspective on academic publishing. As we discussed our perspectives further, it became clear to me that we did not have perspectives that were at variance, but that were complementary—and, we think, necessary to get out into the wider field of academic consideration. I want to thank Carey for undertaking to publish this volume, and Baylor University Press for adding this volume to their list as they continue to expand their scope and increase their impact on academic publishing. I realize that some of the things that I say in what follows are hard on some publishers , including their editors. Those who have worked with Carey will know that he breaks these molds. I use numerous stories and anecdotes throughout this book. Details have often been changed to make them less specific and more widely pertinent. The source that has proved most helpful—often because it has reinforced my own perspective—is the Chronicle of Higher Education, whose articles I regularly access online. I have cited a number of its articles and could have cited a number of others. I encourage interested readers to check their Web site. One feature that I am unable to include fully in this volume is my seminars or workshops on writing. Feel free to contact me at porters@ mcmaster.ca if you would like me to come to your area or institution to run a seminar or workshop that addresses or expands upon the topics discussed in this volume. There is much more to be said! I have developed writing seminars—two English degrees and several years of teaching college English have certainly not gone to waste—where I examine the current writing profiles of faculty, develop collaborative and critical workshop experiences, work with you individually to develop a publication plan, examine some of your past and current writing to help you as you [18.189.193.172] Project MUSE (2024-04-25 01:10 GMT...