Consulting
Along with working with authors on manuscripts, I advise authors on many of the tasks commonly part of the university press publishing process:
- discerning when to send a manuscript out to presses
- framing a book proposal
- submitting a proposal and the ethics of simultaneous submissions
- communicating with and understanding communications from acquisitions editors
- deciding on a publisher
- responding to readers’ reports and handling the review process
- participating in drafting jacket copy and marketing plans
- working with copyeditors
I am not paid by any university press or any other publisher for these services.
How It Works
Write or call me to discuss your work. I’ll need to know the answers to these questions:
- What is your topic?
- Have you submitted your manuscript to a press?
- If yes, to which press or presses did you send it, and what stage have you reached?
On accepting a consulting job, I’ll discuss your publishing situation with you in detail. I will read through your whole manuscript only if I am working on your book proposal (or if I am also editing it, of course). Much of this work can be done in conversation, but I will respond to questions about writings (proposals, correspondence with publishers, reader reports) in writing.
Caveats: I do not advise on design or production, act as an agent, guarantee publication, negotiate contracts, evaluate contracts, make referrals, communicate directly with university press staff on behalf of authors, or offer advice on trade publishing. (If I am hired by a university press as a developmental editor for a project, I will not advise that author on the publishing process.)
Once I have advised you, you can contact me whenever you have a question as the publishing process unfolds. As with developmental editing, I will be helping you find your own voice rather than telling you what to say.
