I'm an author, and I have a great job helping my fellow faculty members publish their books with university presses. Through this job I visit presses one-on-one sometimes, but that is expensive and involves major travel. A huge conference is coming up with 20 of our target presses in attendance, each at a booth. What is the best way to contact them pre-conference to arrange intelligent, mutually meaningful interaction? Should I write to the directors themselves, or is there a more grassroots way to poll university press staffs to get a feel for who wants to meet and discuss their take on scholarly publishing? And what's in this for them, other than the fact that my university is reasonably high on the prestige scale? Any other benefit to them?
posted by anonyme on Dec 8, 2009 - 4 answers

Library and indie bookstore acquisitions -- help? Tell me how new titles are chosen and if this plan might work. [more inside]
posted by bitter-girl.com on Dec 2, 2009 - 16 answers

How do authors ensure that they aren't copying older stories? [more inside]
posted by amicamentis on Nov 30, 2009 - 15 answers

My goddaughter passed away three years ago at 19. She has an online blog (which I host) with about 4 years of entries. Is there a way to take all that text and drop it down into a program so we can print it out easily (almost in book form)? Or is the best way to cut and paste into a word doc and then put it all together? [more inside]
posted by Mysticalchick on Nov 29, 2009 - 10 answers

What are some good places to get information about digital publishing? [more inside]
posted by jonathanstrange on Nov 25, 2009 - 3 answers

What tool should I use for publishing extended thoughts that I want to link to from Twitter? I'd like something topic-based, with tagging, that lives in the cloud? Does such a thing exist? [more inside]
posted by diogenes on Nov 18, 2009 - 11 answers

Do I have the right to transcribe and publish a recording of a psychic reading (I was the client)? [more inside]
posted by arcticwoman on Nov 16, 2009 - 14 answers

As a writer trying to press into the next stage of my career, how can I emphasize in my publishing history that "small press" isn't always a euphemism for "vanity press"? [more inside]
posted by 256 on Nov 11, 2009 - 17 answers

Where can I get volunteer editing experience in the Portland, OR area, or via the internet? [more inside]
posted by Caduceus on Nov 3, 2009 - 4 answers

Where can I publish some old literary crit essays that are burning a hole in my pocket? [more inside]
posted by duncecap on Nov 1, 2009 - 6 answers

Innovative Books: I am looking to compile a list of the most innovative uses of the book format. Books that break the mould in their layout and design, perhaps books that use online systems to extend their content value or push their form into new places. I am most interested in narrative and theory, but any book that is interesting (artist books etc.) would be really appreciated. [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Nov 1, 2009 - 29 answers

What happens if somebody lies in an obituary? [more inside]
posted by Shepherd on Oct 30, 2009 - 10 answers

I've recently begun work on a children's book. It is inspired by my granddaughter. I was wondering if anyone had any information on how to get a children's book published? Suggested Publishers? Also, any other information pertaining to this process, would be appreciated. ***I realize that children's books are a dime a dozen...but mine just might be spectacular ;)***
posted by gypseefire on Oct 17, 2009 - 4 answers

Photography pros: I've been approached by an editor who wants to publish my photos, and he asked me for my rates. I never sold a photo before. How do I price them? [more inside]
posted by AnyGuelmann on Oct 13, 2009 - 12 answers

Copyright filter: Do publishers of books like Richistan, Microtrends and The Ascent of Money—all of which use stories from newspapers, magazines and wire services as source material—have to pay the periodicals for the use of their material? Thanks!
posted by quidividi on Oct 12, 2009 - 2 answers

I've taken a huge step into the dark side of dorkdom, and I've begun writing my own crosswords. Mostly for fun, mostly to see if I could actually do it. Turns out I can. Now, how can I go about getting these published somewhere? Online, magazines, newspapers--I really have no idea how to start. Suggestions?
posted by John of Michigan on Oct 10, 2009 - 5 answers

I want to write and publish a book on the industrial music scene from a feminist perspective. I’m a decent writer, but I have no photography, graphic design, marketing, or publishing experience, and no industry connections. Where do I start? [more inside]
posted by velvet winter on Oct 3, 2009 - 8 answers

Can you name any published Canadian bloggers? [more inside]
posted by ashputtel on Sep 28, 2009 - 34 answers

I have this amazing idea for a book that has never been done before and will sell like hotcakes. (No, seriously!) But I have absolutely no idea where to start. What do I do? [more inside]
posted by Madamina on Sep 25, 2009 - 11 answers

I have savings and, soon, no work. I want to do something interesting, write about it, and publish - ideally to kick-start a writing career. How should I go about these 3 things? [more inside]
posted by jeatsy on Sep 8, 2009 - 14 answers

Short story cover letters: How do I indicate I have actually read the journal I am submitting to , or do I do so, at all? I am a Canadian who wants to publish short fiction in the far larger market in the U.S. Every literary journal’s submission guidelines urge you to read at least one copy of their magazine before submitting. [more inside]
posted by uans on Sep 8, 2009 - 16 answers

I've fallen in love with a certain older British character actor and want to write his biography...where do I begin? [more inside]
posted by frosty_hut on Sep 4, 2009 - 5 answers

I've got what I think is a really great idea for a board game. Now what? [more inside]
posted by jbickers on Sep 2, 2009 - 13 answers

PublishingCareer Filter: So, I'm getting my JD in May. Would applying for jobs in publishing be a worthwhile supplement to my job search? [more inside]
posted by ailouros08 on Aug 28, 2009 - 8 answers

There is a literary journal currently asking for a $1 "handling fee" to fast-track submitted stories. Is this okay? What really, is the point of asking for a dollar?
posted by uans on Aug 22, 2009 - 20 answers

christopher hitchens' edited the portable atheist is probably the most current book which by using the word "portable" purports that it is an essential reader in condensed format. but there are so many other titles which use "the portable such-and-such". how and when did this tradition start? [more inside]
posted by sardonicsmile on Aug 20, 2009 - 4 answers

In writing a research book, how far along should I be before approaching publishers, agents, etc? Help needed to get my nonfiction pop culture centric book into bookstores [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 3, 2009 - 7 answers

If everything goes magically and a publisher is interested in my book sometime in the future, is it damaging to post excerpts on the Internet now, while I'm shopping it around? [more inside]
posted by bobbyno on Jul 28, 2009 - 12 answers

What do you love about popular books on society, history, and human sciences? What do you hate about them? [more inside]
posted by carmen on Jul 23, 2009 - 19 answers

How can I make an online tool to show someone whether an image they've uploaded is high enough resolution for print? [more inside]
posted by ocherdraco on Jul 21, 2009 - 16 answers

Do you know of a newspaper or magazine that publishes to both the web and print and posts a PDF of the print version on their website? [more inside]
posted by Brandon Blatcher on Jul 15, 2009 - 25 answers

My dream is to write nonfiction books, but I have more book ideas than I know what to do with. Does anybody have any advice on how to find an agent or even just somebody knowledgeable about the publishing business who could give some good advice about which book ideas would work and which ideas would fall flat? How does one get past the query letter stage, when you have multiple outlines and chapters and book ideas, but you don't have a finished book?
posted by jonp72 on Jul 14, 2009 - 13 answers

What is the "Hedgehog Effect?" in the context of publishing (or possibly philosophy)?
posted by notbuddha on Jul 13, 2009 - 8 answers

Published writers, how did you deal with post-sale paralysis? [more inside]
posted by mynameisluka on Jul 11, 2009 - 15 answers

How can I make my Word documents look less....boring? Seeking tips & tricks from people with an eye for design. [more inside]
posted by Miko on Jul 8, 2009 - 26 answers

I often have a whole bunch of 500-3000 word articles to read - all reasonably plain English with headings and sub-headings (and occasionally images). Is there any software out there which will take an article (or articles) and write a reasonable one or two paragraph summary of the article, or produce a list of key points?
posted by zaebiz on Jun 16, 2009 - 13 answers

Creating my book's own index, crazy or sensible? [more inside]
posted by jessamyn on Jun 10, 2009 - 19 answers

I have put together a book using some old notes that a relative left for me over the years that I scanned as jpegs. In some of them the handwriting is bad so I need to put a translation, and some of them need an explanation to set the scene. I've decided to self-publish them. Blurb is very intuitive but lacks the sales options that Lulu offers. Whereas, Lulu makes it very difficult for what I'm looking to do because it's sort of a hybrid book. Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated.
posted by adfeb on Jun 9, 2009 - 3 answers

EmploymentFilter: I will soon have a job interview to be a copy editor/proofreader for a scientific publishing company. What sort of questions can I expect my interviewer to ask? [more inside]
posted by Jon_Evil on May 14, 2009 - 7 answers

How do I move into book translation? Do I want to? [more inside]
posted by saysthis on May 4, 2009 - 4 answers

How do I go about finding magazines to which I can send a (non-fiction memoir) piece? Sources or specific magazine titles would be appreciated, as well as anything I may not know about magazine publishing. [more inside]
posted by bluestocking on May 1, 2009 - 9 answers

Easy, free way to create a single form-editable web page on my static HTML site? [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit on Apr 15, 2009 - 2 answers

Does anyone have experience creating an account with Lightning Source? Do they have any unwritten requirements as to the scale of the publishing operation and the number of titles to be published per year?
posted by LimePi on Apr 13, 2009 - 3 answers

Inspired by the Tweetbook I've decided to use Lulu to make a print version of my high school-era livejournal. How do I easily turn the XML file with all of of my entries, comments, and associated metadata into something I can print? [more inside]
posted by Newbornstranger on Apr 8, 2009 - 1 answer

Whose permission do I need to reprint publications of the Canadian government? [more inside]
posted by synecdoche on Mar 25, 2009 - 3 answers

Does anyone have software recommendations for making Venn diagrams? Especially complicated ones? [more inside]
posted by tnygard on Mar 10, 2009 - 9 answers

Please give me some advice on self-publishing photography books. [more inside]
posted by willy_dilly on Mar 6, 2009 - 5 answers

I produce a YouTube show about media literacy/criticism. Right now we post weekly, on a schedule which is driving me insane. Does frequency of publishing new content matter (whether it's for a blog, a podcast, a comic, etc) so long as you publish regularly? Could I do it every other week or monthly without losing people's attention? And what do you suggest doing to help make up for less-frequent publishing? [more inside]
posted by gusandrews on Mar 5, 2009 - 5 answers

How do I go about publishing an art book? [more inside]
posted by ChloeMills on Mar 1, 2009 - 4 answers

Is there an automated way to print a person's name on a PDF when they fill out a Web form to get it? Like, "this printed for your name here" [more inside]
posted by junger on Feb 26, 2009 - 12 answers