Learn how to get manuscripts into print

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Rachel Toor, author, athlete, professor, columnist for The Chronicle of Higher Education, and “servant to a dog named Helen,” is the keynote speaker for the “Publishing Without Perishing” symposium at RIT on Jan. 15.

Authors and scholars: Learn the ins and outs of getting your manuscripts into print during an academic book publishing symposium at Rochester Institute of Technology on Jan. 15.

“Publishing Without Perishing: A One Day Symposium for Scholars on Academic Book Publishing” begins with registration and continental breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m., followed by presentations and discussions and concluding with a social hour at 2:45 p.m. in Louise Slaughter Hall, room 2230-2240. Deadline for registration is 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9.

Editors from Syracuse, Cornell and Princeton University Presses and RIT Press will discuss book proposal attributes that lead to publication. Rachel Toor, the symposium’s featured guest speaker, will offer practical advice “and encourage a lively discussion about the questions scholars really care about: how to get published and how to get the work done.” Toor is the author of four books and a newly published novel, On the Road to Find Out, columnist for The Chronicle of Higher Education and Running Times magazine, and associate professor of creative writing at Eastern Washington University.

“In the last few years I’ve realized that when I was an editor, authors often made it easy for me to say ‘No’ to their proposals, even when they had done great research and scholarship,” said Toor. “I’m hoping each person will bring a short bit of his or her own writing—an abstract, the first page of introduction to a book or journal article—and as I’m going through my bag of tricks, we can see if these moves, when applied, perk up their work.”

Sponsored by RIT Press and The Wallace Center, the symposium offers authors and prospective authors of scholarly books the opportunities for engagement, interaction and information to craft book proposals and manuscripts. Presentations and discussion topics include creating a persuasive “pitch” for university presses, developing and marketing books for niche audiences, delivering and consuming digital books, and considering options outside of traditional, mainstream publishing.

“It is the very best time to be in publishing since Gutenberg,” said RIT Press Director Bruce Austin. “The horizon is just as broad and the opportunities even greater. For authors—whether your idea for a book is just forming or is near finishing—‘Publishing Without Perishing’ promises to reveal options, opportunities and authoritative advice on scholarly book publishing.”

Two concurrent afternoon panels discussions will include “The Digital World of Publishing” and “Self-Publishing Wonders and Woes.” Panelists include professors from RIT’s School of Media Sciences, design specialists, self-published authors and digital printing experts.

Complete information on the symposium program and panelist biographies is available online at the Office of the Provost website.

The symposium is free; online registration is required. A buffet luncheon will be provided to all participants. For more information, call Bruce Austin at 585-475-2879.