Episode #32: Get Focused: How to Make the Most of Your Writing Sessions
Are you struggling to get work done during the time you’ve scheduled to write? Do you walk away from a writing session feeling like your time would have been better spent watching water boil? It’s frustrating to protect your time then feel like you have nothing to show for it. In today’s episode, Jane is going to share three strategies for bringing more focus to your writing sessions. With a combination of careful planning and attention to how you think about writing, you’ll be able to leave your writing sessions feeling satisfied with your progress. Grab a notebook, because you’ll be able to put these three strategies into action as soon as you’re done listening. 📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Book Brilliance by visiting rightprose.co/book-brilliance/💗 Spread the inspiration. Know someone who would benefit from some guidance on their book-writing journey? Share this episode with them!✉️Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.
--------
12:46
--------
12:46
Episode #31: Strong Start: What to Include in Your Academic Book’s Introductory Chapter
If you're writing an academic book in the humanities or social sciences, you might feel like the stakes are high when it comes to nailing your introductory chapter. How do you pique your readers’ interest while laying the foundation for a complex argument? What can you do to make sure you give the reader the appropriate amount of context without inundating them with details? In this episode of Academic Book Writing Simplified, Jane breaks down the four essential elements your introductory chapter needs to make a strong, confident start. She’ll discuss: The central research question or problemYour core argument or interventionThe broader stakes of your projectA clear, inviting roadmap for the rest of the bookWhether you're rewriting your introductory chapter for the umpteenth time or starting from scratch, this episode offers practical guidance to help you clarify your voice and connect with your readers from the first page.📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Book Brilliance by visiting rightprose.co/book-brilliance/💗 Spread the inspiration. Know someone who would benefit from some guidance on their book-writing journey? Share this episode with them!✉️Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.
--------
19:00
--------
19:00
Episode #30: Reworking Your Dissertation’s Literature Review for a Scholarly Book
In this episode, Jane addresses one of the most commonly asked questions from academic writers who are turning their dissertations into scholarly books: What should I do with the literature review?As you transition from dissertation to book, it's crucial to rethink how you approach the literature review. While your dissertation’s literature review may have been long and detailed, the introduction chapter of your book requires a much more concise and analytical approach. The goal is not to summarize every source but to critically engage with the existing scholarship in a way that sets up the argument for your own work.Jane will explore how to condense your literature review by focusing on key themes that align with your book’s argument, rather than simply listing every study you referenced. You'll learn how to shift from a summary of existing research to a thoughtful analysis that shows where your work fits in the broader scholarly conversation.She’ll also share practical tips for revising your literature review, such as 💡How to organize your analysis thematically 🎁How to position your work as a valuable contribution to the field✂️How to cut unnecessary details By the end of the episode, you'll have a clear strategy for integrating a discussion of the literature into the introduction of your scholarly book in a way that is compelling and seamless.If you're ready to tackle your book’s introduction with confidence, this episode is for you!📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Book Brilliance by visiting rightprose.co/book-brilliance/💗 Spread the inspiration. Know someone who would benefit from some guidance on their book-writing journey? Share this episode with them!✉️ Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.
--------
19:00
--------
19:00
Episode #29: When Should You Write Your Book’s Introduction?
In this second episode of our series on book introductions, Jane answers the question of timing for book introductions. When is the best time to write the introduction? Should you do it first, or wait until you’ve written the entire book? This question covers a few issues: workflow, mindset, and organization. Tune in to today’s episode to learn: The real question you’re asking if you ask when to write your introduction. Three different options for organizing your thoughts in preparation for writing the book. What you should know before writing your introduction. 📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Book Brilliance by visiting rightprose.co/book-brilliance/💗 Spread the inspiration. Know someone who would benefit from some guidance on their book-writing journey? Share this episode with them! ✉️ Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.
--------
11:01
--------
11:01
Episode #28: How Long Should an Academic Book’s Introduction Be?
Your academic book’s introduction is your first opportunity to make an impression on your reader. It’s natural that you’d be worried about writing it well. One aspect of the introduction that authors tend to fixate on is length. How long should your introduction be? In today’s episode, which is the first of a series on book introductions, Jane will discuss length. If you’re worried that your introduction will be too long or too short, after this episode you’ll know how to make the length just right. Here’s what we’ll cover: Why asking how long your introduction should be isn’t the right question, and what you should be asking instead. The value of looking at other books as examples, and how to approach that process strategically. How to understand the length of your introduction in the context of the length of your entire book, rather than treating the introduction as its own project. Make sure to have a notebook handy, because you’re going to get a cheatsheet for thinking about how to approach your introduction. Books discussed: Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers, They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American SouthKellie Carter Jackson, We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black ResistanceAlexandra Freidus. Unequal Lessons: School Diversity and Educational Inequality in New York CityYuki Kato. Gardens of Hope: Cultivation Food and the Future in a Post-Disaster City📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Book Brilliance by visiting rightprose.co/book-brilliance/📲 Let’s Connect! Say hi on BlueSky and share your favorite gem from this episode. I’d love to hear your thoughts!💗 Spread the inspiration. Know someone who would benefit from some guidance on their book-writing journey? Share this episode with them!✉️ Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.
About Academic Book Writing Simplified with Jane Joann Jones
Does writing your academic book feel like a complete mystery? Wondering how other scholars find the time to write while juggling teaching, research, and service - when you have been looking at the same page for weeks? Welcome to Academic Book Writing Simplified - the podcast for women and non-binary scholars who want to cut through the confusion of academic publishing so they can finally write their book with clarity and confidence. If you’re ready to stop second-guessing and finally write the book that establishes your expertise, you’re in the right place.I’m your host, Jane Joann Jones, PhD, former academic on tenure track turned developmental editor and book writing coach for women of color in academia. I’ve helped over 100 academics publish their book with leading presses including University of Chicago, Duke, Stanford, Rutgers, Oxford, Princeton and Stanford. I want to help you do the same. This podcast will give you clear, practical answers to your biggest book-writing questions including: How do I start writing my academic book? How long does it *really* take to write an academic book? Can I just revise my dissertation and turn it into a book, or do I need to start from scratch?How can I write my book if I don’t feel like an expert? Each episode busts common myths about academic book writing, exposes the hidden curriculum of scholarly publishing, and gives you actionable strategies so you can make steady progress — without waiting for the perfect time to start. Ready to demystify the book writing process?Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share with a fellow academic who’s ready to navigate the path to publication with more ease and less overwhelm. Learn more about how we can help you become an academic author: https://rightprose.co
Listen to Academic Book Writing Simplified with Jane Joann Jones, Begin Again with Davina McCall and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
New Zealand