Academic Book Writing Simplified: Write and Publish Your Academic Book

By Jane Joann JonesEducation

Academic Book Writing Simplified: Write and Publish Your Academic Book episodes

May 06, 2025#24: Behind the Scenes: The Book Brilliance Walkthrough
Join Jane for a look at the Book Brilliance program. In today’s episode, you will learn exactly what happens in the program, the types of goals you can achieve, and why working with a group is essential to your success.
We’ll cover:
What you can expect in the first two weeks, one month, and sixty days of the program.
How our three-pronged approach helps you develop your writing craft, project management skills, and mindset.
Jane’s counterintuitive approach to planning, and how you’ll learn that approach in Book Brilliance.
The ways in which we reject generalized coaching in favor of helping you develop a personalized approach to achieving your goals.
Further listening:
Episode 23: Behind the Scenes: How Developmental Editing Works in Book Brilliance
💎Book Brilliance is open for summer enrollment! To learn more about the program and apply to join, click here: rightprose.co/book-brilliance/
✉️ Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.
17 min
April 29, 2025#23: Behind the Scenes: How Developmental Editing Works in Book Brilliance
Elevate has a new name!
In today’s episode, Jane is joined by Kali Handelman. Kali is the developmental editor for Book Brilliance. She has her eyes on every single piece of writing reviewed in the program, and she’s here to discuss what you can expect when you have your work edited. Jane and Kali discuss:
How we define developmental editing
How developmental editing helps you develop and refine the big ideas in your book
The most common concerns writers have about their work, and how we address them.
The benefits of submitting short passages for developmental editing
Using developmental editing to establish a writing pace
Why we deliver feedback in two different ways, and how the methods complement one another.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to be in one of Jane’s book-writing programs, this episode gives you all the details.
📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Book Brilliance by visiting https://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.
33 min
April 22, 2025 #22: How Academics Can Make a Summer Writing Plan That Actually Works
Do you always start your summer with grand ambitions, only to look back at the end of the summer and realize you only finished half of what you planned? If you’re ready to stop making unrealistic plans, this episode is for you.
Here’s what Jane will discuss:
💡The thoughts that are driving you to make unrealistic plans: “I need to catch up,” “I should write all day,” and “I should work on everything” — and how to change them.
💡The two goals you should set so you can determine if your writing plans are realistic.
💡Why having a restful summer is important, especially right now.

Further listening:
Episode 13: Why Waiting for a Sabbatical to Write Your Book Could Be Holding You Back

📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Elevate by visiting rightprose.co/elevate/
📲 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.

13 min
April 15, 2025 #21: Should You Write an Academic Book if Academia Is Collapsing?
To say that people working in academia are living through tumultuous times would be an understatement. You might be facing current circumstances and wondering if writing a book is worth your time.
In today’s episode, Jane takes a very candid look at the current landscape of academia to help you decide how to think about your scholarship and career. She’ll give you some ways to contextualize the current moment and questions to consider so you can make well-informed, intentional decisions about your future.

Additional Resources:
Episode 12: Why I Quit My Tenure-Track Job to Become an Academic Book Writing Coach
Greer, Christina. “Black Americans Are Not Surprised by What Trump’s Doing.” New York Times. April 7, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/opinion/black-americans-trump-politics.html

📝 Ready to turn your dissertation into a publication-worthy scholarly book? Learn how you can join Elevate by visiting rightprose.co/elevate/
📲 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.

17 min
April 08, 2025 #20: Working With an Editor on Your Academic Book Is Not Cheating
There are some strong opinions in academia about the merits of academic editing. In today’s episode, Jane discusses the perception that working with an editor is “cheating” or an indication that you’re not a serious scholar. She addresses some biases and misconceptions about what happens when a writer works with an editor, and breaks down how these misconceptions can hurt junior scholars, especially if they are members of minoritized groups.
Further listening:
Episode 19: How working with an editor can help you write your academic book
Resources:

Guarino, C.M., Borden, V.M.H. Faculty Service Loads and Gender: Are Women Taking Care of the Academic Family?. Res High Educ 58, 672–694 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-017-9454-2

📝 Do you want to write a publication-worthy book without having to work twice as hard as your peers? Learn how we can work together at 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.

15 min
April 01, 2025#19: Why Aspiring Academic Book Authors Should Work with a Developmental Editor
Have you ever worked with an editor? Does the process of working with one feel like a mystery? In today’s episode, Jane is going to pull back the curtain and explain how academics can work with editors to improve their writing. In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why academics work with editors
The different types of editing available to academic writers
The pros and cons of working with an editor to improve your academic book
How working with an editor can help you avoid time-consuming mistakes and finish your academic book more efficiently
Further Listening:
Episode 17: You Need Feedback While Writing Your Academic Book: Here’s How You Get It
Further Resources:
Blog post: What Kind of Feedback Do You Need When Writing an Academic Book?
https://rightprose.co/what-kind-of-feedback-do-you-need-when-writing-an-academic-book/
📝 Do you want to write a publication-worthy book without having to work twice as hard as your peers? Learn how we can work together at 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.
15 min
March 25, 2025#18: Writing an Academic Book Takes Longer Than You Think! 4 Steps to Completing Your Book
Do you know how long it will take to write your academic book? I don’t mean how long it took your friend with the cushy postdoc or how long you wish it will take - I mean how long it will actually take. The reality is that most people don’t. If you don’t know now, it’s your responsibility to figure it out as soon as possible. That’s why in this episode, Jane breaks down how long it REALLY takes to write a book, and the factors that you should consider when making your personal timeline.
In this episode, we’ll discuss:
Three reasons you’re confused about how long it takes to write an academic book.
My 4-step process for creating your personalized book writing timeline.
📝 Do you want to write a publication-worthy book without having to work twice as hard as your peers? Learn how we can work together at rightprose.co/book-brilliance/
📲 Let’s Connect! Say hi on BlueSky and share your favourite 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!
💌 Subscribe to the Right Prose newsletter where you’ll get more actionable tips for writing your brilliant, publication-worthy book: https://rightprose.co/
✉️Want even MORE bookish advice, right in your inbox? Sign up for Shelf Help, the newsletter with actionable tips for scholarly writers.
14 min
March 18, 2025#17: You Are Not a Burden: How to Ask for Feedback for Your Academic Book
Good feedback is an invaluable resource for academics writing books, but how do you get it? In today’s episode, Jane gives you a primer on the importance of feedback and how to ask for feedback that will help you make progress. She covers:
Why feedback is so important (hint: it’s not just to have eyes on your work)
Why you might hesitate to ask for feedback
Several low-stakes approaches to getting feedback
Further listening:
Episode #14: How to Create a Consistent Writing Practice
📝 Do you want to write a publication-worthy book without having to work twice as hard as your peers? Learn how we can work together at rightprose.co/book-brilliance/
📲 Let’s Connect! Say hi on BlueSky and share your favourite 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.
21 min
March 11, 2025 #16: How Many Drafts of Your Academic Book Should You Write?
With any piece of academic writing, you are going to write multiple drafts. The question is, how many? In today’s episode, we’re going to discuss the writing and revision process to determine how many drafts it will take to get you to a publication-ready book.
Tune into today’s episode to learn:
The work that each draft should do in your revision process.
Why you should ALWAYS have an intention or plan when you revise.
A tough but true reminder of what will truly determine how many drafts you can write.

Further listening:
Episode #5: Your Dissertation Isn’t the First Draft of Your Book
Episode #10: Treat Your Writing Like a Dress Rehearsal

📝 Do you want to write a publication-worthy book without having to work twice as hard as your peers? Learn how we can work together at rightprose.co/book-brilliance/
📲 Let’s Connect! Say hi on BlueSky and share your favourite 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.

16 min
March 04, 2025 #15: The Best Time to Write Your Academic Book on the Tenure Track
Are you wondering when along your tenure-track journey you should write your academic book? Do you think you have to “clear the decks” to gain traction in your book writing? In this episode, I’m going to show you that the right time to write your book is the time you make for writing it.
Tune in to learn how to align your writing goals with your timeline, my 3-step process for identifying the right time to write your book, and how to incorporate time to write your book into your publication pipeline. By the end of this episode, you’ll be able to confidently make decisions about when to write your book with less worry and confusion.
Further listening:
Episode 2: You Don’t Need Permission to Prioritize Your Book
Episode 9: The Simple Math of Writing a Book
📝 Do you want to write a publication-worthy book without having to work twice as hard as your peers? Learn how we can work together at rightprose.co/book-brilliance/
📲 Let’s Connect! Say hi on BlueSky and share your favourite 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.

13 min

About Academic Book Writing Simplified: Write and Publish Your Academic Book

From the publisher's feed

Are you a woman or non-binary scholar in academia who feels like writing your academic book is 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 academic writing podcast for women and non-binary scholars who want to get practical academic writing tips and real academic writing support, so they can finally write and publish their academic 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 sociologist who quit her tenure- track job to become a developmental editor and book writing coach for women of color in academia. As the founder of Book Brilliance, a group coaching program, I work with women and non-binary scholars who want to use reliable systems to develop a clear book idea, structure their academic book manuscript, and make consistent, meaningful progress on their books.

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?
How can I use developmental editing to help me write my academic book?
What are ways I can improve my academic writing?

Each short, no-nonsense 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