PhD2Published the Big Launch!

At a basic level I thought, if I need to learn about academic publishing (in order to get my first academic book published) and there isn’t a free resource out there to help me, I’ll build one!

I shared the idea with friends as I worked out how to create a set of informative components for the site while getting a designer (Sam Beddoes) to help me visualise the whole thing. And eventually every second of leisure time had been swallowed by the project as I established the information core (with Sam and I having our best brainstorming sessions online after midnight). So far the site includes:

• A series of Top Tips from publishing houses and authors alike on how to pitch/get published
• Well researched and hopefully highly informative posts on the pitching process,
• Guest blogging from related experts,
• Weekly Wisdom sound bite,
• My own video blog entries detailing my practical application of all I’m learning.

I got publicity straight away from a-n magazine and Ashgate Press and a flood of emails raving about what a great idea the site is and how useful it’s going to be. Then came phone calls from friends wanting my advice; it seems I’ve turned into a publishing guru without having had time to do much more than send out one (quickly rejected) pitch myself. Although obviously I planned for my first pitch to fail just so I’d have more material for the site! 😉

And all this happened before I’d really launched the project! Before I’d collected together an email list or even begun to let fellow post-PhD’ers know I’m out here, hunting and gathering for them and their future publishing successes!

So, finally, with the help of my intern Ellina, it is with great pleasure that I can crack open the Champagne (or perhaps a double espresso) and invite everyone to join me in toasting the official launch of:

PhD2Published: ‘academic book publishing advice for first timers’…