Next semester, instead of doing a webinar (or bloginar, rather), I am taking the “Making It Pop: Translating Your Research for Trade” workshop on the road. Here’s the description, which I’m happy to email to folks interested in passing it along to their departments or organizations as an attachment:<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Making It Pop: Translating Your Research for Trade,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Are you an academically-inclined writer who wishes to extend your reach? A researcher who longs to write something other than tenure reviews and grant proposals? A scholar who dreams of publishing a popular (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153trade\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) book, a magazine article, or even an op-ed? You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not alone. <\/p>\n Too often, in addition to the standard institutional obstacles, academically-trained writers encounter obstacles to writing for popular audiences for which they are unprepared. To write for popular media in a competitive publishing climate, you must be able to craft engaging, accessible, non-technical prose that appeals to an audience far outside your area of expertise. These skills can be learned.<\/p>\n The Making It Pop Workshop takes the Making It Pop Webinar on the road. This 2-3 hour on-site workshop is designed to help researchers, scholars, and policy “wonks” bridge the translation gap and is tailored to meet participants\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 needs. Participants are encouraged to come with ideas for research- or policy-based stories they aspire to turn into books and\/or articles for hands-on workshopping.<\/span><\/p>\n Each workshop covers:<\/span> A. Writing a Book Proposal That Sells<\/span> B. Publishing Shorter Pieces<\/span> C. Of Books and Blogs<\/span>
with author\/blogger\/journalist Deborah Siegel, PhD<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Techniques for de-jargonizing and enlivening your prose
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Common pitfalls academic writers make when trying to write for popular audiences
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Why \u00e2\u20ac\u0153making it pop\u00e2\u20ac\u009d does not mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153dumbing it down\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153selling out,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and how to deal with institutional scorn
Tailored Options (each workshop can cover 1-2):<\/span><\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The difference between a book proposal for an academic press and a trade (or commercial) press
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 How to know whether your book idea has commercial potential
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s entailed in rewriting a dissertation into a trade book
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The elements of a strong book proposal
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The importance of narrative, and what else editors look for
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 The role of an agent<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Genres for shorter writings (features, profiles, op-eds)
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 How to submit pitches to newspapers and magazines
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 How to work with a newspaper or magazine editor<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 How to start a blog and\/or participate in a blog community as a way to create a platform for your book
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Other ways to use the Internet to help promote your book<\/p>\n