the dissertation to book workbook

The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook

Exercises for developing and revising your book manuscript.

Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer

240 pages | 1 halftone, 176 tables | 8 1/2 x 11 | © 2023

Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing

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“ The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook not only succeeds but excels in guiding scholars through this process of revision. This pragmatic workbook walks an author through clear steps to identify the organizing principle of the book, write and revise the book’s central claims, and then ensure that the chapters actually function well together before the author sends the book to a press. Since scholars often only have one opportunity to convince a press to publish their book, working through this process before sending to editors is crucial—and this is an essential guide.”

Rebecca K. Marchiel, University of Mississippi

“Based on their years of helping academics revise their dissertations into books, Knox and Van Deventer have distilled their incredible depth of knowledge into a beautifully thought-out book that takes you step by step through the process of revising your dissertation. Too many writing books give vague advice without any practical guidance. This is not that book. From advice on crafting your book’s arc and organizing principle to drafting your book questions and producing chapter answers, this book takes all the guessing out of one of the most stressful tasks academics face. This is the best book I have seen on the topic.”

Wendy Belcher, author of Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks

Table of Contents

On Revision

William Germano

Behind the Book

Chris Mackenzie Jones

The Business of Being a Writer

Jane Friedman

Getting It Published, Third Edition

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The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook: Exercises for Developing and Revising Your Book Manuscript (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

Description.

Writing an academic book is a daunting task. Where to start? This workbook.

So, you’ve written a dissertation. Congratulations! But how do you turn it into a book? Even if you know what to do when revising your dissertation, do you know how to do those things? This workbook by Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer, creators of the successful online Dissertation-to-Book Boot Camp, offers a series of manageable, concrete steps with exercises to help you revise your academic manuscript into publishable book form.   The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook uses targeted exercises and prompts to take the guesswork out of writing a book. You’ll clarify your book’s core priorities, pinpoint your organizing principle, polish your narrative arc, evaluate your evidence, and much more. Using what this workbook calls “book questions and chapter answers,” you’ll figure out how to thread your book’s main ideas through its chapters. Then, you’ll assemble an argument, and finally, you’ll draft any remaining material and revise the manuscript. And most important, by the time you complete the workbook, you’ll have confidence that your book works as a book—that it’s a cohesive, focused manuscript that tells the story you want to tell.   Indispensible to anyone with an academic manuscript in progress, the prompts, examples, checklists, and activities will give you confidence about all aspects of your project—that it is structurally sound, coherent, free of the hallmarks of “dissertationese," and ready for submission to an academic publisher.  

About the Author

Katelyn Knox is an associate professor of French at the University of Central Arkansas. She is the author of Race on Display in 20th- and 21st-Century France. 

Allison Van Deventer is a freelance developmental editor for academic authors in the humanities and qualitative social sciences.

Praise for The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook: Exercises for Developing and Revising Your Book Manuscript (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

“The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook not only succeeds but excels in guiding scholars through this process of revision. This pragmatic workbook walks an author through clear steps to identify the organizing principle of the book, write and revise the book’s central claims, and then ensure that the chapters actually function well together before the author sends the book to a press. Since scholars often only have one opportunity to convince a press to publish their book, working through this process before sending to editors is crucial—and this is an essential guide.”

— Rebecca K. Marchiel, University of Mississippi

“Based on their years of helping academics revise their dissertations into books, Knox and Van Deventer have distilled their incredible depth of knowledge into a beautifully thought-out book that takes you step by step through the process of revising your dissertation. Too many writing books give vague advice without any practical guidance. This is not that book. From advice on crafting your book’s arc and organizing principle to drafting your book questions and producing chapter answers, this book takes all the guessing out of one of the most stressful tasks academics face. This is the best book I have seen on the topic.” — Wendy Belcher, author of Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks

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The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook: Exercises for Developing and Revising Your Book Manuscript Hardcover – Nov. 7 2023

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• ISBN-10 0226828840
• ISBN-13 978-0226828848
• Edition First Edition
• Publisher University of Chicago Press
• Publication date Nov. 7 2023
• Part of series Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing
• Language English
• Dimensions 21.59 x 2.03 x 27.94 cm
• Print length 240 pages
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“ The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook not only succeeds but excels in guiding scholars through this process of revision. This pragmatic workbook walks an author through clear steps to identify the organizing principle of the book, write and revise the book’s central claims, and then ensure that the chapters actually function well together before the author sends the book to a press. Since scholars often only have one opportunity to convince a press to publish their book, working through this process before sending to editors is crucial—and this is an essential guide.”

About the Author

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Chicago Press; First Edition (Nov. 7 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0226828840
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0226828848
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 739 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 21.59 x 2.03 x 27.94 cm
• #1,755 in History of Books
• #5,288 in Book Publishing (Books)
• #20,764 in Writing Guides (Books)

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Katelyn e. knox.

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Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer. 2023. The Dissertation-To-Book Workbook: Exercises for Developing and Revising Your Book Manuscript . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. 240 pp. US$99.00. Hardback. ISBN: 978-0-226-82884-8. Also available in paperback and e-book.

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• Published: 13 February 2024

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Luey, B. Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer. 2023. The Dissertation-To-Book Workbook: Exercises for Developing and Revising Your Book Manuscript . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. 240 pp. US$99.00. Hardback. ISBN: 978-0-226-82884-8. Also available in paperback and e-book.. Pub Res Q (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-024-09979-z

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Katelyn Knox

Helping Scholars Finish Strong First Books

Finish Your First Academic Book with Less Stress

So, you’ve written a dissertation. Congratulations! But how do you turn it into a book? The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook is the answer. It offers a series of manageable, concrete steps with exercises to help you clarify your book’s core priorities, pinpoint your organizing principle, polish your narrative arc, evaluate your evidence, and thread your book’s main ideas through its chapters. Indispensible to anyone with an academic manuscript in progress, the prompts, examples, checklists, and activities will give you confidence about all aspects of your project.

Main Content

I’m an Associate Professor of French  at the University of Central Arkansas, where I specialize in 20th- and 21st-century French and Francophone literature, music, and culture.

My first book,  Race on Display in 20th- and 21st-Century France , came out in 2016 with Liverpool University press. I’m now working on my second book, tentatively titled  Mediating Francophone Afropea , which will examine how ultracontemporary Afropean authors and artists blur boundaries between literature and music.

I also enjoy helping other junior humanities scholars–especially those at teaching institutions–navigate the tenure-track and the process of publishing their first academic book. I share advice on the academic book publishing process, establishing sustainable routines, and how to find more time for the things that matter most to you on my blog.

• Education & Teaching
• Schools & Teaching

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The Dissertation Process : A Step by Step Mentored Guide: Workbook Paperback – March 14, 2015

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• Print length 102 pages
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• Publication date March 14, 2015
• Dimensions 8.5 x 0.26 x 11 inches
• ISBN-10 1507697872
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; Workbook edition (March 14, 2015)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 102 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1507697872
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1507697870
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.5 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.26 x 11 inches
• #4,484 in Education Assessment (Books)
• #27,614 in Education Workbooks (Books)

About the author

Claudia g barnett ph.d..

Dr. Claudia Barnett is a Training and Performance Improvement Technologist. A native New Yorker, Dr. Barnett is understanding and sympathetic; yet truthful to the challenges that arises in the Doctoral journey. Her book and workbook “The Dissertation Process: A Step by Step Mentored Guide” delves into the psychological journey that each and every Doctoral student will face. A Doctoral mentor to over 150 accomplished Ph.D.’s, Dr. Barnett clarifies the mysteries of the Doctoral journey; step- by- step.

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