The purpose of this elective course is to give EUI Law researchers who are nearing completion of their doctoral program expert guidance, language advice, and a framework for proposing their dissertation project for publication with a scholarly press. There is an expectation that the researchers will be able to commit the time to write the sections below in order to progress towards the submission of a book proposal by the end of the course.
The three workshops that make up this course consist of:
1. Processes, protocols, and presses: Participants will consider how to choose the right press for their monograph project and how the process of reaching out to editors works; also, what to expect in terms of timeline and, eventually, a contract. This workshop will be delivered with input from Valentina Spiga (Library Information Specialist in Law).
2. The genre of the Book Proposal: We will discuss each of the standard elements of the book proposal: the outline (or “rationale”), the comparative (or competing) titles section, and the chapter summaries; by looking at previous, successful book proposals, participants will be prepared to focus on how the book’s contribution is more oriented towards the marketplace of books than the dissertation’s rationale as a unique contribution to knowledge.
3. Revising a chapter: This section will copy the approach of the existing course taught on the MWP: comparing material from a recently published monograph with the corresponding chapter from the dissertation. Participants will analyse organisational and stylistic changes between the two.
At the end of workshops 2 and 3, you will receive detailed feedback on the draft book proposal and revised chapter, respectively.