I have an agent, so I think going that route is always smart, because it saves a lot of time and frustration. But you may have to write a proposal for a book you have already written to get commercial presses to consider it. So there's that.
The only press that jumps out at me right now is Beacon.
But also, take a broad look at academic presses that market a select list to a general audience. The good thinking about academic presses is that they have an ecumenical view about why academics might by qualified to write about a topic that is far from their field of training. So Oxford and NYU press come to mind here. If you have some presses in mind (look at their lists to see if they have published something like what you propose), then come to the AHA and meet with editors there to talk about the book, sending a pitch letter and a chapter ahead of time.
Brad DeLong often refers to your writings in his Substack updates. He's reaching the wide, politically informed audience you're hoping to interest. A brief email could be constructive.
Tim, I did “vote” for contacts first. I do not have any experience with agents. But here’s the choice you didn’t offer. An entirely new press. Your entire public-facing writing has been heading toward an original series of “Easily Distracted” books by you and others. I know of no other individual who reviews books so actively and openly, who puts ideas and arguments out there without middleman, and who seems so ready to do this. I would be a first supporter.
Sep 23, 2022·edited Sep 23, 2022Liked by Timothy Burke
To complement--or possibly challenge--Ben Serber's comment: yes, definitely direct queries to left presses, but not ONLY left presses. Because what you're describing here sounds to me like something very much like Front Porch Republic/Chelsea Green/New Society/Foundation for Intentional Community-type stuff; so "left," definitely, as I and many others understand the left, but not necessarily something that Verso or Nation would likely pick up (though they've both published Nathan Schneider on communalism and co-ops, so you never know). Anyway, the book sounds like one I'd definitely like to read, and if getting it out there means sharing shelf space (whether literal or virtual) with various decentralists and localists you find politically distasteful, maybe that would be worth it? Just don't write that crowd of contrarian publishers off is all I'm thinking.
An agent will have a better idea which trade presses to send it to and which editors at those presses would find it most interesting. You might want to consider PublicAffairs Press.
Caveat: I don't publish my writing, I just read books like the one you're describing. Also, obviously, I don't know you and I don't know who your friends are: my sense of how your likely audience perceives your work is 95% social media and 5% friends who I try and convince to read your posts.
I would say it's probably a combo of direct queries and networking. There are definitely trade presses that would go in for a book like this. I don't think this is the right kind of anti-liberal contrarianism for a really mainstream imprint, but I could easily see it at, say, Verso. I would've said Haymarket's a bit too self-consciously radical but they did just publish Elite Capture which I think is in a similar vein.
To complement direct queries, though, some network use to establish your bona fides couldn't hurt. I think Elite Capture continues to be a good example here: Taiwo's got a very mainstream job, but he engages with day-to-day politics in his own life and not just on Twitter, as a result of which real leftists doing day-to-day politics take him seriously and use his thought. The "left press" seems like it's looking for authors like that rather than another theory epicycle (there's always the academic press for that stuff!). Hard to convey that you're that kind of person with nothing but a CV and a book proposal, but other people can make that kind of plug on your behalf.
I again want to acknowledge that this is all probably wildly misinformed. But please don't throw this on the rubbish manuscript pile: I really to think there are presses that would print it and people who would read it, most of whom will never bump into your views unless you get them out through that channel.
Literary Agents will flog it to people with Opinions, and you WILL have to edit it. Though it's a fantasy to think that unless it is Duke-esque, you will be asked by fools to do things you would rather not. I would cut out the middle-man.
I think you need an agent. I'm writing three books: one scholarly and two otherwise. I know where to send 2 of the 3 manuscripts, but am still considering acquiring the services of an agent.
I have an agent, so I think going that route is always smart, because it saves a lot of time and frustration. But you may have to write a proposal for a book you have already written to get commercial presses to consider it. So there's that.
The only press that jumps out at me right now is Beacon.
But also, take a broad look at academic presses that market a select list to a general audience. The good thinking about academic presses is that they have an ecumenical view about why academics might by qualified to write about a topic that is far from their field of training. So Oxford and NYU press come to mind here. If you have some presses in mind (look at their lists to see if they have published something like what you propose), then come to the AHA and meet with editors there to talk about the book, sending a pitch letter and a chapter ahead of time.
Brad DeLong often refers to your writings in his Substack updates. He's reaching the wide, politically informed audience you're hoping to interest. A brief email could be constructive.
Tim, I did “vote” for contacts first. I do not have any experience with agents. But here’s the choice you didn’t offer. An entirely new press. Your entire public-facing writing has been heading toward an original series of “Easily Distracted” books by you and others. I know of no other individual who reviews books so actively and openly, who puts ideas and arguments out there without middleman, and who seems so ready to do this. I would be a first supporter.
To complement--or possibly challenge--Ben Serber's comment: yes, definitely direct queries to left presses, but not ONLY left presses. Because what you're describing here sounds to me like something very much like Front Porch Republic/Chelsea Green/New Society/Foundation for Intentional Community-type stuff; so "left," definitely, as I and many others understand the left, but not necessarily something that Verso or Nation would likely pick up (though they've both published Nathan Schneider on communalism and co-ops, so you never know). Anyway, the book sounds like one I'd definitely like to read, and if getting it out there means sharing shelf space (whether literal or virtual) with various decentralists and localists you find politically distasteful, maybe that would be worth it? Just don't write that crowd of contrarian publishers off is all I'm thinking.
An agent will have a better idea which trade presses to send it to and which editors at those presses would find it most interesting. You might want to consider PublicAffairs Press.
Caveat: I don't publish my writing, I just read books like the one you're describing. Also, obviously, I don't know you and I don't know who your friends are: my sense of how your likely audience perceives your work is 95% social media and 5% friends who I try and convince to read your posts.
I would say it's probably a combo of direct queries and networking. There are definitely trade presses that would go in for a book like this. I don't think this is the right kind of anti-liberal contrarianism for a really mainstream imprint, but I could easily see it at, say, Verso. I would've said Haymarket's a bit too self-consciously radical but they did just publish Elite Capture which I think is in a similar vein.
To complement direct queries, though, some network use to establish your bona fides couldn't hurt. I think Elite Capture continues to be a good example here: Taiwo's got a very mainstream job, but he engages with day-to-day politics in his own life and not just on Twitter, as a result of which real leftists doing day-to-day politics take him seriously and use his thought. The "left press" seems like it's looking for authors like that rather than another theory epicycle (there's always the academic press for that stuff!). Hard to convey that you're that kind of person with nothing but a CV and a book proposal, but other people can make that kind of plug on your behalf.
I again want to acknowledge that this is all probably wildly misinformed. But please don't throw this on the rubbish manuscript pile: I really to think there are presses that would print it and people who would read it, most of whom will never bump into your views unless you get them out through that channel.
*NOT to think 🤦🏽♀️
Literary Agents will flog it to people with Opinions, and you WILL have to edit it. Though it's a fantasy to think that unless it is Duke-esque, you will be asked by fools to do things you would rather not. I would cut out the middle-man.
I think you need an agent. I'm writing three books: one scholarly and two otherwise. I know where to send 2 of the 3 manuscripts, but am still considering acquiring the services of an agent.
Use your contacts to see if they will refer you to a reliable agent.