| The process of getting academic books published is a | | | | book. If you have had a successful first book, then |
| complex one that requires a great deal of preparation | | | | your publisher will be very likely to want another |
| and work. While the world of academic books might | | | | from you; equally, other publishers will consider you a |
| seem similar to the cloistered world of university, | | | | talent and also be more likely to commission work |
| there remains one clear aim of all academic books: | | | | from you or look at manuscripts you have penned. |
| and that is to make a profit. | | | | There is a certain sense of lottery when you send |
| If a writer comes to a publisher with an idea for one | | | | out your manuscript to a publisher. A great deal |
| or several educational books, that publisher giving the | | | | depends on the opinion of the person who reads it. It |
| writer a thumbs up might not be solely based on | | | | is quite possible for one person to find your ideas for |
| quality research and writing - or a unique concept. | | | | academic books of great worth, while another reader |
| There has to be a market for the book. That market | | | | might think they weren't publishable. |
| is often driven by what people are studying - so if | | | | If you are looking to get one or several educational |
| there are a great many students studying a certain | | | | books published for the first time, then you have to |
| subject, there is a greater chance of libraries, | | | | give the marketing of the book a great deal of |
| faculties, lecturers and students buying the books. | | | | thought. Money is ultimately the bottom line, and so |
| If a writer is just starting out, then it is arguably | | | | you have to prove that your book is marketable. |
| much more difficult to get academic books published. | | | | This means finding out who your book would be |
| As with any other part of the publishing industry, | | | | marketed to, and making this clear to your publisher. |
| being well known sells a lot of books. There is | | | | Ideally, you should consider what your market is |
| certainly a celebrity aspect even to the publishing of | | | | before writing, although this does not always fit in |
| academic books, although it is far less pronounced | | | | with areas of interest or inspiration. Ultimately, |
| than main stream publishing. If a writer has been | | | | persistence and unwavering ambition are the |
| published previously, then there is of course a far | | | | characteristics of a writer that gets published in the |
| greater chance of them being able to publish another | | | | competitive world of academic books. |