Skip to main content

Books

Overview of Books Publishing

This workshop provides a comprehensive overview of the process of getting your academic book published. Covering the scholarly publishing context, how to choose a publisher, preparing a proposal, book contracts and the writing and production process, while busting some myths about peer review along the way, the session will be of particular interest to doctoral and early career researchers in the humanities.

Session leaders

Paula Kennedy (Head of Publishing, University of London Press) and Katharine Nelson (Sales and Marketing Manager, University of London Press).

Slides and session materials

Useful resources

  • The Publishing Training Centre (UK)
    Offers e-learning modules and virtual courses on core publishing skills – editorial processes, copy-editing, project management, PDF annotation – with certificates.
  • ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers)
    Delivers virtual and on-demand training, including book-related courses like “How Books Work” and Commissioning Content, plus in-house options.
  • Society of Scholarly Publishing (SSP)
    Offers webinars, virtual academy sessions, and leadership training tailored to academic journal and book publishing professionals.
  • BookMachine
    BookMachine Campus is a membership platform featuring webinars, video content, and self-study courses covering editorial, marketing, and distribution topics. They also have a blog with practical posts like “Six Resources for Developing Your Editorial Skills” and insights on publishing trends.

Many publishers also include resources for authors on their websites, for example Manchester University Press’s Author Hub.