From Dissertation to Book, Second Edition

By William P. Germano

Book Overview

When a dissertation crosses my desk, I usually want to grab it by its metaphorical lapels and give it a good shake. "You know something " I would say if it could hear me. "Now tell it to us in language we can understand "
Since its publication in 2005, From Dissertation to Book has helped thousands of young academic authors get their books beyond the thesis committee and into the hands of interested publishers and general readers. Now revised and updated to reflect the evolution of scholarly publishing, this edition includes a new chapter arguing that the future of academic writing is in the hands of young scholars who must create work that meets the broader expectations of readers rather than the narrow requirements of academic committees.
At the heart of From Dissertation to Book is the idea that revising the dissertation is fundamentally a process of shifting its focus from the concerns of a narrow audience--a committee or advisors--to those of a broader scholarly audience that wants writing to be both informative and engaging. William Germano offers clear guidance on how to do this, with advice on such topics as rethinking the table of contents, taming runaway footnotes, shaping chapter length, and confronting the limitations of jargon, alongside helpful timetables for light or heavy revision.

Germano draws on his years of experience in both academia and publishing to show writers how to turn a dissertation into a book that an audience will actually enjoy, whether reading on a page or a screen. Germano also acknowledges that not all dissertations can or even should become books and explores other, often overlooked, options, such as turning them into journal articles or chapters in an edited work.
With clear directions, engaging examples, and an eye for the idiosyncrasies of academic writing, From Dissertation to Book reveals to recent PhDs the secrets of careful and thoughtful revision--a skill that will be truly invaluable as they add "author" to their curriculum vitae.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 022606204X
• ISBN13: 9780226062044
• Release Date: October 2013
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent guide!

Having put off the process of converting my dissertation into a manuscript for over a year, this book was exactly what I needed to get my brain going in the right direction. Even though I had excellent guidance and was encouraged to write my dissertation in an accessible writing style, this book was still very helpful. I highly recommend it!!

The Place to Start for New PhDs

I was on the fence between which Germano book to buy, this one or "Getting it Published." I ended up getting both. Between the two, though, this is the one to start with. Not only did it demystify the process of revising the dissertation into a book, it actually has made me feel much better about my dissertation itself. It seems that most all dissertations have telltale problems and limitations; Germano is a former book editor at a scholarly press and has seen enough of them to describe them frankly and helpfully. He pegs perfectly the fundamental flaw of graduate education: what you are asked to produce for your committee is not what publishers want. I have often compared my dissertation to the books that I read and felt that it pales in comparison; Germano explains why this is though and maps out useful strategies--planning, conceptualizing, re-writing--for taking your work to the next level. After reading this, I am actually really excited to get into the revising process.

From Dissertation to Dissertation

As a graduate student just beginning to write my dissertation, this book was very, very helpful. Eric Foner's blurb on the back cover suggests putting it into the hands of PhD candidates at the conclusion of their doctoral defenses. I would suggest doing so at the conclusion of their general exams, when the typical dissertation errors Germano describes can still be avoided. Reading this book before writing a considerable portion of my dissertation has given me a clear set of questions to keep in mind as I move forward. It is an excellent complement to Bolker's WRITING YOUR DISSERTATION IN 15 MINUTES A DAY, which offers encouragement and writing tips unhinged from the (reasonable) obsession with turning a dissertation into a book.

Kicking into gear

Trying to organize my thoughts and goals after finishing my dissertation has been a long, slow process. This book outlines some of the typical pitfalls, identifies a step-by-step process and has set up some guidelines I need to move ahead. Good luck to anyone trying for this!

Encouraging Yet Realistic Advice

This book spoke directly to me, a person finishing her dissertation who saw the potential for publishing but didn't know how to get started. The author works for a publishing company and once wrote a dissertation, so his advice is trustworthy. I also felt that the ideas he shared were practical and doable. Having read this book gave me a clear sense of direction as I began my own book manuscript, and I kept the author's advice clearly in mind as I wrote. One downside: The book is wordy and leans toward a scholarly tone. While it isn't exactly an enjoyable read, it is high interest if the reader is thinking about publishing all or parts of her dissertation, and certainly those of us who have written dissertations can get through scholarly text! I recommend this book. It is one of a kind on the market right now.