WRITING
NEW: Trade Book Institute: May 19th, 2023
Do you have research or an idea for a book that you believe that will make the world a better place—and create new opportunities for you as a writer, teacher, or speaker? A trade book can help accomplish these goals, but many academics or experts struggle to translate their expertise into accessible prose that can draw in new readers outside of their specialties.
In the Trade Book Institute, participants will be introduced to strategies that will help them plan and submit books to the publishers that can expand the audiences for their work. Over the course of a single day at a gorgeous retreat location in central Massachusetts, participants will gather for interactive presentations conducted by the institute facilitators, have dedicated writing time on the retreat grounds to develop a trade book proposal, and receive individual feedback and productivity coaching on their work on progress.
The May 2023 Institute will be limited to twelve participants. It will take place from 9:30 am-5:00 pm at the Barred Owl Retreat in Worcester, Massachusetts on Friday, May 19th. Visit the EventBrite page for more details and to register.
Check back here for more information about a fall institute to be held in the seaside village of Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Editing and Coaching
Jim offers writing coaching, developmental editing, and writing career development. Drawing on his experiences as a writer and book series editor, Jim can help you develop, revise, and publish your research and ideas, whether you are working on a dissertation or academic article or are looking to expand your reach as a public intellectual in a trade book or place an op-ed in your local newspaper. His work as a developmental editor has launched the writing careers of many successful authors in the book series he founded at West Virginia University Press, now co-edited with Michelle Miller.
Jim’s forthcoming book, Writing Like a Teacher: Expanding Audiences for Nonfiction Writing, will be published by the University of Chicago Press in early 2024—but you can receive personalized help from him by contacting him directly.
“For two scientists who didn’t have experience writing a book outside of the sciences, Jim made us feel more confident at every step. He was responsive, honest, and provided developmental feedback that let us know he was there to help us succeed.””
