This is the first session in the academic publishing series, Ink to Impact: A series on academic publishing.

This panel discussion brings together seasoned editors from university presses, academic trade publishing houses, and independent experts to illuminate the publishing journey from the publisher’s point of view. Panelists will share practical advice for crafting compelling proposals, strategies for approaching editors professionally, and guidance on the key questions authors should anticipate, both asking and answering.

Designed with the humanities and social sciences in mind, this session aims to demystify the publishing process by revealing what happens behind the scenes: submission timelines, editorial decision-making, and what publishers look for in manuscripts. Attendees will also gain insights into the distinctions between university presses and academic trade publishers, helping them determine the best fit for their work.

Moderator: Prof. Naomi Adelson, Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Toronto Metropolitan University

Panelists: 

• Rachel Stapleton, Senior Acquisitions Editor, University of Regina Press

• Katie Gallof Houck, Senior Publisher, Film & Media Studies, Bloomsbury Academic Publishing

• Sam Hiyate, Founder and CEO, Literary Agent, The Rights Factory

Session Objectives: 

• Explore publisher expectations and challenges in academic publishing 

• Unveil the process “behind the curtain”: submission, review, and publication timelines

• Share actionable strategies for developing successful book proposals

• Clarify distinctions between academic trade presses and university presses to help authors identify their best fit

Target Audience: This session is primarily designed for early career researchers in the Social Sciences and Humanities who are working on their first single-authored manuscript. However, the conversation is relevant to researchers at all career stages, including instructors, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, who are interested in understanding academic publishing from the publisher’s perspective.

If you have any questions about this session, email Chris Kim at kim.chris@torontomu.ca, Ann Ludbrook at aludbrook@torontomu.ca, or Toby Malone at toby.malone@torontomu.ca.