Thanks for this, Laura. Very informative! So much respect to Robert for pursuing his vision. In a weird way, I think, working on a passion project (i.e. something not directly or immediately career-enhancing) can take the stress off, since there's less pressure to compromise for the sake of publication; you're okay with waiting until everything's in place. In this case, the slow and steady approach does feel appropriate. A good reminder for those worried that they need to move fast, fast, fast!
One question: Robert said he knew he wanted to submit a full MS to publishers, not a proposal. In your experience, how common is this approach in the university press world? Obviously in the trade world it's much more common to submit a proposal, and lots of agents and/or publishers won't even look at an MS until they've seen (and liked) a proposal first.
This is very common in the UP world. In fact, it used to be almost universal until recently, when some of the more well-resourced publishers started offering advance contracts more regularly. Many of the smaller and mid-sized UPs still require a full manuscript before they will move forward with peer review, though they will usually look at a proposal and indicate interest well in advance of that. Even publishers that require a full manuscript before issuing a contract still require a proposal submission before they request the full manuscript. Robert did write and submit a proposal first, but he had the full manuscript ready to go immediately when the press requested it.
I enjoyed this interview very much. For a start, the book is on a topic close to my heart; I just gave my annual 'format theory' lecture to students on my Popular Music & Media module yesterday (and will be adding Rob's book to the reading list for future years!). Also, the points about taking time, writing with the love of the 'amateur' and not getting thrown by other publications on the same topic all resonate. Some good tips here.
Thanks for this, Laura. Very informative! So much respect to Robert for pursuing his vision. In a weird way, I think, working on a passion project (i.e. something not directly or immediately career-enhancing) can take the stress off, since there's less pressure to compromise for the sake of publication; you're okay with waiting until everything's in place. In this case, the slow and steady approach does feel appropriate. A good reminder for those worried that they need to move fast, fast, fast!
One question: Robert said he knew he wanted to submit a full MS to publishers, not a proposal. In your experience, how common is this approach in the university press world? Obviously in the trade world it's much more common to submit a proposal, and lots of agents and/or publishers won't even look at an MS until they've seen (and liked) a proposal first.
This is very common in the UP world. In fact, it used to be almost universal until recently, when some of the more well-resourced publishers started offering advance contracts more regularly. Many of the smaller and mid-sized UPs still require a full manuscript before they will move forward with peer review, though they will usually look at a proposal and indicate interest well in advance of that. Even publishers that require a full manuscript before issuing a contract still require a proposal submission before they request the full manuscript. Robert did write and submit a proposal first, but he had the full manuscript ready to go immediately when the press requested it.
Appreciate the info. Thank you!
I enjoyed this interview very much. For a start, the book is on a topic close to my heart; I just gave my annual 'format theory' lecture to students on my Popular Music & Media module yesterday (and will be adding Rob's book to the reading list for future years!). Also, the points about taking time, writing with the love of the 'amateur' and not getting thrown by other publications on the same topic all resonate. Some good tips here.