Thanks to Murray and Leo for sharing frustrations with publishing. I've
had my own string of strange experiences with unveiling the mechanisms
that run the academic press machines. I'm trying, like every other
newly-minted Ph.d. on the planet, pretty hard to get a book contract, and
I would say that my best experiences in placing the manuscript have
resulted from attending the conferences where there is a large publication
display (ASA, MLA, etc., in the United States) and editors waiting at the
booth to talk with people like you, Leo, and me. It is a much easier
process when you can establish a relationship with the acquisitions folks,
because they may read up to 25 book proposals a day and, without an
established publishing record, you need to give them other reasons to take
a second look at yours. The acquisitions editors, I have found, are pretty
friendly, outgoing types who, even if they aren't going to publish your
work, are prone to giving good advice on what steps to take with it.
 
I've had good advisors myself, but their information regarding
how to get a book published--despite the fact
that they were all established academics--was slightly out-of-date. The
publishing field is changing from what it was even five years ago, and it
pays to talk as directly as possible to those who have been and
will be responsible for the changes.
 
As far as the question of book v. string-of-articles is concerned, I tend
to agree with Leo's advisor that the book takes you to a certain level of
proficiency and respectability that the articles do not. If you have the
time and resources to pursue it. Most post-docs I know are have been
drained of commodities. I would be interested in hearing
other opinions on this issue, both from "younger" and "older" academics.
 
P.S. Why do we use these silly phrases "younger" and "older"--both seem to
carry a certain pejorative weight, for different reasons....
 
Regards--
 
Meryem Ersoz
University of Colorado-Denver
 
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